I splashed out and bought 12 matching wine crates and they are my conditioning>drinking storage. 12 bottles in each 144 bottle pattern. Brew length 36 at a time. 3 empty creates (or a pile of caps) means it's the to brew again.
Savings are immense & I do prefer a bottle nicely carbonated. Makes you grin when you pour it.
First brew in over 4 years.
Re: First brew in over 4 years.
Oh yes. Same here.
144 bottles of 75cl? That's quite a stash.
Let me know if you need help
144 bottles of 75cl? That's quite a stash.
Let me know if you need help
-
bitter_dave
- Even further under the Table
- Posts: 2170
- Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2005 1:00 pm
- Location: Whitley Bay
Re: First brew in over 4 years.
I've moved from king kegs to Coopers 500ml pet bottles and I think they are great.
The beer keeps a good length of time and they are light and fairly easy to clean. You can keep them in the box you get them in for easy storage and they are more compact than glass. You can have fairly light carbonation if you want (obviously the same with glass on this point). Brown to avoid skunking. You can also squeeze them to get a sense of how carbonation is coming along. Easy capping and you can re-use the caps. Cheaper than glass bottles (if you are buying them, not if they are free with beer!). The downside, as I understand it, is the beer won't last as long as in glass (i.e. more than 18 months).
Of course, everyone has different needs/preferences and this suits me well these days.
The beer keeps a good length of time and they are light and fairly easy to clean. You can keep them in the box you get them in for easy storage and they are more compact than glass. You can have fairly light carbonation if you want (obviously the same with glass on this point). Brown to avoid skunking. You can also squeeze them to get a sense of how carbonation is coming along. Easy capping and you can re-use the caps. Cheaper than glass bottles (if you are buying them, not if they are free with beer!). The downside, as I understand it, is the beer won't last as long as in glass (i.e. more than 18 months).
Of course, everyone has different needs/preferences and this suits me well these days.
Re: First brew in over 4 years.
I do like the squeeze idea.
Can I ask how do you get on with brown? I personally prefer clear, so I can see what is going on? When I looked into streamlining bottling, brown (only) wash the reason I didn't buy any.
Confession time: I reuse my caps already. I used to be "tight" turns out I am now "environmentally friendly ", who knew
Can I ask how do you get on with brown? I personally prefer clear, so I can see what is going on? When I looked into streamlining bottling, brown (only) wash the reason I didn't buy any.
Confession time: I reuse my caps already. I used to be "tight" turns out I am now "environmentally friendly ", who knew
-
bitter_dave
- Even further under the Table
- Posts: 2170
- Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2005 1:00 pm
- Location: Whitley Bay
Re: First brew in over 4 years.
Yes, the squeeze thing is quite cool. You can get a pretty good sense of what is going on with carbonation from this.MashBag wrote: ↑Thu Feb 17, 2022 7:26 pmI do like the squeeze idea.
Can I ask how do you get on with brown? I personally prefer clear, so I can see what is going on? When I looked into streamlining bottling, brown (only) wash the reason I didn't buy any.
Confession time: I reuse my caps already. I used to be "tight" turns out I am now "environmentally friendly ", who knew
I don't see the problem with brown bottles and never used clear ones. That said, I've only been bottling for the last six months, after years of using plastic pressure barrels. I'm a complete convert to bottling now.
Doesn't clear glass/plastic risk the beer getting 'skunked' from hops reacting to the light?
Re: First brew in over 4 years.
Skunking. Hmm. Never ever seen it & don't know anyone who has.
IMO it is probably more of a commercial thing. Transport. Unknown storage conditions. Added shelf life that sort of thing.
Home brew for me, is stored in a dark cool place.
Isn't transported, only to my glass and that doesn't usually take too long.
Is also live not bright beer and I think that helps too.
I have learnt so much more, by being able to see my beer when in bottles. And I also have some that is 5+ years old.
I wonder if someone had a more tech answer....
IMO it is probably more of a commercial thing. Transport. Unknown storage conditions. Added shelf life that sort of thing.
Home brew for me, is stored in a dark cool place.
Isn't transported, only to my glass and that doesn't usually take too long.
Is also live not bright beer and I think that helps too.
I have learnt so much more, by being able to see my beer when in bottles. And I also have some that is 5+ years old.
I wonder if someone had a more tech answer....
Re: First brew in over 4 years.
I tried a bottle of the Wherry last night. Wow, it's sweet and malty. It's very dark in colour, almost like a stout, but I have no idea why. It tastes reminiscent of McEwans Champion.. which is a good thing in my book as I like that stuff.
Overall, I think it is around the 6.5% mark and I look forward to trying it once it's been in the bottle for a few months, I think this will be a half decent beer.
I bottled my stout mid week, and this is already very nice, so I've been tucking into that over the weekend
Overall, I think it is around the 6.5% mark and I look forward to trying it once it's been in the bottle for a few months, I think this will be a half decent beer.
I bottled my stout mid week, and this is already very nice, so I've been tucking into that over the weekend
In the past:
21.5L Coopers Stout + Treacle OG 1054 (Start 6/11/2015)
21L Coopers English Bitter + Hops OG 1047 (Start 6/11/2015)
20L Coopers APA OG 1050 FG 1014 (Start 26/10/2014, PB'd 30/11/2014 Dry hopped 100g Cascade on 18/11/2014)
20L Coopers Stout OG 1048 FG 1016 (Start 30/11/2014, PB'd 17/12/2014)
20L Coopers Stout OG 1048 (PB'd 17/12/2013)
20L Coopers Lager OG 1047 (Start 03/12/2013, PB'd 04/08/2014!)
21.5L Coopers Stout + Treacle OG 1054 (Start 6/11/2015)
21L Coopers English Bitter + Hops OG 1047 (Start 6/11/2015)
20L Coopers APA OG 1050 FG 1014 (Start 26/10/2014, PB'd 30/11/2014 Dry hopped 100g Cascade on 18/11/2014)
20L Coopers Stout OG 1048 FG 1016 (Start 30/11/2014, PB'd 17/12/2014)
20L Coopers Stout OG 1048 (PB'd 17/12/2013)
20L Coopers Lager OG 1047 (Start 03/12/2013, PB'd 04/08/2014!)
Re: First brew in over 4 years.
I would think you are in for a treat there. Only been 8 days or so in the bottle hasn't it? Unless it's been somewhere warm, I would guess the secondary isn't finished, which is why it's sweet.
I think we ought to have an update next week too.
I think we ought to have an update next week too.
Re: First brew in over 4 years.
I use glass bottles for my beers, except if they're destined for a beer swap or a competition which mandates PET bottles.
A good tip when bottling into PETs is to fill to the normal level (30-40mm from the top) then gently squeeze the bottle so the beer comes right to the top, then cap. The bottle will expand to it's normal shape after a day or so of secondary, but the head space will be CO2.
It could be argued that without going through the squeezing process, the yeast would consume the oxygen in the airspace anyway, but -- why not? Only takes a few seconds more per bottle.
A good tip when bottling into PETs is to fill to the normal level (30-40mm from the top) then gently squeeze the bottle so the beer comes right to the top, then cap. The bottle will expand to it's normal shape after a day or so of secondary, but the head space will be CO2.
It could be argued that without going through the squeezing process, the yeast would consume the oxygen in the airspace anyway, but -- why not? Only takes a few seconds more per bottle.
Re: First brew in over 4 years.
Now there is a marmite question.
Don't know if there is a wrong or right answer. Having tried many things I invert & shake mine after capping.
Re: First brew in over 4 years.
It's been a bit more than a week, apologies, but a quick update..
The stout I made has all gone now.. very drinkable straight away to be honest, so that's what happened!
The Wherry is still very sweet despite it having good carbonation now. It's clear as a bell, although very dark. It's very drinkable though, and you know you've had a beer when you drink it, it is strong, probably around 6.3-6.5%, so you don't need many to get the 'tingle'..
I've since made a Coopers Inkeepers Daughter sparkling ale (SG 1054, FG 1014), which I'm about to bottle and an Imperial stout (SG 1084 FG 1016) which I will also bottle at the same time. I'm planning on starting a new thread for the Imperial stout very shortly.
In the past:
21.5L Coopers Stout + Treacle OG 1054 (Start 6/11/2015)
21L Coopers English Bitter + Hops OG 1047 (Start 6/11/2015)
20L Coopers APA OG 1050 FG 1014 (Start 26/10/2014, PB'd 30/11/2014 Dry hopped 100g Cascade on 18/11/2014)
20L Coopers Stout OG 1048 FG 1016 (Start 30/11/2014, PB'd 17/12/2014)
20L Coopers Stout OG 1048 (PB'd 17/12/2013)
20L Coopers Lager OG 1047 (Start 03/12/2013, PB'd 04/08/2014!)
21.5L Coopers Stout + Treacle OG 1054 (Start 6/11/2015)
21L Coopers English Bitter + Hops OG 1047 (Start 6/11/2015)
20L Coopers APA OG 1050 FG 1014 (Start 26/10/2014, PB'd 30/11/2014 Dry hopped 100g Cascade on 18/11/2014)
20L Coopers Stout OG 1048 FG 1016 (Start 30/11/2014, PB'd 17/12/2014)
20L Coopers Stout OG 1048 (PB'd 17/12/2013)
20L Coopers Lager OG 1047 (Start 03/12/2013, PB'd 04/08/2014!)
Re: First brew in over 4 years.
Most of my brewing mates keg their beers, but for me, after 40+ years of brewing, bottling works better.bitter_dave wrote: ↑Thu Feb 17, 2022 8:41 pmI don't see the problem with brown bottles and never used clear ones. That said, I've only been bottling for the last six months, after years of using plastic pressure barrels. I'm a complete convert to bottling now.
Doesn't clear glass/plastic risk the beer getting 'skunked' from hops reacting to the light?
I used to store the bottles (full or otherwise) in cardboard wine cartons, but over time, they became "less trust-worthy", so a trip to the plastics warehouse was in order. These ones are the right height and size for 16 x 750 heavy glass brown bottles. They also help contain the blast on the very rare occasion I've had a bottle bomb. And to be sure, to be sure, they're also stored in a well insulated room with no windows. The little grey carrier holds a dozen PETs - great for beer swaps.
- beer crates.jpg (135.01 KiB) Viewed 9804 times
-
WalesAles
- Falling off the Barstool
- Posts: 3914
- Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2013 11:07 pm
- Location: South Wales UK.
Re: First brew in over 4 years.
What about some pics of these lovely Beers then? (In a glass).
Beer Porn is great!
WA
Beer Porn is great!
WA