Hi all,
I am on my second kit brew, and have decided to get a classic tin of Geordie Lager for a party coming up in a couple of months. I'm sure many people round here have brewed this one!
Anyway, I'm a little confused by the instructions. In the fermentation stage, it mentions that the brew should be bottled when the specific gravity reaches 1.005 for two days. Fine - I don't own a hydrometer (yet), but this isn't my problem. I don't really want to bottle my lager - there isn't much point, since it's a party and I want people to be able to fill up with what they want straight from the keg (or jug). I'm using a King Keg, by the way. Will this give me a problem? Can I just leave it a couple of weeks and be (reasonably) sure that the specific gravity will have dropped?
Next question:
The instructions state "If using a five gallon pressure barrel, put 2.5oz of sugar for a 40 pint kit, dissolved in about a pint of your beer then siphon in the remainder." Does this mean I need to literally take out a pint of the unfinished beer and dissolve the sugar in it? And how do I go about "siphoning" the remaining sugar in? I'm confused.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Geordie Lager Newbie Question
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chopperswookie
don't bother kegging. lager suppost to be fizzy, if your going to barrel do a real ale or something that doesn't need to be that carbonated. i use two litre pop bottles with a tablespoon of sugar, bit of recycling, just got 18 off me mam, she's been saving them, and they work a treat. just leave for 4 weeks then open and pour in jugs!
what you ferming with? sugar/brewing sugar/beer enhancer etc? its well worth doing it "properly" with brewing sugar etc
i know its for a party but all you'll get is everyone saying the usual about homebrew, "its alright and it gets you pissed.......
what you ferming with? sugar/brewing sugar/beer enhancer etc? its well worth doing it "properly" with brewing sugar etc
i know its for a party but all you'll get is everyone saying the usual about homebrew, "its alright and it gets you pissed.......
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StevieR
I would definately bottle (in PET bottles) any lager in order to get the higher level of carbonation expected. If you add this to your pressure barrel, the carbonation level will be ok but not that good. If you try and get round this by adding more sugar, the pressure release on the barrel will lift and essentially defeat the object. 
If you use 2 litre PET bottles (ex coke, irn bru etc) its not too laborious - its still a pita but I've just done this two days ago for my Pilsner. I'm certain it'll be worth it
If you use 2 litre PET bottles (ex coke, irn bru etc) its not too laborious - its still a pita but I've just done this two days ago for my Pilsner. I'm certain it'll be worth it
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clootie
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mr lil
I agree with the above. Kegs are great, but not fantastic for lager as its usually a maximum of 3oz of priming sugar to the barrel, but this doesnt make it overly fizzy.
My Geordie lager kits were flat and tasteless years ago but I dont think I followed all the instructions re cleaning properly.
The plastic bottle theory is great. If you buy Value mineral water you can save the bottles and use the water for the brew...I make it 12 bottles if its a 40 pint kit.
Have fun mate
Paul
My Geordie lager kits were flat and tasteless years ago but I dont think I followed all the instructions re cleaning properly.
The plastic bottle theory is great. If you buy Value mineral water you can save the bottles and use the water for the brew...I make it 12 bottles if its a 40 pint kit.
Have fun mate
Paul
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J_P
What I do (until my cornis arriveclootie wrote:Remember that if you need a few 2 litre PET's in a hurry/cheaply that bottles of Supermarket sparkling water/lemonade etc can be picked up very cheaply. eg a bottle of Asda Smartprice sparkling water is only 17p (and you get to drink the contents if you dare)
) is to make the kit / beer up with the bottled water, keep the bottles in a safe place and then bottle the finished beer back into the empty bottles, simple. I'm drinking AG pale ale out of a 17p bottle that previously contained water and it's fine; in addition to this the bottles are a shed load more portable for taking to parties etc. (when your mates return the favour)
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Orkney_Rob
See... you say not to keg it... but I really, really enjoyed several pints of cask conditioned Fyne Ales Latitude Pilsner back in October, pulled using a good old fashioned beer engine. Yes it is a very different lager experience to the usual, but it was so very, very nice
I am thinking of doing something similar for next summer - a nice refreshing cask of lager! Unless I get Cornies... but I am really trying to avoid spending too much more at the moment
Oh - thinking of low carbonated lagers, a lot of the 5l kegs are also of this low fizz variety, and also very tasty!
I am thinking of doing something similar for next summer - a nice refreshing cask of lager! Unless I get Cornies... but I am really trying to avoid spending too much more at the moment
Oh - thinking of low carbonated lagers, a lot of the 5l kegs are also of this low fizz variety, and also very tasty!
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mr lil
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Stumpy82
Hi everyone,
That's very helpful RE: Bottling. I have now invested in enough bottles to hold my 40 pints of lager.
However, could anyone help me with my second question? I simply don't understand what the instructions are asking!
"If using a five gallon pressure barrel, put 2.5oz of sugar for a 40 pint kit, dissolved in about a pint of your beer then siphon in the remainder."
Many thanks!
That's very helpful RE: Bottling. I have now invested in enough bottles to hold my 40 pints of lager.
However, could anyone help me with my second question? I simply don't understand what the instructions are asking!
"If using a five gallon pressure barrel, put 2.5oz of sugar for a 40 pint kit, dissolved in about a pint of your beer then siphon in the remainder."
Many thanks!