Well my first kit brew is under way – Sunday 09 Sept 07.
After returning from the DIY store with half a tonne of plastic bits and a cardboard box of Woodforde’s Wherry , duly armed with anticipation and excitement I started the process of cleaning my new toys.
I used bottled water for the brew as I reckoned the bottles would be handy for the next brew and I’m not sure how the local tap water will fare.. I didn’t want my “first goâ€
Virgin on the ridiculous
Hope it turns out well for you.-
GW8IZR
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Ross
Paul.
You should have showed a little patience with your original yeast. It's very rare for one not to fire. A few hours is nowhere near enough time to start worrying.
I suspect the bread yeast is not going to give a very desirable taste to your beer, but will keep my fingers crossed for you. Hopefully the brewers yeast will have kiced off first & be the dominant yeast.
cheers Ross
You should have showed a little patience with your original yeast. It's very rare for one not to fire. A few hours is nowhere near enough time to start worrying.
I suspect the bread yeast is not going to give a very desirable taste to your beer, but will keep my fingers crossed for you. Hopefully the brewers yeast will have kiced off first & be the dominant yeast.
cheers Ross
wot the other said really, always have a packet of say S-04 or Nottingham kicking around in the fridge, handy for situations like that, and maybe give it a bit more time next time, you seem pretty clued up though.
I've had ones that took 2-3 hours to start going mental, and I've also had ones that took nearly 12 maybe longer. I've found that sometimes a slightly higher temperature at the start helps, if you're going to ferment at say 18-19C, stick it somewhere 22C+ until fermentation gets a hold then drop the temp slightly. As long as it's within the yeasts temperature range you tend to get a cleaner taste with most dried yeasts at the lower end of their range, it just may take a day or so longer to get to the required gravity.
Have fun
I've had ones that took 2-3 hours to start going mental, and I've also had ones that took nearly 12 maybe longer. I've found that sometimes a slightly higher temperature at the start helps, if you're going to ferment at say 18-19C, stick it somewhere 22C+ until fermentation gets a hold then drop the temp slightly. As long as it's within the yeasts temperature range you tend to get a cleaner taste with most dried yeasts at the lower end of their range, it just may take a day or so longer to get to the required gravity.
Have fun
-
GW8IZR
It went into the Keg on Saturday to make room in the fermenter for a second attempt.
Gravity was down to 1010. The surface scud had all but disappeared and there was only a very small amount of sediment in the bottom of the fermenter. Its got a very strange taste, seems way too bitter to me and is still incredibly foamy when siphoned into the sample tube.
I'm fairly sure this first lot will end up in my septic tank now, but the main idea behind this brew was just to have a go. I'll give it a few weeks to see what happens.
The second brew was started immediately after cleaning the fermenter etc.. is a Tom Caxton "real ale" kit and it seems to be behaving a lot more like I'd expect and I have much better hopes for this one.
Gravity was down to 1010. The surface scud had all but disappeared and there was only a very small amount of sediment in the bottom of the fermenter. Its got a very strange taste, seems way too bitter to me and is still incredibly foamy when siphoned into the sample tube.
I'm fairly sure this first lot will end up in my septic tank now, but the main idea behind this brew was just to have a go. I'll give it a few weeks to see what happens.
The second brew was started immediately after cleaning the fermenter etc.. is a Tom Caxton "real ale" kit and it seems to be behaving a lot more like I'd expect and I have much better hopes for this one.
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GW8IZR
Remarkably the kit manufacturer seems to have been able to design this kit to be pretty foolproof – despite my attempts it seems to be improving quite nicely. The few bottles are clearing well and the top inch or so of the keg tastes quite well. My wife confirmed this by pronouncing it “just as undrinkable as the disgusting stuff you buy ready madeâ€