First ever brew in the FV, am I getting it right?!

[tifferrobinson]

Dear All,

Thanks for all your help this far. I have been given the following equipment and a couple of WW packs;

Mod edit: Link removed in accordance with forum rule.

by kind friends, and I think I now know what it all does.

I poured the whole sterilising powder thing in, which was about 5 teaspoons (it's Ritchies steriliser and cleaner?) which was what it said (1 teaspoon to every 5 litres). i filled it up half way (probably diluted it too much) and after half an hour I scrubbed the sides with a sponge that had been in there too. I forgot to sterilise the hydrometer, so poured boiling water on it instead

Quick question - a number of people advised rinsing the FV with cold water after sterilisation, and then with boiling before beginning. Surely (and I am a new dad so have had to learn about baby equipment sterilisation very quickly), surely rinsing with non sterile water sort of undoes the sterilising? Perhaps with water that has been boiled then cooled, but i didn't do that.

Also. I have now run out of steriliser - can I use the stuff we use for baby equipment, which is 5% sodium hypochlorite, for the keg and tap etc?

I then prepared the FV - 2.5 kettles of water, the rest with cold, the two big cans heated up and washed out as much as possible with the water from the kettle. I stirred and stirred with the (sterilised) paddle, and took a hydrometer reading, which was at 1.38 I think. Added the yeast, stirred some more, put the lid on and left it in a room with a radiator thermostat at around 20. I put the baby room thermometer (a flat bit of card with that strip that changes colour) on top of it and it is reading above 18 and below 21, so I hope that is right? I didn't vaseline the lid because I couldn't find any! I have no thermometer, so I am hoping the winter cold of the cold water didn't bring the temp down too much.

I'll take the hydro reading now just for fun, but then leave it a good few days before checking again (for when it gets to 1014).

In terms of Keg, my valvy thing for the top didn't come with any glass balls or tubing or bubbling stuff, is this right? It seems you can use it to add CO2, but I am going to use sugar for the second fermentation, so I should be fine?

I'm planning to add lots of sugar (measured accurately) to the keg, before pouring the contents of the FV in. or should I use the tubing? And then gradually drinking it over the next 6 weeks as it gets better and better, from the tap at the bottom of the keg. Is a very cold garage in winter ok after the initial few days?

After it has been kegged, can I then put it in plastic bottles for storage/give to people, or should it be drunk straight from?

Thanks for your advice!

Quick edit - just checked the hydrometer and there has been no change - and I guess it has been going for 18 hours now, is that ok?

[Jerry Cornelius]

Dear All,
Quick question - a number of people advised rinsing the FV with cold water after sterilisation, and then with boiling before beginning. Surely (and I am a new dad so have had to learn about baby equipment sterilisation very quickly), surely rinsing with non sterile water sort of undoes the sterilising? Perhaps with water that has been boiled then cooled, but i didn't do that.

Rinsing with cold water is fine. Whatever bugs maybe in it are not interested in beer...

Also. I have now run out of steriliser - can I use the stuff we use for baby equipment, which is 5% sodium hypochlorite, for the keg and tap etc?

Haven't used it myself ( my kids are now all grown up, so I don't have any around), but you can use thin, non scented bleach. I use 8 tablespoons per 23 L.

I put the baby room thermometer (a flat bit of card with that strip that changes colour) on top of it and it is reading above 18 and below 21, so I hope that is right?

A temperature of 20 +/- 1 C is absolutely okay. 18 C will be the limit.

I didn't vaseline the lid because I couldn't find any!

You only need to snap the lid on and then release a small section of it to allow CO2 to escape. The vaseline is for kegs, I believe (although I only bottle so I'm not an expert here)

I'm planning to add lots of sugar (measured accurately) to the keg, before pouring the contents of the FV in. or should I use the tubing?

It's better to use the tubing, otherwise you will add oxygen, which post fermentation is unwanted as it adds undesirable flavours.

Is a very cold garage in winter ok after the initial few days?

I leave mine in the house for two weeks then put it in the garage. Unless it freezes it'll be fine.

After it has been kegged, can I then put it in plastic bottles for storage/give to people, or should it be drunk straight from?

I only bottle, but I believe it's easier to bottle some at the same time as kegging (although others who actually do this may have better ideas).

Quick edit - just checked the hydrometer and there has been no change - and I guess it has been going for 18 hours now, is that ok?

I wouldn't worry at al at this stage. I always leave mine in the FV for two weeks minimum. Fermentation is usually over after 3 - 4 days. It may be a little slow to start, I don't even look until 24 - 36 hrs (but when I first started I checked every few hours. You'll soon relax about it!

[Ditch]

I'm planning to add lots of sugar And then drinking it from the tap at the bottom of the keg.

Respect!

Personally, I'd have used dried malt powder and a glass, myself. But you crash on.

By the way; Did ye ever add any Camden tablet to that water?

[tifferrobinson]

I'm planning to add lots of sugar And then drinking it from the tap at the bottom of the keg.

Respect!

Personally, I'd have used dried malt powder and a glass, myself. But you crash on.

By the way; Did ye ever add any Camden tablet to that water?

Dried malt powder? Is that better than sugar? I know noothing

It wasn't tablets, it was this sterilising powder stuff.

I thought the tap was meant to be used straight to the mouth?

[thedeckking]

Camden Tablets are to get rid of all the nasties in the tap water. Alot of guys on here use them or buy cheap bottled water instead. I've always used my water straight from the tap and never had a problem(I live in Cheshire). I've also used Milton when I couldn't get to my LHBS and the brew was fine, just worked out more expensive then using powder!!

[Dances]

I'm planning to add lots of sugar And then drinking it from the tap at the bottom of the keg.

Respect!

Personally, I'd have used dried malt powder and a glass, myself. But you crash on.

By the way; Did ye ever add any Camden tablet to that water?

Aw come on Ditch - I thought you would at least use the new wooden tankard - bought one myself since your post about them - lovin' it!!!

[Ditch]

Don't worry about my wooden tankard, Dances. That's been in constant service since the night I got it home. Ad I too am loving it! Great, aren't they?

[tifferrobinson]

Ok, so this has been in the FV for only 3.5 days, and it looks very close. The picture isn't hugely clear - it looked a lot like 1.016 to me. Just want second opinions, as it has been so quick and some people have said they would leave it for well over a week.

It needs to be 1014 according to the Wherry instructions.

Thanks

[phildodd]

By this photo, that looks like 1.020 to me, but it could be the angle it's taken from (I never got on with leaving a hydro floating in the FV for this reason). I've developed the habit of always leaving my brews at least a week. I take my frist hydro reading after a week, then another three days after that. If it's the same the next day I might put it into the barrel then, or leave it till the weekend. When I did a Wherry I left it in the FV for 3 weeks and it had dropped a further 2 points in the third week.

Also, as the Wherry has a repuation as being a pain to get clear, you might consider letting as much yeast drop out of suspension as possible before racking off, so you're taking less into the barrel/bottles and it (theoretically) takes less time to clear.

[tifferrobinson]

I think in reality it was around 1018 - I think I was getting over excited - the bubbles have disappeared now so it was easier to get the reading, it is now 1016/1014, so I'll give it a couple of days.


(the next thicker line up is the 1010 line)

I need to get this brew going quick as poss, as Lent begins in exactly 1 month! I'm hoping to experience drinking the 40 pints at every stage up until then, I realise that means it will never get as good as it can be (6 weeks of second fermentation I am told).

I had some today actually, just a small glass, and actually I thought it was ok. If anything it tasted a little bit bitter and past it, rather than too young! I was surprised by how drinkable it was. And nothing really floating around in it.

(I did sterilise the cup I drew it from with my baby steam steriliser!)