Also is it OK to use a 6.5 carboy for 5 gallons, I have brew going to the 5 gallon this weekend. If not what would be the recipe for 6.5 gallons. Thanks for the help.
Keith
Yes... it's actually better in the sense that you won't make as much (if any) as a mess. The extra room gives your brew room to "grow".
__________________
It's not enough to do your best, you have to first know what to do, then do your best. W. Edwards Deming
I am going to brew this up this weekend. I am new to brewing and have my first beer in the secondary right now, bottling it tommorow. I would like to make a 5 gallon batch. When it's ready to bottle, no keg yet, I would like to make half original and half sweet and carbonated. How is the best way to to do this? Also is it OK to use a 6.5 carboy for 5 gallons, I have brew going to the 5 gallon this weekend. If not what would be the recipe for 6.5 gallons. Thanks for the help.
Keith
I always use my 6.5 gallon carboys as primaries. I sleep better at night knowing I won't have blow off. Stick with the 5 gallon recipe.
When you're ready to bottle, move the batch into your bottling bucket and bottle half. Then take about a 3/4 cup of water, add 1/2 cup of lactose (available at your HBS) along with about 1/3 cup of corn sugar and bring to boil. You can do all of this part before you begin the bottling process. Let the mix cool and stir gently into your last half of brew and continue bottling. Don't get any extra air into your mix by over stirring.
The corn sugar will help carbonate and the lactose...because it is not fermentable, will add a touch of sweet. If I were you, I would add the lactose seperately...taste and adjust...and then add the corn sugar.
So I guess I had a blowoff. At least I think thats what it is. The foam from the top of the juice has gotten into the airlock and over the stopper. Here's some pictures:
Now what do I do?
And that is why I love my 6 1/2 gallon carboys.
I would clean it out once it settles down. Lower the risk of contamination.
Thanks for the quick replies. Is the corn sugar and priming sugar that comes with beer kits the same? Can't wait to get taste this. I read the whole thread today at work, not very busy today.
Thanks for the quick replies. Is the corn sugar and priming sugar that comes with beer kits the same? Can't wait to get taste this. I read the whole thread today at work, not very busy today.
Yes it is. The priming (corn) sugar won't give any sweetness though because the yeast will ferment it and convert it to CO2...thereby carbonating your brew.
That's why I would add the lactose and taste first...so as not to be fooled by the sweet taste of the corn sugar. Lactose does not ferment and will retain some sweetness.
Several folks here have asked about starting a new batch on the old yeast cake for the Apfelwein. Why, when the yeast is only 79 cents? is the usual question.
Mainly it's because folks don't want to have to mess with cleaning a carboy and sanitizing it.
Well, before I left town, I kegged a batch and poured another 5 gallons & 2 lbs. of corn sugar on the lees. There's not a lot of yeast left over when you use Montrachet.
Anyway, I just checked in and SWMBO reports that the airlock is vigorous and she can smell the fermentation. Whoo Hooo. I asked her to put some more vodka in the airlock which she did. I'll mark this batch to check for any differences in flavor & body.
In any event, it made for a pretty quick batch. It's good to keep at least 10 gallons in reserve in case of a party. Once folks get past the 3 glass rule, it disappears pretty quick!
Ed - Have you ever figured out how many of your 1083 posts are from this thread? This thing has really grown since I found it after new years.
Good question, but I have not bothered to count them. I'm sure there is a good percentage from answering questions here and posting updates to the thread.
It's kind of cool how it's taken off. I was making this recipe back in the mid 90's when I got back from living in Germany for 5 years. Folks enjoyed it back then too, but the Internet was in it's infancy and I was a CompuServe geek (logged on for the first time in 1981).
The Net has changed Home brewing in such a big way.
So the main two things that we are looking for to indicate that the fermentation is complete are: 1. The juice clears and 2. the bubbles stop, right? BTW Ed, I am in ATX also and have noticed that neither has occurred by 4 weeks.
Do the bubbles totally stop or just slow down a lot when this is done?
Linear Mode
