I'm new to the homebrewing game. I have a Brewer's Best kit with two buckets, one for fermenting and one for bottling. Unfortunately my bottler bucket has a very very slow leak. But I plan on going from fermenting straight to bottling with an auto sipphon and the bottling wand and tubing that came with the kit. A have some questions though. Brewing an IPA from a Brewer's Best kit. I've read the directions and the book that came with the kit and I'm still confused, mostly about the fermenting process.
1.) Can I sanitize all my equipment in my dishwasher, which has a 155 degree sanitize feature?
2.) Can I buy another plain bucket for secondary fermenting? Other than the not getting scratched up, and not having oxygen permeation, what is the advantage of the glass carboy?
3.) Can I go from secondary fermenter right into bottling or would I still be wise to use the bottling bucket with the spigot? Like I said it's a very, very slow leak so I could still get my bottling done without losing too much beer.
4.) I keep seeing people talk about not letting any oxygen in during fermentation, but then how do I test the gravity to make sure the hydrometer is not sinking and I'm ready to bottle?
I think that's it. I appreciate any help for a newbie.
1.) Can I sanitize all my equipment in my dishwasher, which has a 155 degree sanitize feature?
2.) Can I buy another plain bucket for secondary fermenting? Other than the not getting scratched up, and not having oxygen permeation, what is the advantage of the glass carboy?
3.) Can I go from secondary fermenter right into bottling or would I still be wise to use the bottling bucket with the spigot? Like I said it's a very, very slow leak so I could still get my bottling done without losing too much beer.
4.) I keep seeing people talk about not letting any oxygen in during fermentation, but then how do I test the gravity to make sure the hydrometer is not sinking and I'm ready to bottle?
I think that's it. I appreciate any help for a newbie.