dna_alexov
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I just got into homebrewing and kegging over the holidays. Was at one of my in-laws and he had the whole keg and tap setup which got me excited to do the same. He however makes his brew at the local u-brew (actually the u-brew makes it, he just fills up his keg). I though want to make my own brew.
I now bought all my homebrew equipment including two home brewing kits, kegging & tap equipment. I just started my first beer kit two days ago (the standard type in a can where you mix with water and sugar and add yeast). I have a few questions:
1) I have two 23L glass carboys with airlocks and two plastic primaries - one of the plastic has a lid while the other is missing the lid but has a nice spout 1" from the bottom to make it easy to transfer into secondary. Which should I use as my primary fermenter? I've been told to use the plastic one with spout at bottom and use use plastic wrap over the opening to avoid particles from falling in. What would you recommend? Is it critical in the primary fermentation stage to be air tight, or can it be exposed to air as long as the brew is not disturbed?
2) I took OG at 1.032 - does this sound low?
3) the kit instructions were very poor. Basically I took the liquid extract (splashed it into the bottom of the plastic fermenter with the spout, added two litres of hot water and then 20 litres of cool water, mixed with 1.1KG of dextrose (entire contents were at 23L once mixed) - then I added the yeast on top within about a minute, and covered the opening with plastic wrap and left undisturbed now for 2 days. Does anything sound like I've made a mistake? Read that I can use alternatives instead of sugar - can someone please explain? Also read that I can add a litre or two of apple juice in substitute for some of the water - is this recommended for most beers? What other additives are common for extra flavour (ie. can I use cut up fruits)?
4) I've been told to transfer to my glass carboy after 2 to 3 days, and then leave it in there for another 4-5 days until it is ready for kegging? But I've read that secondary fermentation is not even necessary, though if you do that it should be done once FG is steady within 24 hour period. Is checking the FG the best method? Should I even bother transferring to my glass carboy? Even if FG is not steady, what harm is there transferring to secondary early, as it continues to ferment there too? If I used my glass carboy and airlock initially instead of the plastic, could I have avoided the need for secondary into my 2nd glass carboy?
5) once my beer is ready for kegging, I've been told to fill keg to 95% full and then to leave 25 to 30 psi CO2 pressure on the keg for 2 to 3 days to carbonize the beer, and then to lower to 10 psi after that to pour. Does this sound correct? I was also told that I could fill the 5% gap with CO2 and then shake the keg rapidly when the beer is cold, which would carbonize it instantly - is this correct?
6) can drinking homebrew be dangerous (other than the obvious hangovers, etc). If I really mess it up but can't taste anything too bad, could there still be a danger drinking it?
Thats it for now, but I'm sure the respoinses will stir up more questions.
Thanks
I now bought all my homebrew equipment including two home brewing kits, kegging & tap equipment. I just started my first beer kit two days ago (the standard type in a can where you mix with water and sugar and add yeast). I have a few questions:
1) I have two 23L glass carboys with airlocks and two plastic primaries - one of the plastic has a lid while the other is missing the lid but has a nice spout 1" from the bottom to make it easy to transfer into secondary. Which should I use as my primary fermenter? I've been told to use the plastic one with spout at bottom and use use plastic wrap over the opening to avoid particles from falling in. What would you recommend? Is it critical in the primary fermentation stage to be air tight, or can it be exposed to air as long as the brew is not disturbed?
2) I took OG at 1.032 - does this sound low?
3) the kit instructions were very poor. Basically I took the liquid extract (splashed it into the bottom of the plastic fermenter with the spout, added two litres of hot water and then 20 litres of cool water, mixed with 1.1KG of dextrose (entire contents were at 23L once mixed) - then I added the yeast on top within about a minute, and covered the opening with plastic wrap and left undisturbed now for 2 days. Does anything sound like I've made a mistake? Read that I can use alternatives instead of sugar - can someone please explain? Also read that I can add a litre or two of apple juice in substitute for some of the water - is this recommended for most beers? What other additives are common for extra flavour (ie. can I use cut up fruits)?
4) I've been told to transfer to my glass carboy after 2 to 3 days, and then leave it in there for another 4-5 days until it is ready for kegging? But I've read that secondary fermentation is not even necessary, though if you do that it should be done once FG is steady within 24 hour period. Is checking the FG the best method? Should I even bother transferring to my glass carboy? Even if FG is not steady, what harm is there transferring to secondary early, as it continues to ferment there too? If I used my glass carboy and airlock initially instead of the plastic, could I have avoided the need for secondary into my 2nd glass carboy?
5) once my beer is ready for kegging, I've been told to fill keg to 95% full and then to leave 25 to 30 psi CO2 pressure on the keg for 2 to 3 days to carbonize the beer, and then to lower to 10 psi after that to pour. Does this sound correct? I was also told that I could fill the 5% gap with CO2 and then shake the keg rapidly when the beer is cold, which would carbonize it instantly - is this correct?
6) can drinking homebrew be dangerous (other than the obvious hangovers, etc). If I really mess it up but can't taste anything too bad, could there still be a danger drinking it?
Thats it for now, but I'm sure the respoinses will stir up more questions.
Thanks