Hello everyone! General Introduction + quick questions

HappyDrunk said:

So I have read several hundred pages of information on this site, but this is my first post. I am obviously a beginner. I made the WCPA that came with my Mr. Beer kit on 1/3/12 and bottled on 1/17/12. Fermentation seemed very slow and did not produce much activity (krausen) at all. I primed with 1.5, 2, and 2.5 tsp of table sugar, and labeled them accordingly. Today is the 25th and I decided to try one (primed with 2tsp) .. expecting a flat, sweet, cidery beer.

I was actually impressed. It was pretty sweet and cidery (as expected - it does need to condition at LEAST two more weeks), but very well carbonated.

I made several errors on my first attempt everyone reading this should avoid:

1. I used tap water on brew day.
2. I used table sugar when bottling.
3. I shook the bottles IMMEDIATELY after bottling.
4. I accidentally exposed them to light for about 4 hours one day.

Still, even with all those errors, it tastes like sweet beer. I'm pretty happy with myself for making something that is at least alcoholic and carbonated.

My second batch was Whispering Wheat Weizenbier w/ Golden Wheat. I went and bought some bottled water for this one, and followed the directions to the letter on brew day (1/19/12). I got a nice krausen this time after only ONE day. By day 4 it had settled down. I am now on day 6, and will probably bottle on day 10 or 14.

In anticipation of my third batch, I found an LHBS and bought a premium refill of pilothouse pilsner, a bottle capper and bottle caps (because the PET bottles will still be in use when I need to bottle batch #2), 6 grams of Munton's pitching yeast, and some corn sugar. The yeast and corn sugar will be used for batch #3, the bottles and caps will be used for #2 and #3.

Now for a few questions:

1. Given how well the sample from batch #1 was carbonated after only EIGHT days, should I not shake the bottle directly after bottling any more? It seems like it worked pretty well. I know there is some fear of oxidation, but I didn't taste anything in my first sample.

2. Should I use the entire packet of Munton's (6g) yeast PLUS the two generic packets that come with the Mr. B. refill, or just the Munton's?

3. The guy at my LHBS said they would deduct the $20 I spent on the bottle capper if I decide to buy a real 5 gal. kit. The only reason I didn't want to is mainly that I want a glass fermenter so I can see the fermentation process, and this one came with a plastic one. Should I care to see it?

Sorry for the rambling post. I just wanted to introduce myself, and explain the pitfalls of a beginner for the thousandth time on this forum. I need a beer now ....

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Euphist said:

On to your questions...

1. If you can, I would batch prime rather than bottle prime. You get much more consistent results.

2. I would just use the Muntons, but would rehydrate prior to pitching.

3. Most of us (I believe) ferment in plastic buckets. Being able to watch means that you're letting in light as well...besides the buckets are cheaper and easier to carry!

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cl330b said:

Whispering Wheat Weizenbier?

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jonmohno said:

Welcome to the forum and brewing
1-Dont shake the bottle and 1.5 2 and 2.5 is a lot of sugar to prime with I would get those in the fridge as soon as they are carbed like now. Where did you get those numbers?Are they different size bottles? Gennerally you want 3/4-1 tsp per 12 oz bottle.Ideally you want to go by weight for priming sugar.

2. JUst use the muntons Is it the gold one? if not that one is better for non all malt beers.Get some nottingham,o5 or 04 in the future.Dabepending on your expected abv or origional gravity reading taken with a hydrometer or recipe you will want to know how much to pitch, i would say 6 grams is good for a 4-6% abv or so.

3.I like having a glass fermenter myself but you can use the kit bucket as a bottleing bucket as well,unless it came with two, then ya your stuck with a plastic fermenter which isnt bad.Youll probably end up getting more anyway eventually.

I would rethink what you want before you decide to buy it,nothing wrong with researching some, i spent a few months before i started brewing/buying.

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Calder said:

You did nothing wrong. I use table sugar all the time.

I suspect you bottled too early, and that is why it is sweet. Start drinking the bottles with 2.5 tsps of sugar first, and if you start getting gushers, put the rest of the bottles in the fridge and drink quickly.

Use the Muntons yeast. It is probably the better one. 6grams is enough for 2 gallons. Save the Mr.Beer yeast in the fridge. You can keep it for an emergency, or use it in the boil as yeast nutrient.

Glass fermenters are nice,but also dangerous. You drop it, you lose all your beer, but you can get seriously injured too. They are also heavy, if you ever want to move one. They sell Better Bottles, and you can see thru them. I have a glass carboy, and like it, but it stays in the basement, is filled down there and the only movement it has is to lift it 4 feet to enable me to rack the beer into the bottling bucket. I have 3 large HDPE fermenters that do the heavy work.

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HappyDrunk said:

LOL yeah, that's what they call it on the Mr. Beer website.

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