Brewing ale - lost instructions. need help

alrite. Bought some milestone home wrecker ale a while ago and lost the instructions.

Started brewing last friday and its been in the fermentor since then, not sure when to barrel it though, any ideas?

Also do i need to add anything else before barrel?

I have a hydrometer if that helps.

Did you take a gravity reading before putting it in the fermenter?

nope didnt bother

Wait about three weeks then take a gravity reading. Wait another 3 days and take another reading. If they are the same you are ready to bottle or keg. If not the same take a reading every 3 days until they are the same. Other than that have you thought of how you are going to carb it?

my plan was to leave it in there for around 1-2 weeks, then add to a pressurised barrel. I'll wait longer and check the gravity as suggested though, thanks.

To carbonate it i need to add a little more sugar, before adding to the barrel, right?

Fermentation can be done in that short of time but the beer benefits from the longer time. Correct on sugar, though I don't know how much sugar, I force carb.

cool. how do you go about forcing it then?

Also, what would be a good amount of time to leave it in the barrel for? i was thinking a month?

johnrich85 said:

cool. how do you go about forcing it then?

Also, what would be a good amount of time to leave it in the barrel for? i was thinking a month?

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The beginner kits are usually sold with instructions that say to put in the primary fermentor for about a week, and then a week in the secondary fermentor. The secondary fermentor step is optional, but if you omit it, you're better off leaving it in the primary for an extra week.

What I would do is leave it in the fermentor for at least another week or two, and then put it in the keg. Force carbonation involves applying very high gas pressure to the keg for a while, but if you're going to leave it in the keg for a month anyway, I think I'd go with natural carbonation, by adding priming sugar. ~4.5 ounces per 5 gallons is sort of the rule of thumb, I think, although some styles need more, and some need less. Natural carbonation is usually said to take about three weeks, or longer for certain styles.

Force carbonation requires a CO2 tank and regulator. It would also require that your barrel be setup for forced carbonation. Most plastic barrels assume you'll carbonate with sugar. Which barrel do you have?

ive got some random old plastic barrel, guess ill go with sugar option. Bearing in mind this is Ale, how much sugar do i need to add???