Beginner with lots of questions!

Hi all

I may ramble on here but i have a lot of questions as i really am new to this.

Firsty i have bought the folllowing.

Fermentation bin
5 Gallon pressured Barrel
Syphon Tube
Spoon!
Beer Finings
Geordie Lager Kit

First off i have been reading lots of things about a air lock bubble etc, but i dont have one of them, do i need one?? my fermentation bin does not have a hole in it for me to put one, did i buy the wrong bin? This is my major question as i dont want to start of on the wrong foot.

Secondly i have been seeing lots obut sanitizing the stuff, by this do you mean clean thorougly etc?

Lastly i have also heard stories about it all blowing up!!! does this relate to my first question? ie i need a air lock thingy!

Sorry for being so basic but really am new to this and need guidance!

Thanks!

You need an air lock bubble to let out the air or you will have problems. The first kit I bought came with the air lock already installed on the lid. I have seen some though where you can cut a hole and add your own. Did you get it from a brew store? If so, they should be able to help you out.

I am a germaphobe, so I probobly over-sanitize, but here is what I like to do. You can get a One-Step Sanitizer in a 3lb bag for about $10. It is a white powder that looks like dry dish washer soap. I like it because it is rinse free. I fill up half of my sink with about 2 gallons of water and put in about 3 tablespoons of the stuff. Anything and everything that I use that will touch any part of anything that might touch the wort, I soak for at least 30 seconds. Your pot, spoon, thermometer, your hands if they are touching part of the spoon that might touch the wort, fermenter, air-lock, siphons, everything. As for bottles, I let them soak overnight in a 5-gal bucket of bleach and then dunk them in the One-Step. Then I let them dry on a rack I made.

Make sure you are using a big stainless pot. Aluminum pots can actually have pores in them that can harbor yeast killing bacteria.

Pick up a book for beginners on brewing. It'll help a lot.

Best of luck to ya!

Well first off welcome to the hobby and the forums. I am sure you will love making beer. I am not too sure about your fermentation bin, but most standard homebrew equipment uses airlocks. What is going to end up happening when your beer ferments is the yeast is going to create carbon dioxide (and alcohol and a few other things), the airlock acts as a way for the carbon dioxide to escape the bucket without breaking the airtight seal of the fermentor. If the gas is not able to escape then the pressure inside the bin will grow and grow and one of a few things could happen. If the lid is sealed and won't open (like if it screws on) and the bin is capable of handling the pressure, then nothing will happen, however if the bin is not capable of handling the pressure, you will have yourself a fermentor explosion, and bunch of sticky wort/beer everywhere. It is also possible if your lid just snaps on, that the pressure will cause the lid to come off, maybe spilling beer everywhere, maybe not. A problem might arise if the lid comes of barely, and is not noticed, because bacteria may get to your wort and grow and contaminate your beer.

Sanitization is extremely important, and it does not mean just cleaning thoroughly. You will still want to clean throroughly, just once you do you have to sanitize. To sanitize you typically use a sanitizing agent, bleach, iodophor, one step, etc. Any home brew supply store will offer these products ( cept bleach I guess ). There are plenty of discussions about how to properly sanitize, and what sanitizer to use, just search this forum and you will find lots of talk about it. Just be sure to sanitize anything that will come into contact with your wort, wort is a big sugary buffet for all kinds of bacteria nasties. I hope this somewhat answers yuor question. Again welcome to the forum, good luck with your brewing!

Welcome to the art/science of homebrewing and the forums. Get a good book and read up on the forums, as these fellas are geniuses (myself not included- I too am very new.) and you'll be making great beer in no time.

Best of luck.

baudler said:

As for bottles, I let them soak overnight in a 5-gal bucket of bleach and then dunk them in the One-Step. Then I let them dry on a rack I made.

Make sure you are using a big stainless pot. Aluminum pots can actually have pores in them that can harbor yeast killing bacteria.

Best of luck to ya!

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Why the double sanitize on the bottles? Bleach is a sanitizer as well as One-Step. Of the two, I'd quit with the bleach, which needs copious rinsing, and just use the One-Step.

Also, what difference does it make in the pot? You are going to get it over the point necessary to sanitize it for over an hour. What it is made of is really irrelevant.

chris_newton said:

Spoon!

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SPOOOOOOOOON!!!! The battle-cry of flatware.

bikebryan said:

Why the double sanitize on the bottles? Bleach is a sanitizer as well as One-Step. Of the two, I'd quit with the bleach, which needs copious rinsing, and just use the One-Step.

Also, what difference does it make in the pot? You are going to get it over the point necessary to sanitize it for over an hour. What it is made of is really irrelevant.

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Agreed but if you do use aluminum avoid cleaners containing sodium hydroxide (aka caustic). Sodium hydroxide will dissolve your pot!