First Home Brew Attempt

[fartinmartin]

Yes, you need it to go as low as possible, the more points you loose, the more alcohol you will get, and your max potential is very low. Leave it be for at least another week. Some yeasts go lower than others, if your lucky you could get 1.005 ish but most of the time it's 1.010ish. But it must be stable before bottling !

 

[Daddyfoxuk]

Thanks for the info... Ive got my fingers crossed!

 

[fartinmartin]

We all I am sure have our fingers crossed for you. I bet , that you bottle a load of beer, and on the fourth pint tell all your mates that this is the best beer I've ever had !

 

[Daddyfoxuk]

Lol

 

[Daddyfoxuk]

Day 10 reading is 1010 same as yesterday... there's a little bit of clouding there but not much... any suggestions...? Cheers

 

[helibrewer]

First time brewer here... just looking for some info.... im doing coopers european larger.... All mixed up I took OG and in was around 1.030 is this normal...? Everything went to plan and its been brewing for 4 days now at around 21C.... What can I expect....?

Cheers for any info!!!

List the kit ingredients, that will help us know how accurate that OG reading was.

 

[Daddyfoxuk]

Picture

View attachment 1416501736560.jpg

 

[Daddyfoxuk]

Kit ingredients... brew enhancer... coopers european larger... yeast... OG was 1030 maybe slightly more... Cheers.

 

[flars]

Day 10 reading is 1010 same as yesterday... there's a little bit of clouding there but not much... any suggestions...? Cheers

You may be at FG or really close. Take another SG reading in a few days. The longer you leave the beer in the primary to clear, means you won't need to leave as much in each and every bottle for a nice clean pour.

Each and every, is that redundant?

 

[fartinmartin]

As Flars said.

Even my clearest beers are cloudy at this point , I think they will always be ! Then the priming sugar goes in giving us the debre in the bottom of the bottle and as it does the beer clears up loads, keep it warm for the bottle carb, but your not at that stage yet !

 

[OhCrap]

The og for that kit is 1042, your fg. Should reach 1008 but it could finish at 1010. Check tomorrow and next day, if it's the same then Time to bottle. Don't mind the cloudy beer it will clear up when you prime and condition for 3WEEKS do not cut that any shorter for that kit but do try one after 1wk then try one after 2 And At 3 weeks you will understand everything you have been told. 😄

 

[unionrdr]

Aey. I let mine settle out clear or slightly misty before bottling to minimize the amount of settlings in the bottles.

 

[Daddyfoxuk]

Day 12... Gravity readings now been the same over 48 hours 1006. Time for secondary fermentation...? Advice please... Thank you

 

[unionrdr]

I don't secondary for a beer that's not getting oaked or fruit. Just let it settle out clear or slightly misty in primary. Then to bottling bucket & priming/bottling.

 

[flars]

Day 12... Gravity readings now been the same over 48 hours 1006. Time for secondary fermentation...? Advice please... Thank you

I am one of those brewers that has discontinued the use of a secondary. I have found my beers clear in the primary, just by leaving the beer in the primary, for the amount of time the beer would have been in the secondary.

Less work, no risk, and the same results.

 

[OhCrap]

Leave it till day 21 at least. It will have cleared itself up nicely by then, don't transfer to secondary, its just another risk

 

[Daddyfoxuk]

Do I not need to add carbonation drops as per instructions...? Cheers for the advice much appreciated

 

[flars]

I have never used carbonation drops, I bulk prime in the bottling bucket with corn sugar dissolved in boiled water.
I use this calculator to help judge the amount of corn sugar to use. My target CO2 volume for a light beer is 2.2 volumes. Hefeweizens I will go up to 2.8, and stouts about 2.2.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/priming-sugar-calculator/

 

[fartinmartin]

Daddyfoxedup, you have got me a bit foxed up, I don't get why you are talking about carbonation drops within a couple of breaths of talking about secondary ?
If you insist on secondary (not many of us do ! ) it goes to the secondary vessel for a period, say a week or three, only after that would we get to bottling, it's then that the carbonation drops or the priming sugar get used.
IMO you should use the preferred method, that is , priming sugar in solution in the bottom of the bottling bucket, then rack the beer gently into it blending the prime with the beer, then bottle.
Carbonation drops ? Nah !

 

[OhCrap]

SLOW DOWN you are not ready to bottle yet!!!! Patience patience patience, wait till after day 21 before you bottle. Then if you got the carb drops with the kiT use them. Then read up about priming solution for the next batch. But WAIT your beer is still relaxing and enjoying all the space it has now, it is not ready to be couped up in bottles just yet.

 

[Daddyfoxuk]

Lol told u guys I was a rookie... I have a keg with tap... so next should I be looking to transfer my beer into this and add the sugar on day 21....? I need instructions lol cheers guys really appreciate your help!!!

 

[flars]

Lol told u guys I was a rookie... I have a keg with tap... so next should I be looking to transfer my beer into this and add the sugar on day 21....? I need instructions lol cheers guys really appreciate your help!!!

Is your keg system set up with CO2 for pressurizing or is it a pressure barrel without the CO2 dispenser? If you have CO2 the sugar will not be used.

 

[Daddyfoxuk]

Its a pressure barrel without co2 dispenser... what should I do then...?

 

[flars]

Its a pressure barrel without co2 dispenser... what should I do then...?

I am not thoroughly familiar with the barrels. It seems that if you would carbonate in the barrel, with sugar, the carbonation would decrease for the beer remaining in the barrel as you dispensed.
I think most attach a CO2 injector to the barrel for dispensing pressure. I don't know if the beer is carbonated with the injector though.
Check out the Wilko and Brouland sites for the injectors and sheets on how they can be used.

 

[fartinmartin]

I am familiar with the plastic pressure barrels, I have two.
Carbonation is the same as bottling, get the sugar and the beer into the barrel and close it up for three weeks. It will generate it's own gas to a point where the pressure relief valve will let some go. This will be enough gas to serve most of the beer, when the pressure gets low , you simple connect the gas cylinder and give it a couple of seconds , that gives enough gas to keep serving, it may need several charges of gas as you work your way through the second half of the barrel. Of course this is all dependent on the particular brew , weather , the rate of use, temp etc. I have only had one brew that served to the end without needing a gas top up. They work , but nothing like a corny ( which I haven't got).

 

[Daddyfoxuk]

Day 21... time to transfer to keg and add sugar...? FG was 1006. Hows much sugar should i be adding...? Cheers guys.

 

[flars]

Here is a calculator to use for the priming sugar solution. Corn sugar or table sugar are the most commonly used.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/priming-sugar-calculator/

 

[Daddyfoxuk]

Hi, quick look at my larger today... 1st glass theres fizz there and head but not a great deal... will that improve with time...? Thanks

 

[Daddyfoxuk]

1st Glass

View attachment 1417981449585.jpg

 

[OhCrap]

Yep....give it at least 3 wks from bottling/priming. It improves from week 2 to week 3 and then it should be properly ready, if it's not give it more time. Well done on your first brew, you have beer 😃

 

[fartinmartin]

It's still early, it will need three weeks in a pressure barrel, if you are in a hurry give it a squirt of gas.

 

[Daddyfoxuk]

Bottled for 3 weeks...

View attachment 1418461155960.jpg

 

[flars]

Nice.

 

[OhCrap]

Enjoy....remember to keep some for christmas....