Several newbie brew questions

[phil74501]

I'm going to give brewing some beer a try. I have my sights set on a Hefeweizen kit from Northern Brewer. The kit has the option between Wyeast 3068 and White Labs WLP 300 yeast. Which would be the best? It offers Fermenters Favorite fizz drops. Should I buy those? Or get Brewers Best conditioning tabs?

Also, All I have is an electric stove top. Is that going to be hot enough to get the wort to the boiling point, and keep it there for an hour? I know it will get too 170, I found that out making mead.

 

[Davefox15]

First...Good luck with your first batch....You should have no problem using the stove top. I use the electric stove top all the time...just turn it on high and let it rip...

I like the Wyeast cause it comes in the burst package but i have used the white labs also on some and don't have anything bad to say...each is going to have their own individualized taste so close your eyes and pick one...your choice..

 

[ss4ivan]

Ive never used fizz drops or conditioning tabs, just the priming sugar. Partial boils on the stove work great, you can definitely get a good boil going with 3 gallons.

 

[phil74501]

Ive never used fizz drops or conditioning tabs, just the priming sugar. Partial boils on the stove work great, you can definitely get a good boil going with 3 gallons.

Well I'm lazy. I just want to drop one in and cap it.

 

[phil74501]

First...Good luck with your first batch....You should have no problem using the stove top. I use the electric stove top all the time...just turn it on high and let it rip...

I like the Wyeast cause it comes in the burst package but i have used the white labs also on some and don't have anything bad to say...each is going to have their own individualized taste so close your eyes and pick one...your choice..

How would I find out what the differences in the taste would be?

 

[titansvol]

It is much easier to add sugar to your bottling bucket than to add a carbonating drop to each bottle.

 

[doug293cz]

Well I'm lazy. I just want to drop one in and cap it.

I think bulk priming is easier. One add to the bottling bucket, rather than trying to remember to add an exact amount to each bottle. It's also way cheaper. You do need to use a bottling bucket however to mix in the priming sugar, but I wouldn't try bottling from the primary fermenter anyway (and I don't secondary.)

Good luck and brew on

 

[phil74501]

I think bulk priming is easier. One add to the bottling bucket, rather than trying to remember to add an exact amount to each bottle. It's also way cheaper. You do need to use a bottling bucket however to mix in the priming sugar, but I wouldn't try bottling from the primary fermenter anyway (and I don't secondary.)

Good luck and brew on

I didn't know that the priming sugars went into the entire mix. I thought you had to measure it out for each bottle. I don't have a bottling bucket. I was going to siphon it into a carboy, and then bottle it from the carboy. I figure it will work the same as a bucket.

 

[Davefox15]

How would I find out what the differences in the taste would be?

gotta brew two batches...one with each yeast strains...:rockin:

 

[doug293cz]

How would I find out what the differences in the taste would be?

It's a bit early in your brewing career to worry much about that. The best way to learn what different yeasts bring to a brew is to make a batch and split it between two fermenters with a different yeast in each. But, that can wait until you get a little more comfortable with the brewing process.

Brew on

 

[ss4ivan]

The conditioning tabs are also a bit more expensive than sugar. But I say try it out and tell us what you think!

 

[doug293cz]

I didn't know that the priming sugars went into the entire mix. I thought you had to measure it out for each bottle. I don't have a bottling bucket. I was going to siphon it into a carboy, and then bottle it from the carboy. I figure it will work the same as a bucket.

It's much easier to bottle from a bucket with a spigot on the bottom. I've done both, and will never go back to siphoning. Buckets are cheap relative to most brewing equipment, and you should have at least one more than the number of batches you intend on fermenting simultaneously.

If you are thinking about glass carboys, you might want to read about the nasty accidents they have caused. Number of threads on HBT about those.

Brew on

 

[phil74501]

It's much easier to bottle from a bucket with a spigot on the bottom. I've done both, and will never go back to siphoning. Buckets are cheap relative to most brewing equipment, and you should have at least one more than the number of batches you intend on fermenting simultaneously.

If you are thinking about glass carboys, you might want to read about the nasty accidents they have caused. Number of threads on HBT about those.

Brew on

I have two carboys, both are plastic. My fermenter does have a spigot on it. That's how I transferred the mead too the carboys. Funnel in the carboy, turn on the spigot. So I won't need another bucket. Thanks for the help

 

[dadshomebrewing]

I'm going to give brewing some beer a try. I have my sights set on a Hefeweizen kit from Northern Brewer. The kit has the option between Wyeast 3068 and White Labs WLP 300 yeast. Which would be the best? It offers Fermenters Favorite fizz drops. Should I buy those? Or get Brewers Best conditioning tabs?

Also, All I have is an electric stove top. Is that going to be hot enough to get the wort to the boiling point, and keep it there for an hour? I know it will get too 170, I found that out making mead.

i do ALL my brewing on an electric stovetop, in the kitchen.

of course it's hot enough to boil water... it's just going to take a while... but once it's there it will stay there.

and don't bother with the Fizz drops.

prime your beer all at once, not one drop at a time in the bottles... that's a pain in the butt... get yourself a bag of corn sugar, or use some dry extract... or heck, even use table sugar.

i've done all three options and they are all fine.


one thing, though... if you are using your wife's kitchen stove be REALLY careful about boilovers... they tend to be messy and hang around a while which will not endear you to She Who Must Be Obeyed... i bet you can guess how i learned this.

 

[m00ps]

I do 5gal batches on my stovetop with a full volume boil. It works great with a 8-9 gal pot.

I think those 2 strains are supposed to be the same yeast. If you really wanted to do a split thing youd be better off using the same in each, but fermenting one close to 60 and the other closer to 70. Then you can taste the clove and banana ester difference which characterizes those wheat strians

Oh also, I'm not sure what you meant by using the funnel to transfer mead back there., but definitely DO NOT use that method with beer once its been fermenting. You'll get serious oxygenation if you dont use a siphon of some kind

 

[Gavin C]

Don't bother with the fizz drops. Bulk priming is easier for sure

Wyeast 3068 and WLP300 are both the same Weihenstephaner strain of yeast. Same yeast from different labs. Get whichever is cheapest

You will need a starter with both so be sure to get set up for that if you are using a liquid yeast. This will add (minimally) to your work load prior to your first batch. Very doable but just do a little reading on the process. It's not complicated.

I never realized how much I loved Hefeweizen until I brewed Edwort's recipe here. It is a very popular recipe on this forum by one of it's (IMHO) legends.

You will have a lot of fun brewing. It is a wonderful hobby.

Best of luck. Post your results in this thread. Would love to see how it works out for you. A picture of a pint is always great to see.

 

[phil74501]

i do ALL my brewing on an electric stovetop, in the kitchen.

of course it's hot enough to boil water... it's just going to take a while... but once it's there it will stay there.

and don't bother with the Fizz drops.

prime your beer all at once, not one drop at a time in the bottles... that's a pain in the butt... get yourself a bag of corn sugar, or use some dry extract... or heck, even use table sugar.

i've done all three options and they are all fine.


one thing, though... if you are using your wife's kitchen stove be REALLY careful about boilovers... they tend to be messy and hang around a while which will not endear you to She Who Must Be Obeyed... i bet you can guess how i learned this.

I'm going to buy a 10 gallon kettle. The one I have now is only 5 gallons. I'm looking at getting one with both a thermometer and a spigot on it.

 

[phil74501]

I do 5gal batches on my stovetop with a full volume boil. It works great with a 8-9 gal pot.

I think those 2 strains are supposed to be the same yeast. If you really wanted to do a split thing youd be better off using the same in each, but fermenting one close to 60 and the other closer to 70. Then you can taste the clove and banana ester difference which characterizes those wheat strians

Oh also, I'm not sure what you meant by using the funnel to transfer mead back there., but definitely DO NOT use that method with beer once its been fermenting. You'll get serious oxygenation if you dont use a siphon of some kind

I placed the fermenter on a bench, placed the carboy below it, put a funnel in the carboy to prevent spillage, opened up the spigot and let it go until it stopped. That left me with about a gallon of liquid and the lees in the bottom of the bucket. I poured the remaining liquid into a gallon pitcher and stuck it in the fridge...for sampling purposes. It actually tasted pretty good after a few days in the fridge.

 

[pegcitybrewer]

Few quick questions for you first. Are you doing an extract brew or all grain? For your first kick at the can I would suggest keeping it as simple as possible, go with the extract option assuming they have one. Secondly did the kit not come with a dry yeast option as well? Northern brewer kits usually do I thought. I would go with that as it doesn't require a starter. Again, keeping it simple.

The less steps you take when you are new the better your beer will be.

 

[phil74501]

Few quick questions for you first. Are you doing an extract brew or all grain? For your first kick at the can I would suggest keeping it as simple as possible, go with the extract option assuming they have one. Secondly did the kit not come with a dry yeast option as well? Northern brewer kits usually do I thought. I would go with that as it doesn't require a starter. Again, keeping it simple.

The less steps you take when you are new the better your beer will be.

I was going with an extract. It has options for a dry and a liquid yeast. This is the kit I'm looking at getting.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/bavarian-hefe-weizen-extract-kit.html

 

[phil74501]

Don't bother with the fizz drops. Bulk priming is easier for sure

Wyeast 3068 and WLP300 are both the same Weihenstephaner strain of yeast. Same yeast from different labs. Get whichever is cheapest

You will need a starter with both so be sure to get set up for that if you are using a liquid yeast. This will add (minimally) to your work load prior to your first batch. Very doable but just do a little reading on the process. It's not complicated.

I never realized how much I loved Hefeweizen until I brewed Edwort's recipe here. It is a very popular recipe on this forum by one of it's (IMHO) legends.

You will have a lot of fun brewing. It is a wonderful hobby.

Best of luck. Post your results in this thread. Would love to see how it works out for you. A picture of a pint is always great to see.

What got me interested in the Hefewizen, was a trip to a local liqour store. I found a Bavarian brand, König Ludwig Weiss, something like that, and had to try some out. Best beer I've ever had.

 

[dadshomebrewing]

I'm going to buy a 10 gallon kettle. The one I have now is only 5 gallons. I'm looking at getting one with both a thermometer and a spigot on it.

just get a kettle.

the thermometer won't matter after the first couple uses... all water boils at the same temp.


learn how to use a siphon tube, and "bag it" with the spigot, too.


will save you a bunch of money

 

[ong]

I placed the fermenter on a bench, placed the carboy below it, put a funnel in the carboy to prevent spillage, opened up the spigot and let it go until it stopped. That left me with about a gallon of liquid and the lees in the bottom of the bucket. I poured the remaining liquid into a gallon pitcher and stuck it in the fridge...for sampling purposes. It actually tasted pretty good after a few days in the fridge.

I really recommend not using this method to transfer -- splashing and pouring beer from a height is going to introduce a lot of oxygen, and stale the beer very quickly. The reason people siphon beer is to avoid that kind of oxygenation.

 

[phil74501]

I really recommend not using this method to transfer -- splashing and pouring beer from a height is going to introduce a lot of oxygen, and stale the beer very quickly. The reason people siphon beer is to avoid that kind of oxygenation.

I do have a siphon. I'll use that on the beer.

 

[doug293cz]

To avoid oxidation when siphoning, make sure the outlet of the tube is below the liquid level of the receiving vessel.

Brew on