1st brew started! I still have a few questions...

[madscientist451]

Don't rush the bottling. Get a hydrometer and see what your gravity is.
Also taste the beer, if it doesn't taste right, let it age a while in bulk and try it again in a week or two. Chill the carboy down by putting in a box with 2 liter frozen water bottles and the yeast will drop out.

 

[lionvert]

I didn't had time to bottle today, but i'm still going to take an SG reading tonight, the first one in fact. So if tomorrow I take another reading, and let's say it's stable and both reading are around 1.006, what is stated as supposed FG in the Coopers kit instructions, can I then bottle without any risk of bottle explosion? Maybe i'm just a little insecure since its my first brew and I really want to make it correctly... and I'm in "a hurry" to get at least a few cases of drinkable beer for next weekends... just a confirmation that everything is ok would be great

So here is how I plan to proceed:

Sunday night:
1- Take a sample from the demijohn by removing the airlock/cap, by using some 1/2 inch vynil tubing from hardware store that was first clean with bleach/water, rince in water, and then dip the tubing, pinch/lock the upper end so i can take some liquid out.
Put back the cap/airlock right after.

2- Test SG for 1st time.

3- Build/test a syphon using this as a guide: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/flyguys-t-siphon-3-replacement-autosiphon-25774/

MONDAY:
4- Take 2cnd sample.Make sure both are around 1.006

5- Put clean bottle with peices of aluminum foil over openings in the oven at 350 for 1h to sanitize, maybe even sterilize? Anyway i've read its enough for beer.

6- Transfer about 20-25L of liquid from 1st demijohn to a 2nd demijohn using the syphon.

7- Add priming sugar to 2nd demijohn and mix without getting any air or bubble in the brew.

8- Clean/sanitize cap for bottle and fill each bottle, and cap.

9- Let the bottles sit between 20-25c for... here i'll say 4 days, this is assuming i'll drink it on next friday.. (See previous reply to see why I need it friday...)

TUESDAY:
10- I may find some time during the day to search for a kegging kit to buy or rent to use for the rest of the brew. Would it be possible to have a keg ready by friday too?

 

[lionvert]

Does this "procedure" make any sense???

 

[lionvert]

Good news, I just got myself a 50L empty keg, so I thinks theres will be no bottling this time. I still need to find a CO2 tank and the coupler/faucet system.

I'll get the keg tomorrow, so new plan is to fill the keg tomorrow (tuesday) evening, so primary fermentation will have gone for 1 full week. So new plan, new questions:

1- Is it necessary to plug CO2 into the keg right after it has been filled or can I wait until next day? (because I may not be able to get the tank before wednesday)

2-Let's says CO2 is injected on wednesday, would it be ready to drink by friday night?

3- Do I still add priming sugar?

 

[lionvert]

Got my keg !!!



It is a standard north-american ball lock, i still need to figure how to open it so i can fill using a syphon i'm going to build with that:

I'll follow the plan i posted a link to earlier.

Tomorrow morning i'll get a co2 tank with coupler and faucet, so i think i'll be ready to drink that on friday night.

From what i understand, there is no need for priming sugar to be add in a co2 pressurized keg, is that correct?
But can i still add some just for the taste?

 

[kh54s10]

Well that is not a standard North American Ball lock keg. It is a Sanke keg (I think). It is for commercial use and rarely used here for homebrewing applications.

You will need a co2 tank and regulator. If you can get all these things and get the beer inside you can burst carbonate by adding about 30PSI for 24-48 hours then reducing the pressure to serving levels.

I am not sure what you need to do to fill one of those but from what I know it is not easy or requires special equipment.

I still suggest that you make other plans for your party. Let this one ferment for another couple of days then bottle and condition for 3 weeks at about 70F.

 

[Staestc]

...I now realize I should have kept a sample of the unfermented worth in the fridge.

:smack: I REALLY wish I had thought to do that with the batch I have fermenting right now! My hydrometer rolled off a table during the boil of the current batch and broke. So I did not get an OG reading before I had it tucked away in the fermenter. I found that I had another hydrometer the next day!

 

[fimpster]

Sounds like a fun theme for a party. Please let us know how it turns out. Sounds like you're right on track for prohibition style beer!

 

[podz]

:smack: I REALLY wish I had thought to do that with the batch I have fermenting right now! My hydrometer rolled off a table during the boil of the current batch and broke. So I did not get an OG reading before I had it tucked away in the fermenter. I found that I had another hydrometer the next day!

I hope you posted in The Official Broken Hydrometer Count Thread

 

[lionvert]

Well that is not a standard North American Ball lock keg. It is a Sanke keg (I think). It is for commercial use and rarely used here for homebrewing applications.

You will need a co2 tank and regulator. If you can get all these things and get the beer inside you can burst carbonate by adding about 30PSI for 24-48 hours then reducing the pressure to serving levels.

I am not sure what you need to do to fill one of those but from what I know it is not easy or requires special equipment.

I still suggest that you make other plans for your party. Let this one ferment for another couple of days then bottle and condition for 3 weeks at about 70F.

By looking at it, the lock on my keg is pretty much like this one in the video:


I just got home from buying co2 and all. I'll test the coupler in a minute to make sure it fit. Both guys i talked to, the store owner and the guy who sold me the keg (he work at a local microbrewery), they both knew exactly what I was going to do (ie. filling a keg with homebrew beer) and they both told me it would fit and talk about the keg/coupler as it was "american standard ball lock". Maybe I didnt get the exact term...

I'll try the 30psi trick, i guess i just have to make sure everything (tube?) is resistant to more then that. And for serving I heard 10psi, is that correct? And how much time before serving should I depressurized the keg?

**edit -- @kh54s10: I'm taking notes on all your advices, and be sure i'll try to follow them on my next batch. Usually I prefer quality over quantity/rapidity, but this time circumstances are forcing me to do it this way.

 

[kh54s10]

It looks like you are on your way to kegging. 10-12 psi is normal for serving pressure.

I would do the burst carbing soon then lower to serving pressure for a couple of days. That will give you some time to adjust if you need to.

This is what is called a ball lock keg and used with homebrew here in the US:

It is actually a soda keg that was originally for Pepsi products.

 

[Staestc]

I hope you posted in The Official Broken Hydrometer Count Thread

Did not know there was one, but will go find it! lol

Update: I'm officially # 1153!

 

[lionvert]

Did not know there was one, but will go find it! lol

Update: I'm officially # 1153!

Guess I'll be #1154, or there still something i dont get about hydrometers.

I tryied to measure the first sample from the keg to have an idea of FG, but the hydrometer didnt float at all. IDK, maybe i'm not using the right size of cylinder?

So I did transfer the beer to the keg, pluged the CO2 tank/regulator/coupler, and shake the keg when i think since yesterday. It has been carbonating for something like 20h now and there's still about 24h until 1st drink time. I tasted a sample just before writing this; The beer is good, golden brown, a little bit cloudy, it made me think of "Sleeman Honey Brown", very similar taste, but still too flat... and not cold.

I cant put pressure higher than 20-22 psi because after that the plastic faucet start to leak. Ill try to shake it as frequently as possible until tommorow night.

Speaking of shaking, I need to transport the keg by car for a 1-2h ride to get to the chalet where it will be drinked. Should I let everything connect OR disconnect co2 tank/coupler?

 

[lionvert]

Heres pic (sorry, i was on my laptop for previous post, didnt had access...):

 

[podz]

Guess I'll be #1154, or there still something i dont get about hydrometers.

I tryied to measure the first sample from the keg to have an idea of FG, but the hydrometer didnt float at all. IDK, maybe i'm not using the right size of cylinder?

You need a 100ml graduated cylinder, and you need to fill it to exactly 100ml of fluid before you insert the hydrometer.