First time questions

[Dicky]

Hi there!

Since the summer I have tried my hand at cider and quute a few fruit wines and become quite a home brew enthusiast. So, with this in mind, my brother bought me a stout kit for christmas. I hurried on home and git right down to buisiness and decided it get to follow the intructions.

But...

1. Are campden tablets used in stout making to help safeguard against infections?
2. Is it a good idea to syphon to a secondary?
3. What kind of FG should I expect if I brew to the end?

The kit came with just the extract and the yeast. I. Used my own 6g bucket filled up to 5g a 1 kilo if dextrose.

Ta!
Dicky

 

[jmprdood]

Never used campden for a brew, they are used in cider making to kill wild yeast usually from fresh unpasteurized cider.

I never use a secondary - just a long primary, usually 2 weeks. Some here recommend at least 3 (the bigger the beer the longer I let it set in primary) temp control thru fermentation is the key. Usually around 18-20C.

FG depends on the yeast you use and the OG. Stouts tend to have higher FGs because of the unfermentables because of the darker roasting.

I've brewed several extract stouts with the hopped tin, a 500g of dme and 500g of brown sugar and the yeast from the tin. Never had a problem.

Congrats my friend you made beer!

Cheers!

 

[Dicky]

That's cool. I might just bottle it up then.

It's been in since December 31st. I do have a bunch of bottles and caps ready and waiting. That shall be my task when i get home.

Thanks very much.

Dicky

 

[Tall_Yotie]

Dicky,

If you can give it until this upcoming weekend that would be best, so it has an entire 3 weeks in the carboy for conditioning and to settle out stuff that is not best in beer (extra yeast, protein bits etc.).

And I may suggest for your next brew, if you haven't done so already, is to get a kit that has extract and some specialty grains for steeping. It will make a far more evolved flavor, and can add an entire new level to your brewing at very little effort.

Happy brewing!

 

[unionrdr]

And don't forget to use your hydrometer. It's always good to know you've a stable FG before bottling so you don't here BOOM in the night.

 

[Dicky]

Haha, yes. That's sort of what I was getting at in regards to an FG. The instructions say about 1.010 or below. Is that about right?

Dicky

 

[unionrdr]

1.010FG should be about right for something dark,like a stout. Cosistent readings 2 or 3 days apart will tell the tale...

 

[Dicky]

That's brilliant? How much sugar should I add to bottle carbonate. A teaspoon per bottle I was thinking? Maybe less?

Dicky

 

[flabyboy]

That's brilliant? How much sugar should I add to bottle carbonate. A teaspoon per bottle I was thinking? Maybe less?

Dicky

You'll want to add 3-4 oz of corn sugar to a cup or two of water and boil it for 10 mins. Pour it into a bottling bucket. Rack your beer from fermenter into bottling bucket right on top of the sugar water. Give it a very gentle stir to mix properly and then bottle. One tsp per bottle sounds like an awful lot

 

[GreenDragon]

I hate using priming sugar, too much hassle. I use coopers carb drops.. one per bottle. Never had a single problem with them.

 

[unionrdr]

Use this priming calculator to find how much priming sugar to style; http://http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/priming.html
You can change the number in the "volumes of co2" widow within the ranges given for the style to get the amount of carbonation where you want it.
The number given when calculated is just an average from your temp & volume.

 

[Tall_Yotie]

You'll want to add 3-4 oz of corn sugar to a cup or two of water and boil it for 10 mins. Pour it into a bottling bucket. Rack your beer from fermenter into bottling bucket right on top of the sugar water. Give it a very gentle stir to mix properly and then bottle. One tsp per bottle sounds like an awful lot

Agreed. At least for the part regarding adding it to a bottling bucket, NOT to each bottle.

Unless "about a teaspoon" is an exact weight measurement figured out from taking a 5-gallon's worth of priming sugar and dividing it down for each 12oz bottle, then you are asking for trouble. You could be under-carbing, or, more likely, over-carbing the brew.

Boil water, add sugar, stir, let cool. CAREFULLY (no splashing) add it to the bottom of the bottling. Rack (no splashing!) the beer onto this sugar water, stir a little if you don't think it is well mixed. Bottle.

There are numerous posts, as well as a really good sticky, on bottling procedures.

 

[Dicky]

Right...stout is pretty good uncarbinated right?

3oz is considerably less than suggested on the instructions. I'm glad I asked.
Cheers guys.

Dicky