Kit vs Consensus

[colledge]

Hi,

I about to do my 3rd batch with a True Brew California Common.

Before I started brewing, I watched a DVD that taught to boil in 3 gallons and cool and add cool water, but instruction say to boil in 1.5 gallons and cool just by adding cool water. Is there really a difference?

I would think that it would be better to boil in a larger volume, but wonder why the instructions would say to do this. It is already pretty much known not to follow them on fermenting, but I just wonder why kit instructions would give dumb advice.

 

[Yooper]

Hi,

I about to do my 3rd batch with a True Brew California Common.

Before I started brewing, I watched a DVD that taught to boil in 3 gallons and cool and add cool water, but instruction say to boil in 1.5 gallons and cool just by adding cool water. Is there really a difference?

I would think that it would be better to boil in a larger volume, but wonder why the instructions would say to do this. It is already pretty much known not to follow them on fermenting, but I just wonder why kit instructions would give dumb advice.

Most people don't have big pots with strong burners, I think. Almost anybody can boil 1.5 gallons, but few stoves can easily boil 3+ gallons. Also, it's much easier to cool 1.5 gallons of wort by adding 3.5 gallons of ice cold water, then trying to cool 3+ gallons of wort (which needs an ice bath).

In general, boiling as much as you can tends to make better beer. If you can boil and chill 3+ gallons of wort, then you should do that.

 

[kandofab]

+1 boiling as much as you can. I also am new and have only done 5 brews but i can tell the difference between the 1.5 gal. to the 3 gal. then onto the full boil on my last. good luck.:rockin:

 

[Bobby_M]

Right, boil as much volume as you can (all 5.5 gallons or so would be great) but you'd want to limit it to 3 gallons if you don't have an immersion chiller. Put the topoff water in the fridge if it's not already cold coming out of the tap.

 

[colledge]

Thanks.. I'll just keep the boil at 3 gallons.

I makes sense that they are trying to make the instructions for anyone. I really only have one burner that can do 3 gallons and it takes some time

 

[colledge]

Just a follow up.

I brewed this kit and got one more batch of experience under my belt. applied some experience and learned from some previous mistakes, the main goal.

The yeast in this kit was a lager yeast as would be in a "steam" style beer. The directions did not seem to require "activating" the yeast and just said to dump it in.

I fermented for 1 week and secondary for 2 more. Bottled and waited 2 more. At this point the beer tastes good, but undercarbonated. Is there any reason why this might take longer than 2 weeks to carbonate? I have it in the basement which is somewhere between 60-70 degrees. The amt of priming sugar is kit measured. if it is generally undercarbonated, and isn't going to get any better I'm trying to figure out why. Did I ferment at too high a temp? roughly 70 degrees? was i supposed to activate yeast? nothing said to, and I assumed that was b/c it was lager and ferments at lower temps. It definitely fermented. if the the carbonation was better it would be a great beer.

 

[rhamilton]

+1 on boil as much as you can. The kits I do say to boil with 2 gallons - I boil with 4.5 which reduces below 4 gallons and I top it off with ~1.25 gallons to get it back up to par with no noticeable ill effects.

Not chilling your beer long enough can make your beer seem under-carbed. I chill for 48 hours before popping them and the carb level is normal. Two weeks should be fine at room temps -- mine usually carb in 7

 

[unionrdr]

2 weeks in the bottles isn't long enough,even at 70F or more. But getting as low as 60F isn't warm enough,& will take a long time to carbonate & condition. I'd move them someplace where the temp is more steady as near 70F as possible. Then they'll carb & condition in a more normal time frame.

 

[GrainWhisperer]

This is a thread that Revvy posted that addresses your question on carbonation:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/blogs/revvy/patience-bottle-conditioning-159/

 

[colledge]

thank you.