New member, wanting clarification, literally

[Wayno15]

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum, and new to home brewing. From the UK, it's nice and cold so I have a heat belt round my fv in the garage.

I want to try some laget but wanted to get a few brews under my belt before I went making a chiller chamber.

I'm making my first batch of woodfordes wherry, from wilko (gotta start somewhere eh).

I only started it on Tuesday as per instructions kit came with 2 yeast sachets, I hope this is right and not a balls up in the packing department, can anyone who's made a wherry confirm this.

I have it wrapped in bubble wrap and a heat belt set to 19 degrees c in the garage and so far it looks like thisoicture am I on the right track or have a clocked it up already (it looks very milky to me)

Thanks in advance and look forward to picking your brains more in the future.

Wayne

 

[davidabcd]

Looks great so far. Using two sachets will work just fine. It will clear up later on.

 

[Wayno15]

Thanks David, you know what it's like when you start something new and immediately start panicking.

My dad has also started homebrew ING and put a kit on as soon as I told him I was doing on, but he let his get up to 26 degrees over the first night so I figure as long as I didn't mess up the sterilisation then mine should be in a better state than his.

The plan is to do a couple of different beers while it's mild, then when it gets brasic to put on some laget that can live in the fridge till the spring /summer.

 

[Wayno15]

I'll post some pics up at each stage of this brew and you can all critique me

 

[davidabcd]

critique me

You're welcome any time.
There are some very knowledgeable people here which can steer you in the right direction when needed.
That's great that you're both making beer.
I do remember panicking often in the beginning. Alas, I also remember panicking recently. Luckily, they are few and far between these days.
Will be looking forward to the photos.
Cheers.

 

[Wayno15]

Well after 4 short days I decided to take an sg, it's down to 1013, the og was somewhere in the region of 1035-1040 (I couldn't figure a good way to get a good reading the first day). It's still very cloudy so I'm planning on taking another reading tomorrow and Monday to see if it has settled. I was thinking of leaving it in the barrel for another week at 19 degrees to clear before I bottled it. Is this the right thing to do or should I just bottle it early next week when the sg reading has settled for 2 days?

 

[Haole]

Howdy, welcome to the most fun hobby in the world. You’re going to have better luck and probably flavor by letting the brew drop clear for a good two weeks or so, then you can check your final grwvity prior to priming sugar and bottling. I’d leave it alone for now as you’ll stand less chance of oxidizing and contaminating your ferment.

good luck!

 

[Wayno15]

Thanks Haole,

I'll do that then, let it clear up a bit. Before I take more readings.

 

[jschein]

Welcome and good luck on your brewing adventure.
I would let it sit a couple of weeks before mucking around with it. And cover it up so light doesn’t skunk it.

 

[Wayno15]

I have it in the garage wrapped in loads of bubble wrap so it is always nice and dark. I'll let it sit for a bit.

 

[Day-Day]

Welcome and congrats on the brew...beer/wort always look cloudy/merky while fermenting. My recent Neipa looked like gravy until I cold crashed it.

Give it a week or two, and cold crash if that's an option. Otherwise it will clear up with time after it's packaged.

 

[Wayno15]

Unfortunately not, it is in a garage and I have no way of cold crashing (it's probably still a bit warm in the UK to just take off the heaters and let nature do it). I'll just have to take the long way round and let them clear up in the bottles.

 

[Wayno15]

I just drew off another sample and it's down to 1.010 it's starting to clear up. I'll draw off another sample on Wednesday to see how it looks, but the plan is to leave it till this time next week to clear up, then rack it in bottles. Does anyone have recommendations for how many carbonation drops to put into a 750ml bottle of wherry? I was thinking of using 2 per bottle.

 

[brewbama]

This might help:

 

[kh54s10]

Leave that beer alone.

I never even open my fermenter until at least day 14. Usually longer than that. Every time you mess with it you are risking infection and oxidation. Fermentation takes between 3 and 10 days. A couple extra days to allow the yeast to finish whatever they do won't hurt. For beginners I would wait 2 weeks take a gravity reading, record the number, wait 36-48 more hours, take another reading. If the numbers are not dropping it is safe to bottle.

After you get used to what fermentations look like and get a feel for what your FG should be you might ta,ke only one reading to confirm it has not stalled. This is not the safest procedure, but is what I do. If you get further fermentation after bottling you could produce bottle bombs.

 

[Wayno15]

I can't help myself I am drawing off through the tap, I not opening the lid, I know it's still not the right thing to do.

I shall watch that video this evening and see how you pro's are doing it.

Wayne

 

[Wayno15]

Yeah, no wonder mine got going so fast, the video (and a second one) both have a single yeast sachet, my pack had 2 packets of yeast in it

 

[kh54s10]

Yeah, no wonder mine got going so fast, the video (and a second one) both have a single yeast sachet, my pack had 2 packets of yeast in it

Depending on the yeast and the recipe 2 packets might not even truly be enough. One is good for most small beers, higher alcohol beers will need more yeast than low alcohol ones.

Assuming dry yeast, some kits come with 7 gram packets, most off the shelf dry yeast packets are 11 grams.

How fast is fast? I have had dry yeasts start in as little as 4 hours but take 6-7 days to wind down the active fermentation. I have had ones that took 24 or so hours to start and be done with active in 3 days. It really doesn't mean anything.

And a warm fermentation will usually be fast but not really best.

 

[Wayno15]

I've had it wrapped up in insulation with some heat bands on it running off an inkbird controller. I had read that slow and steady is the way to go so i'e been holding it at 19 degrees c.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

That's the most English picture I have seen in a while! Gloomy skies, slate rock walk, Mini Cooper, super green grass. It almost has an accent!

Your beer will clear with some time. If it doesn't, it will still taste like beer.

 

[Wayno15]

That's the most English picture I have seen in a while! Gloomy skies, slate rock walk, Mini Cooper, super green grass. It almost has an accent!

Your beer will clear with some time. If it doesn't, it will still taste like beer.

You're not wrong there, it's pretty grim at the minute. It has a nice home counties accent

 

[Wayno15]

Bottled this up, it's been in fv for 2 1/2 weeks and reached 1.008 after about 5 days. It's sat in a homemade warming box in my garage at a nice steady 19.5° using a controller and 2 heating belts thrown in the box.

I'll crack a bottle after a week or 2 to see how it's progressing then leave it another week before cracking a second. I'm hoping to have plenty in time for Christmas.

I washed out the bucket and got a new batch of coopers Canadian blonde on today, it'll be touch and go whether it's drinkable in time for Christmas but I'm hoping it may just be ready in time for new year.

 

[eddie]

I just drew off another sample and it's down to 1.010 it's starting to clear up. I'll draw off another sample on Wednesday to see how it looks, but the plan is to leave it till this time next week to clear up, then rack it in bottles. Does anyone have recommendations for how many carbonation drops to put into a 750ml bottle of wherry? I was thinking of using 2 per bottle. View attachment 651176

The surest way to spoil your brew is sampling it too much while it's fermenting. Every time you open it up to sample it, you're allowing contaminants in. Just let it be.

 

[Wayno15]

I have been using the tap to draw off a sample, I don't open the lid

 

[madscientist451]

Bottled this up, it's been in fv for 2 1/2 weeks and reached 1.008 after about 5 days. It's sat in a homemade warming box in my garage at a nice steady 19.5° using a controller and 2 heating belts thrown in the box.

I washed out the bucket and got a new batch of coopers Canadian blonde on today,

Things you may want to try:
When the fermenting is over, turn off the heat, your cool garage will help the beer clear a little faster.
19C if a good fermenting temperature, but many brewers start out at about 17C and then ramp up to 19 or higher after about a week. You may or may not notice a difference, It depends on what yeast you using.
I've been re-using yeast slurry for years, just pour it off into a sanitized mason jar.
Keep the jar in the fridge until you need it.
I use quart jars and use about a pint of the slurry in the next brew.
Sometimes, I'll just leave the slurry in the fermenter and just dump the next brew right in. I usually do this with cider, but have done it with beer as well with no issues. I don't re-use the fermenter more than 2-3 times without cleaning.
Skip the kits and start brewing with grain. All you need is a BIAB bag a brew pot, some grain and some hops. Check out you tube for more videos how to do it and read John Palmer's book How to brew. Here's the free version:
http://www.howtobrew.com/

 

[Wayno15]

Well I have been away for a week and just cracked open a bottle, it's starting to come good on the woodfordes wherry.

Each one I have opened up till now has been a bit lacking in head and fuzz, but the 2 weeks at cooler temperatures have sorted that right out, it's like alchemy.

 

[kh54s10]

Bottle conditioning is best done at about 21c for at least 2 weeks. Cooler temperatures will slow the conditioning. I find that some are fully carbonated at 2 weeks, that is the earliest I try one. But ALL of my bottled beers have tasted better at 3 weeks or longer. Some dark, high alcohol content beers took much longer for the flavor to peak. 6 months or so. Two of my big beers lasted over 2 years. Good thing I brewed smaller beers during that time.