New brewer, Bolton/Wigan/Manchester area Brewster looking for ingredients

I'm brand new to the "make your house smell gorgeous and your wife complain" crew. I've just bought a Brewolution Brewster, for one pot convenience and have made two brews last week. I made an ESB, thinking, as it'll be ready first, I need something I can just drink without thinking.

Yesterday, I made a Smash IPA. I'm glad I did the ESB first. The ESB was pretty straightforward amd the only problems i really had was that i left the pump on circulating the beer, so, lost about two litres onto the kitchen floor, and over the washing machine...

The IPA was a bit more troublesome, as the hops were pellets, so they blocked the outlet, meaning I struggled to cool the wort. I simply got it into the fermentor and left it overnight.
For both, I activated the yeast in warm water first. Struggled to cool the one for the ESB so may not have been 100%. With the IPA, I simply made it up last night and poured it in this morning.

I'm struggling with the airlock on my ESB though, it doesn't seam to buble through. I have to put a bit of pressure on the lid of the fermentor to get it to bubble through. Maybe I'm being a bit hasty, but, I don't want the top to pop.

Both recipes were made from Brewolutions pre packed recipes. I'm now looking at places to get my own grain and hops, so was wondering if anyone lives in the same areas and whether they go and get their ingredients, or use one of the many online sites?

Thanks in advance and, despite the amount of cleaning I'm doing, I've enjoyed the two brew days I've had.

DogAndDoris said:

I'm struggling with the airlock on my ESB though, it doesn't seam to buble through. I have to put a bit of pressure on the lid of the fermentor to get it to bubble through. Maybe I'm being a bit hasty, but, I don't want the top to pop.

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If you have a bulging upwards lid then that indicates it is fermenting and Co2 is being produced. the excess Co2 will be escaping from where the lid meets the bucket.

A good number of us on here don't bother with an airlock for ale brewing, most bucket style fermentation vessels have an imperfect, leaky seal between the bucket and the lid so after a little positive pressure builds (bowing the lid upwards) then the CO2 finds a way out without popping the lid off.

Good luck with your brews, first few brews with new equipment are always a learning curve. Oh and I try to use leaf hops rather than pellet in the boil as they do generally clog less.

Welcome to the forum :

Welcome to the forum.

There's a shop in Bolton called Spitting Feathers that does a good range of basic equipment. Their FVs are really good and the lids seal well. They do have some grain, hops and yeast, but I must admit that I tend to get mine online from either the Malt Miller or the Homebrew Shop.

Welcome aboard!

Welcome

welcome... Leyland homebrew has a fair stock level, not too far from you

Welcome to the Forum. :thumb:

It looks as if you are already building experience! Well done! :whistle:

How do. One of first people I've seen say using the brewlution brewster. Maybe a cheeky post on how you find it?
Enjoy the brewing adventure.

mike-os said:

welcome... Leyland homebrew has a fair stock level, not too far from you

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Forgot Leyland. They are very good and you can get grains, yeast etc from them as well as equipment and good advice.

Thanks for commenting.
The brewing itself was pretty painless with the brewster, I quite enjoyed it, and being able to just press a button for temperature and time helps, although the buzzer is loud enough if you're next to it, you need a timer if you pop into another room.

I do know Spitting Feathers, thanks, I bought yeast for some turbo cider I made a while ago. I'm aware that they will order stuff in for you as well. i'll check out Leyland, once i find where Leyland is, of course.

I'll let you know how my brews turn out. Thank you very much.