First Ever Brew - Simply Yorkshire Bitter

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Pezza24

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Oct 13, 2014
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Newport, Gwent
Finally took the plunge and bought my first Home Brew kit from the guys at Home-brew-online. Excellent delivery as it was delivered within 24 hours.

Started my brew on 9th October as i think this will give plenty of time to get it drinkable for christmas, if i can wait that is.

Mixed ingrediants and as i was unsure of water used 20L of bottled water and 3L Boiled tap water. (I will use Campden tablets in future its much cheaper!!)

OG @1.041 after i had pitched the yeast.

No bubbles as yet but its definitely fermenting and enjoying its temporary home under the desk in my office. Looking forward to kegging and posting my results in a few days time.
 
Its 10 Days since i started the brew and there are no more bubbles. Just checked the gravity and its at 1.011. Tasted the sample from the trial jar and its a bit fizzy. Is this normal? Other than that it tasted quite nice.
 
If it's still fizzy it's still fermenting.... Ignore the instructions and leave it a few more days. I've just bottled a Finlandia bitter that was at 1010 for three days and I was about to bottle it but decided to leave it a while as it still had a bit of fizz on the tongue . I got it down to 1005 and 4.7%, lovely.
As said, the instructions are just a guide, and often a poor one at that, trust your instinct and taste buds. It's very rare I bottle/keg before 14 days in the FV, besides, leaving it in the FV won't do it any harm.
 
I left it for 2 weeks and it had stopped fizzing. I moved it to the kitchen so it was a little warmer and the fermentation finished up ok.

I have just this morning discovered my keg was leaking so ive had to quickly transfer that too bottles. Luckily I had them to hand.

Considering I primed the keg I didn't prime the bottles again. I did add a big spoonful of sugar before I bottled again just in case though. Do you think that will save my brew?
 
Yes, it should be ok, assuming you sterilised your bottles and didn't introduce too much oxygen when you bottled. Leave them in the warm for a week or two and then move them somewhere cool and dark for a month to condition. Of course, you won't be able to resist a little tester now and again....
For info, I use a heater belt nearly all the time when in the FV (except lagers which need a cooler ferment) though I don't use a thermometer which I guess I should. This gives a constant temperature and I have little trouble with 'stuck' brews, except the infamous woodefords wherry of course, but nothing a gentle stir doesn't sort out.
Beer is pretty hard to kill and can usually be rescued.:cheers:
 
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