First brewday!

Thumper · Jul 1, 2017

I finally got my brew on!

I drove down to the Home Brew Shop in Farnborough. Right from the word go it went wrong, as when I asked if I could buy their "equipment only starter pack" in store he started making noises about not having one made up. Somehow he managed to talk me into getting a Coopers IPA kit instead. I blame the hangover.

I also forgot to get campden tablets, so I had to get bottled water. D'oh!

Anyway, it's in the FV, and I made damn sure everything was sanitised. I rehydrated the yeast with a little of the brew enhancer and pitched at about 22c.

OG was 1030, which seems a bit low. I had to add a litre of refrigerated water to bring the temp down a touch, so it's a little long, but not that long. I tried the hydrometer in tap water and it does seem to be badly calibrated; it was showing 0996.

I took a swallow from the trial jar, and it's very bitter at this stage. Hopefully that'll mellow out during the ferment.

So, I haven't exactly followed the plan which so many of you helped formulate. Sorry about that, I promise I'll do a Festival kit next time. I'll bottle this one directly from the FV, but intend to get a bottling bucket for next time too.

I'll let you know how it goes.

dad_of_jon · Jul 1, 2017

Thumper said:
I finally got my brew on!

I drove down to the Home Brew Shop in Farnborough. Right from the word go it went wrong, as when I asked if I could buy their "equipment only starter pack" in store he started making noises about not having one made up. Somehow he managed to talk me into getting a Coopers IPA kit instead. I blame the hangover.

I also forgot to get campden tablets, so I had to get bottled water. D'oh!

Anyway, it's in the FV, and I made damn sure everything was sanitised. I rehydrated the yeast with a little of the brew enhancer and pitched at about 22c.

OG was 1030, which seems a bit low. I had to add a litre of refrigerated water to bring the temp down a touch, so it's a little long, but not that long. I tried the hydrometer in tap water and it does seem to be badly calibrated; it was showing 0996.

I took a swallow from the trial jar, and it's very bitter at this stage. Hopefully that'll mellow out during the ferment.

So, I haven't exactly followed the plan which so many of you helped formulate. Sorry about that, I promise I'll do a Festival kit next time. I'll bottle this one directly from the FV, but intend to get a bottling bucket for next time too.

I'll let you know how it goes.

if water at the calibration temperature of your hydrometer (which is usually 20 degrees) was .996 it should read 1.000 which means you add 4 to your readings so your 1030 reading is 1030 + 4. Which is a little better. :)

mine is out by 3 the other way. water reads 1003 so I have to take 3 off my readings.

Thumper · Jul 1, 2017

Well according to Cooper' s algorithm (OG-FG/7.46), and assuming an FG of 1010, which I gather is about standard, that should give me an ABV of about 3.2%. Which is ok for a session IPA, I suppose :)

chub1 · Jul 1, 2017

Thumper said:
I finally got my brew on!

I drove down to the Home Brew Shop in Farnborough. Right from the word go it went wrong, as when I asked if I could buy their "equipment only starter pack" in store he started making noises about not having one made up. Somehow he managed to talk me into getting a Coopers IPA kit instead. I blame the hangover.

I also forgot to get campden tablets, so I had to get bottled water. D'oh!

Anyway, it's in the FV, and I made damn sure everything was sanitised. I rehydrated the yeast with a little of the brew enhancer and pitched at about 22c.

OG was 1030, which seems a bit low. I had to add a litre of refrigerated water to bring the temp down a touch, so it's a little long, but not that long. I tried the hydrometer in tap water and it does seem to be badly calibrated; it was showing 0996.

I took a swallow from the trial jar, and it's very bitter at this stage. Hopefully that'll mellow out during the ferment.

So, I haven't exactly followed the plan which so many of you helped formulate. Sorry about that, I promise I'll do a Festival kit next time. I'll bottle this one directly from the FV, but intend to get a bottling bucket for next time too.

I'll let you know how it goes.

never been to the shop.I live around 35 mins away i guess, is it any good?

Ajhutch · Jul 1, 2017

chub1 said:
never been to the shop.I live around 35 mins away i guess, is it any good?

I went a couple of weeks ago, I thought it was pretty good. Lots of malts, hops, yeasts and chemicals all sensibly laid out. I had s bit of a chat with the guy and he wasn't super outgoing but we did have a bit of a chat about brewing.

Thumper · Jul 1, 2017

chub1 said:
never been to the shop.I live around 35 mins away i guess, is it any good?

I'm not much of a judge, this being the first I've been to, but if you're only 35 min away I'd say it's worth a go, I drove for an hour.

It's true the owner is a bit strange, but was helpful.

Thumper · Jul 2, 2017

Well we're now roughly 15 hours after pitching and there's no activity whatsoever. Guess I'm heading to Wilko for more yeast.

DoctorMick · Jul 2, 2017

Thumper said:
Well we're now roughly 15 hours after pitching and there's no activity whatsoever. Guess I'm heading to Wilko for more yeast.

Give it a couple of days before starting to worry, it can take a little while for any visible signs of fermentation.

Thumper · Jul 2, 2017

Ah, thank you. I was under the impression you ought to see at least something by now... though where I got that impression from is a bit beyond me, now I think about it. Ive seen a lot of posts about brews "going off like a rocket" within 5 hours or so, but of course that's unusual because why else would they post about it?

Linalmeemow · Jul 2, 2017

Thumper said:
Ah, thank you. I was under the impression you ought to see at least something by now... though where I got that impression from is a bit beyond me, now I think about it. Ive seen a lot of posts about brews "going off like a rocket" within 5 hours or so, but of course that's unusual because why else would they post about it?

It can be up to 48 hours before you'll see any activity. You'll almost certainly be fine, though your OG seems very low. Did you use the kit alone, or did you add any sugar or malt extract?

Thumper · Jul 2, 2017

Linalmeemow said:
It can be up to 48 hours before you'll see any activity. You'll almost certainly be fine, though your OG seems very low. Did you use the kit alone, or did you add any sugar or malt extract?

I think it's now doing something, there's a sort of spotty white film forming on the top which looks like photos of other people's brews that I've seen on here.

The kit came with some brew enhancer, which went in with the malt. My hydrometer is out, so the actual OG was 1034. Which is still a little low, I guess, but I'm fine with an ABV in the mid- 3s.

Linalmeemow · Jul 2, 2017

That's still pretty low, but it'll be ready at the height of the summer so it should be an easy drinker.

If I can give you some advice I wish I'd been given myself - get yourself a big stockpot (20l or so, 20 quid or so off ebay) and start doing extract plus grain brewing now rather than sticking with the kits. It's barely any more difficult and the results are so, so much better.

Thumper · Jul 2, 2017

I intend to go to AG relatively quickly, I just want to do a few kits to familiarise myself with brewing first. It's designing my own beers that really interests me, just wanted to learn to walk before running.

Linalmeemow · Jul 2, 2017

Thumper said:
I intend to go to AG relatively quickly, I just want to do a few kits to familiarise myself with brewing first. It's designing my own beers that really interests me, just wanted to learn to walk before running.

I understand that, it's how I started out. I didn't move on quickly enough though and made probably a dozen or more very mediocre kit brews. Really 3 or 4 kits is all you need to learn the basics of fermentation and hygiene - after that kick on and be more ambitious. You won't regret it.

Poochops · Jul 2, 2017

Linalmeemow said:
I understand that, it's how I started out. I didn't move on quickly enough though and made probably a dozen or more very mediocre kit brews. Really 3 or 4 kits is all you need to learn the basics of fermentation and hygiene - after that kick on and be more ambitious. You won't regret it.

Good advice this, learn the ropes and then if you plan to move on eventually, just do it. It's no more difficult doing AG or extract after 3 or 4 kits than it is after 15 or 20. Good luck with your first one though.

Thumper · Jul 2, 2017

That's the plan! :) I think it's definitely doing stuff now though, there's a distinct white circle on the top which I think is the yeast.

shepp · Jul 2, 2017

chub1 said:
never been to the shop.I live around 35 mins away i guess, is it any good?

They do have very comprehensive stock, it is a well maintained shop, very clean and tidy and prices are reasonable too.
The smaller bloke out of the two is much better to deal with.

Thumper · Jul 10, 2017

It's definitely doing stuff! OG is down to 0998 (1002 if my hydrometer were properly calibrated), which should be an ABV of 4.2%?

I'll give it another week in the fermenter and hopefully bottle this Sunday (I'm following the 2+2+2 rule I've read so much about on here). It's very cloudy at the moment; I'm hoping that will settle out over the next week, or I'll be back on here pleading for advice on how to use gelatine :)

Dutto · Jul 10, 2017

Thumper said:
It's definitely doing stuff! OG is down to 0998 (1002 if my hydrometer were properly calibrated), which should be an ABV of 4.2%?

I'll give it another week in the fermenter and hopefully bottle this Sunday (I'm following the 2+2+2 rule I've read so much about on here). It's very cloudy at the moment; I'm hoping that will settle out over the next week, or I'll be back on here pleading for advice on how to use gelatine :)

Dunno whether it's true of not, but out in Iran way back when, the Americans reckoned that Budweiser used gelatine to clear their beer which is why we all had the trots after a heavy session on the stuff.

I've never cleared a beer (I rely on Gravity and Time instead) but as it's your first brew I can understand your desire to get drinking it as soon a possible.

In view of this I can recommend:

a) Drink it whether it's cloudy or not! It won't do you any harm.

b) If you want to use finings for this first brew, I suggest that you use a nice simple system like these Beer Finings from Wilco.

http://www.wilko.com/homebrew-accessories+equipment/wilko-beer-finings-30ml/invt/0253121

In the meantime, get your next brew underway. Using the 2+2+2 system means that if you start tomorrow you won't be drinking any of it until the back end of August! :thumb:

Enjoy! :thumb:

Thumper · Jul 11, 2017

I wasn't aware gelatine could give you the runs :-?

I'll see what it looks like at the end of the week, and if it still looks like soup I may grab some Wilko finings. I'd rather let it clear by gravity if at all possible, though.

First brewday!

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