my shed or my bedroom ...

jonnymorris said:

Will12283 said:

I use a brew belt that's connected to a timer, this means that I can have the belt on for an hour at a time...

Click to expand...

Problem with this approach is that there is no feedback from the temp of the wort to the brew belt. You will therefore likely suffer temperature variations as the belt goes on and off - something to be avoided along with temps outside the 18-21 range.

An aquarium heater, or ideally a fermentation fridge is a much more elegant solution.

Click to expand...

I see your point but its the best I can do for now (don't have the room to use a water bath). The aim is to get a fermenting fridge but not able to yet. I checked the brew as regular as I could with a thermometer so did as much as I could to keep a constant temp.

Will12283 said:

I see your point but its the best I can do for now (don't have the room to use a water bath).

Click to expand...

Didn't mean to sound critical. Anything you can do to control temp is an improvement on sticking it in the airing cupboard and hoping.

jonnymorris said:

Will12283 said:

I see your point but its the best I can do for now (don't have the room to use a water bath).

Click to expand...

Didn't mean to sound critical. Anything you can do to control temp is an improvement on sticking it in the airing cupboard and hoping.

Click to expand...

Hadn't taken it that way, took it as the advice it was ment as :thumb:

i decided defo the shed ...
iv got the bucket today to put my fb in ...
plus i just bought a Aquarium 300w Submirsible Heater For Fish Tank 300ltr ...
on ebay ...
so when that gets here its off we go ... :party: .

thank you all for your help...
its most appreciated...

regards mick.... :hat: .

Best of luck with it

ScottM said:

Best of luck with it

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thanks ScottM .... :thumb:
regards mick... :hat: .

hi guys ...
well its all changed ...
i have started my first bew in my bedroom ...

its a coopers 1.7kg stout ...

ill explane ...
i was going to do it in the shed...

but...
my heater hasnt got here yet ,
so i was over the brew shop in keynsham yesturday...
and they told me to go with the tin ...
as its worked out just right for that tin ...
so here goes ...

i heated the tin up for about 20 mins...
put that in to my fermenter ..
added 2 ltrs of boiling water ...
got all the rest of the mixture out of the tin again with boiling water ...

added my 1kg of muntons beerkit enhancer mixed that in ...

then added my 500g of spraymalt /extra dark ...

then took my first reading ...on my hydrometer...
it says 125...

now i dont no how to use this thing...
but thats what it said so i put the yeast in ...

buy the way the temp at this point was 24c...

i no your going to say that its to high...
but thats ok going by the tin...
i then put my lid on and put in my air lock ...filled it half way with water ..and now its say next to my bed ...

waiting to do its thing ...
i have got it in a flexible builders bucket..

just in case it flows over the top
no bubbles yet ...

ps.....
sorry i forgot to say ...
yes i did sanitize evrything first ...
even the builder bucket .. :hat: .

Are you a light sleeper? If so, it may well keep you awake when it gets going.

jonnymorris said:

Are you a light sleeper? If so, it may well keep you awake when it gets going.

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yes i am a light sleeper ...
but i think that might help me sleep ...
if its a nice rhythm ... .

Good idea with the builders bucket cos when I did a coopers stout kit I grew a beer monster, the overflow out of the air lock was mad, it was in my room to and kept me awake as it made farting and burping noises all through the night for about 2 or 3 sleeps

alawlor66430 said:

Good idea with the builders bucket cos when I did a coopers stout kit I grew a beer monster, the overflow out of the air lock was mad, it was in my room to and kept me awake as it made farting and burping noises all through the night for about 2 or 3 sleeps

Click to expand...

thanks alawlor66430 .. :thumb: .
but the builders bucket ...
wasnt my idea..
i was told to do it on here ..
i love this forum ...
your all so friendly...
and lots of great davice ..:hat:

Everything I now know about brewing I've pretty much learned from asking these guys for advice, everyone on here's great for that

alawlor66430 said:

Everything I now know about brewing I've pretty much learned from asking these guys for advice, everyone on here's great for that

Click to expand...

i dont think i would have tried doing this on my own ...
i just hope i got it right ...
mmm time will tell ... :whistle: ...

ps
do you think my my hydrometer reading is right ..
or was i reading the wrong bit ....
it says its for wine and beer....
so i hope i have got the right one ...

Aye I think you were looking at the wrong bit, if I got my note book out I'd have the right sg for you you but if i mind right it should be in the area of 1.045

Look on you tube for a channel called Craig tube and look for his vid on using a hydrometer he's also a great source of information for you

alawlor66430 said:

Aye I think you were looking at the wrong bit, if I got my note book out I'd have the right sg for you you but if i mind right it should be in the area of 1.045

Click to expand...

yes i was looking at the ....
approximate suger grammes per litre.

i think i should be looking at the ...
specific gravity bit ...

but that bit starts from the bottom in white /120 then 110 then 1.100 /then in blue 90 80 70 60 50/40 is red/30 20 is white again /then in white again 1.000 then 990

but that colum at the same hight...
as my first reading only says 50...
mabe i bought the wrong one ...but it says for wine and beer

50? as in 1.050? It's an incremental guide with the 1. missing for the most part IIRC.

If that's correct then 1.050 sounds about right, it should possibly be a little less as you need to be accurate with the divisions (each one is 0.002).

The starting gravity is always a higher figure than the finishing figure. The difference between these figures allows you to calculate the ABV.

Basically as the sugar turns to alcohol the specific gravity of the liquid lowers. The amount that it lowers shows the amount of sugar that has turned to alcohol and thus the %age of alcohol by volume.... or ABV for short :)

alawlor66430 said:

Look on you tube for a channel called Craig tube and look for his vid on using a hydrometer he's also a great source of information for you

Click to expand...

thank you alawlor66430... :thumb: .
i will look at the craig tube ...
iv seen his vids before there great...

regards mick... :hat: .

ScottM said:

50? as in 1.050? It's an incremental guide with the 1. missing for the most part IIRC.

If that's correct then 1.050 sounds about right, it should possibly be a little less as you need to be accurate with the divisions (each one is 0.002).

The starting gravity is always a higher figure than the finishing figure. The difference between these figures allows you to calculate the ABV.

Basically as the sugar turns to alcohol the specific gravity of the liquid lowers. The amount that it lowers shows the amount of sugar that has turned to alcohol and thus the %age of alcohol by volume.... or ABV for short :)

Click to expand...

thank you ScottM ... :thumb: .
im so thick when it comes to things like this ....

but im very glad you pointed out how to read it ...

ill write 1.050 down ...so when its finished ...

i can get another reading and find the ABV as you say... :)

i just got to hope its working ...
still no bubbles in the air lock yet ...

im a little concerned ...
as everyone els said...
how theres took off like a rocket ...

regards mick... .
and thank you again...
i do appreciate it ...:hat: .

Hi Mick. I use the shop in Keynsham, too. They are nice and helpful and it's good to support a local business.

Did you brew the stout to 23 litres? I did mine to 21 with 1kg of extra dark DME and a tin of treacle, which gave me 1.060, so, 1.050 seems about right.