So I was hoping for a St. Peter's Ruby Red, but due to time constraints and a need for some Campden tablets I went to Wilkos. They didn't have Campden tablets, or Ruby Red.
They did have Wherry, which I've heard many good things about. So I got that, and stocked up on bottled water at the supermarket.
On getting home it became apparent that someone had dropped this kit at some point. Both tins were dented, and the rim of one had cut into the yeast packet, leaving it open to the air. Some googling suggested this wasn't a problem, since you can keep opened dried yeast packets for ages. So I carried on, but couldn't get the water to cool (it is very hot today). Bunged one bottle in the freezer and added that when it was cold, which meant that the wort was sat with no yeast in it for longer than I would have liked (I did put the lid on). The freezer-cooled bottle only succeeded in getting the wort down to 24/25c. And I forgot to sterilise the spoon properly, meaning it got a thorough wipe with a steriliser-soaked cloth, but no actual soak in the steriliser.
So long story short, I'm a bit nervous about this one. On the bright side, I rehydrated the yeast first with some brown sugar and it was foaming away merrily by pitching time, so fingers crossed!
OG was 1039.
They did have Wherry, which I've heard many good things about. So I got that, and stocked up on bottled water at the supermarket.
On getting home it became apparent that someone had dropped this kit at some point. Both tins were dented, and the rim of one had cut into the yeast packet, leaving it open to the air. Some googling suggested this wasn't a problem, since you can keep opened dried yeast packets for ages. So I carried on, but couldn't get the water to cool (it is very hot today). Bunged one bottle in the freezer and added that when it was cold, which meant that the wort was sat with no yeast in it for longer than I would have liked (I did put the lid on). The freezer-cooled bottle only succeeded in getting the wort down to 24/25c. And I forgot to sterilise the spoon properly, meaning it got a thorough wipe with a steriliser-soaked cloth, but no actual soak in the steriliser.
So long story short, I'm a bit nervous about this one. On the bright side, I rehydrated the yeast first with some brown sugar and it was foaming away merrily by pitching time, so fingers crossed!
OG was 1039.