Youngs Definitive Lager kit.

Chris · Sep 14, 2009

I put one of these on the go yesterday teatime, decided on 1.1kg of sugar. It had a right head on it this morning, lots of very big bubbles, very different from the Coopers brew I made last month. It smelt terrible when it was first mixed, but tonight it has a rather nice malty smell to it.

Just wondered who's tried this one & what your thoughts on it were as far as taste goes.

Starting OG was 1044.

CptnCrackoff · Sep 14, 2009

i have done a recent thread on this....i loooooved it!! : cheers:

falafael · Sep 15, 2009

It's actually not that bad really...well, i keep making it!!
:thumb:

shaunyp · Sep 17, 2009

Just about to give this one a go at the weekend, my first atempt at home brewing, have you got any tips before i give it a go. In my bin i have no hole for a air lock is that ok or should i drill a hole in the lid and put a grommet in for the bubbler :wha: ? Also should i rinse my equipment with running water after i have it in the steralising solution.

Happy brewing shaunyp :drink:

Chris · Sep 17, 2009

shaunyp said:
Just about to give this one a go at the weekend, my first atempt at home brewing, have you got any tips before i give it a go. In my bin i have no hole for a air lock is that ok or should i drill a hole in the lid and put a grommet in for the bubbler :wha: ? Also should i rinse my equipment with running water after i have it in the steralising solution.

Happy brewing shaunyp :drink:

I sterilised all the equipment then rinsed it out again. I don't have an airlock either, instead I seal the lid all the way round, but leave it just off the seal, say 3 or 4" along one edge. That gives it room for the C02 to vent. :thumb:

shaunyp · Sep 17, 2009

Thankyou for your response so quickly i am just a bit worried that some nasty stuff will spoil the brew or is that normal practice, sorry but i am a real rookie at this malarkey, however am really looking forward to giving it a good go

Chris said:
shaunyp said:

Just about to give this one a go at the weekend, my first atempt at home brewing, have you got any tips before i give it a go. In my bin i have no hole for a air lock is that ok or should i drill a hole in the lid and put a grommet in for the bubbler :wha: ? Also should i rinse my equipment with running water after i have it in the steralising solution.

Happy brewing shaunyp :drink:

Click to expand...

I sterilised all the equipment then rinsed it out again. I don't have an airlock either, instead I seal the lid all the way round, but leave it just off the seal, say 3 or 4" along one edge. That gives it room for the C02 to vent. :thumb:

Chris · Sep 17, 2009

I'm a novice too mate, it's only just off the seal, nothing would go in, it's just for ventilation. Mine has had a real good head on it since Monday morning. SG is dropping, I'm expecting the final alcohol content to be around 5.5%, a little more than the Coopers Mexican I brewed last month.. That is worth a try too, a very nice lager. : cheers:

shaunyp · Sep 17, 2009

Lovely Jubbly i can see me getting right into this i think its time to give up snowboarding and poker and have a good crack at this : cheers:

CptnCrackoff · Sep 18, 2009

nice to see another new brewer, just down the road too!!! :thumb:

shaunyp · Sep 19, 2009

Oh yes, i used to live in Tiptree, then Colchester myself for 4 years, have you been to the Colchester Homebrew Shop or is there anywhere else that you would recomend around here.

All the best shaunyp

CptnCrackoff · Sep 20, 2009

i never knew there was one till you mentioned it!!!! will definatly use it, looks good.

i have been using the HBS in Holland-on-sea, and wilkos.

colchester homebrew looks good tho, and easy to get to free parking...spot on!! : cheers:

Chris · Sep 21, 2009

Should I be concerned??

My Youngs kit was started last Sunday 13th Sept, starting OG was 1044, I'm just a little worried it's going quite slow. The OG today was 1016, it seems to be brewing, albeit very slowly. I shone my torch through the side of the FV and it's still bubbling away quite nicely. It only came with 1 sachet of yeast whereas the Coopers kit came with 2 sachets, not sure if this matters much, but seems to me that twice the yeast should do the work in half the time??

Am I being paranoid :wha: .

grinchy · Sep 21, 2009

I am no expert at the beer brewing side of things have only done one myself so far and that was a coopers. I think i remember it having 2 sachets, but one was a yeast nutrient and the other the actual yeast. I think some of the kits must have the yeast and nutrient together?? I know a lot of the wine kits i do come pre mixed that way.

I also think a lot depends on the temperature of your mix/wort/brew (? correct terminology) as to how quickly/slowly it continues to ferment after the intial rush. As long as it is still bubbling and the SG is continuing to drop i wouldn't worry too much (difficult i know as a newbie).

Chris · Sep 26, 2009

Thanks mate.

So why the lower % than my last brew, which had less sugar in?

:thumb:

drake31 · Jan 19, 2012

hi all this my first go at homebrew, and with this kit
i made my beer up last sat nite14/01.2012 and have had a constant reading of 1010 since tuesday night
how long should i leave before i begin to bottle up cheers guys : cheers:

Heyzy · Jan 20, 2012

Ive just the youngs lager kit (present from xmas) and mine was in my FV for 2 weeks theni primed my bottles and i have now started to drink it. Should really leave it another couple of weeks but i couldnt resist and it pretty nice at about 5.3abv. Just doing a cheeky vimto at the moment amd will try a coopers as soon as this is done.

If you have a bottling bucket syphon it into that for a couple of days and batch prime before bottling.

Im only new to this hobby and this was the advice i was given, but the best hobby ive had.

broadfordbrewer · Jan 20, 2012

drake31 - if you haven't already then it sounds like you are ready to bottle it. 3 days with the same reading is a safe guidline. Well done... and onto your next brew :clap:

Chris · Jan 21, 2012

Wow, I remember making this thread ages ago :lol: . To be honest, this kit has been the worst one I've brewed to date. It tasted :sick: .

Polo_Phil · May 10, 2012

Just started drinking this. For a lager it's not bad : cheers:

gor84 · Oct 1, 2014

Chris said:
Thanks Aleman,

I've had readings of 1012 for a few days now, but there's still a little bubbling going on. I was just a bit concerned that the instructions say it should get to 1006 or lower. I put 1.1kg of sugar in, seems it's only around 4.5% (I like my beer 5% minimum). I put 1kg of sugar in my last mexican kit & it finished at 5.2% in the FV, perhaps a little more once bottled & primed.

I was planning on bottling it tomorrow as it'll have been 2 weeks in the FV. :thumb:

My OG was 1.04 and now after 13days it is down to 1004. i am awaiting for it to stabelise as it has been gradually going down. It is starting to smell real good.

if i bottle it soon and let it sit in the bottle for 10 days is it ok to drink then?

Youngs Definitive Lager kit.

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