its nearly there
- Thread starter Scaff
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Scaff
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I bottled the beer a few days ago as the hydrometer readings were stable over the last few days of fermenting.
I opened a bottle last night and it's flat!
I added 1 priming drop per 500ml bottle
What choices do I have ? Pour it away or save it somehow?
Scaff
I opened a bottle last night and it's flat!
I added 1 priming drop per 500ml bottle
What choices do I have ? Pour it away or save it somehow?
Scaff
FatCol
Regular.
Below is my reply to another new brewer who asked a similar question - please take note of the timescales. A few days is no where near enough time for a brew to carbonate and mature.
My general rule of thumb is as follow (though it varies depending upon climate/beer type etc)
Primary at least 2 weeks, even if it hits target FG after 1 week.
Bottled/Kegged and left in the warm for at least 2 weeks.
Move to colder area to condition and forget about it for 2-4 months.
Now, you've probably read that and thought "you're having a laugh aren't you?" but seriously, I'm sure other experienced brewers will agree - that's how you get good results.
Home brewing is a hobby that demands patience and if you look at my signature, all the stuff on there is ready but I'm in no rush to get stuck into it, because I know in a few more weeks, it'll be even better still. My Brewferm Diabolo will sit in the bottles for 12-18 months before I try it, because it is well known for improving with age.
I operate a rolling brew cycle, which takes a few months to get on top of, but basically as I bottle/keg a brew, I get another straight on. That way, after a few months, you've got a supply of beer that is properly aged and new brews conditioning at various stages - that way you've always got something to drink, as the rest of it sits and improves.
FatCol
Scaff
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Thanks for the reply
I just expected some fizz when I opened it
The remaining bottles are in a cupboard in my office, my plan is to crack on with 3-4 kits (2nd started already) then as 1 is drunk start another as a cycle so that I end up in a few months with a continuous supply of beer.
Scaff
I just expected some fizz when I opened it
The remaining bottles are in a cupboard in my office, my plan is to crack on with 3-4 kits (2nd started already) then as 1 is drunk start another as a cycle so that I end up in a few months with a continuous supply of beer.
Scaff
FatCol
Regular.
Is the cupboard warm? You really want them to be at 20c or thereabouts for a couple of weeks.
The reason you didn't get any fizz is this - when you prime your bottles, you are adding a little more sugar and asking the remaining yeast to convert it to alcohol, thus producing CO2 in the process. This CO2 is what gives it the fizz. Given that there is very little yeast in a bottle, it takes it a little time to work its magic.
If you start the cycle as mentioned, you will be rewarded with a never ending supply of good beers and will find the hobby rewarding. If you listen to what the kit instructions say, you'll probably be disappointed with the results.
They say "patience is a virtue" and when it comes to home-brew, it is definitely true.
If I were you, I'd plan on drinking this 1st brew at Christmas, as that will give it a good 3 months to condition and mature, which is about right.
FatCol
Hey Scaff - I'm pretty sure i statred my first brew (on return to HB) this weekend last year. I kicked off by getting the Coopers Home brew starter kit from Tesco and my first brew was the Aussie lager. I drank the last bottle of this first brew on New years eve. It was pretty good by then.
In the meantime, did a brew a week, more or less, bottling far too early, far too cloudy and fairly average efforts. None were a disaster, though and all were a lot better than the stuff I'd been drinking for years.
When your lager has time to:
Bottle condition, or carbonate - at least 1 week in the warm, and
Mature - could be as little as a couple of weeks for an Aussie lager - when the bottles are clear is a good sign.
Then it will be fine to taste after refrigerating. It will improve afterwards, and as Fat Col says, the last one will usually be the best!
Keep with it :thumb:
In the meantime, did a brew a week, more or less, bottling far too early, far too cloudy and fairly average efforts. None were a disaster, though and all were a lot better than the stuff I'd been drinking for years.
When your lager has time to:
Bottle condition, or carbonate - at least 1 week in the warm, and
Mature - could be as little as a couple of weeks for an Aussie lager - when the bottles are clear is a good sign.
Then it will be fine to taste after refrigerating. It will improve afterwards, and as Fat Col says, the last one will usually be the best!
Keep with it :thumb:
Scaff
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Yep, I'm all for that.
Patience, patience, and I forget the other thing........
Just totting things up
1 coopers Aussie bottled
6 bottles Chardonnay bottled, 2 drank
6 bottles rosé brewing
30 bottles Shiraz brewing
1 Wilko light pilsner brewing
1 coopers Aussie brewing
1 coopers cervezza to brew Monday
6lts of base alcohol brewing with essence to add
Just need some pork scratchings.
Patience, patience, and I forget the other thing........
Just totting things up
1 coopers Aussie bottled
6 bottles Chardonnay bottled, 2 drank
6 bottles rosé brewing
30 bottles Shiraz brewing
1 Wilko light pilsner brewing
1 coopers Aussie brewing
1 coopers cervezza to brew Monday
6lts of base alcohol brewing with essence to add
Just need some pork scratchings.
