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Ben_J

Ben_J

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Joined
Nov 28, 2014
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Location
Liverpool
Hi all!

After lurking on these forums for a week or so I decided to take the plunge and register. It's quite apt as I've just added the yeast to my first ever brew!

Decided on the Beerworks Merseyside Dockers IPA (I'm a hop loving scouser so it sounded right up my street) and have to say the kit was fantastic, really easy to use and hardly any mess.

Ended up with an original gravity of about 1.052 (there were a few bubbles so the hydrometer was tricky to read, could have been up to 1.055) so hoping to come out with an ABV of around 5.8-6.2%.

It's currently sat in the spare room waiting to start fermenting, going to add the hops this time next week (instructions said 5 days for bitter and 8 for stout, but nothing about IPA).

Just got to get my bottling setup sorted now!

Cheers!
 
Had a few issues with slow fermentation at first, but bought a heating plate and now it's going nicely. Dry hopping today and also getting my second brew started!
 
A good start, Ben, sounds like an interesting kit. Don't worry about the dry hopping instructions too much. The method most people seem to follow is to ferment for about 2 weeks and put the dry hops in 3 to 7 days before the end, so after a week to ten days. That's what I do. It's not usual to dry hop a stout, unless it's an American style stout. English stouts are hopped only during the boil, which is already done with a kit, before it's packaged.

Don't let the temp rise too high, 18 - 22C if you can monitor it.

Enjoy.
 
Hi Ben,

Welcome to the forum. I have made the Sheepdog's Pride Suffolk Bitter from beerworks and it was a nice beer. I have some bottled and ready to go some Milestone Raspberry Wheat Beer and a New Zealand bock. If your local to Kirkby you welcome to a few bottles.

Welcome to the brewing world. I just did a full grain brew and its bubbling away next to me here. The sounds and smells of brewing are quite relaxing.

Cheers
Andy



 
Checked the gravity of the IPA today and it was down to 1.012, so chucked the hops in and left it fermenting gently.



Put my second brew on today as well, 3kg dark liquid extract, 500g dark dry extract, 300g of treacle and 500g of muacovado sugar. Boiled 30g of Target hops for bitterness (60 mins) and 20g of Fuggles for aroma (last 15 mins).



Smelled amazing in the FV and gave a hydrometer reading of 1.068, should hopefully finish up around 7.5%. Going to "dry hop" it with some coffee beans in a week or so.



I'm excited!
 
Hello Ben,
Welcome to the addiction.
I've been under the radar due to family commitments but back trying to get my life back to the passions I love...Home brew and Motorcycle.
helped stear my pal through his first Brew last week and it came all back to me how exiting it was...he was totally engrossed in it.
looks like ya off to a flying start, well done
ATB
Brian
 
Sounds like you hit the ground running especially with the complex second brew! I'm only on my 3rd kit and I've had a couple of plays with dry hopping and adding hops, coffee and Kahlua to a stout (tasted great after 2 weeks in the bottle and overnight in the fridge). Good luck with it and keep posting your results.
 
Quick update, left the IPA alone for a bit for the hops to do their thing (hopefully be ready for kegging early next week).

Had a look at the stout, going off the hydrometer reading, it's sitting at about 5.4% already, hoping for about 7.5 finally. Had a taste and have to say it's damn nice at this point already. Nice body and a lovely liqourice flavour from the treacle. Going to stick the coffee in on Tuesday, then give it 10 days and bottle it on Boxing Day.

Planning a pale ale flavoured with cascara (the dried fruit of coffee cherries) next and looking at moving to all grain in the new year.

Think it's safe to say I'm hooked!
 
Blimey that stout sounds lovely.

I haven't started my first brew yet but I think I already know what my second will be!

How much coffee will you use? I assume you use whole, roasted beans?
 
I picked up some of the dockers IPA today. Its now in the fermentor so it will be a nice January warmer :-)
 
Kegged the IPA on Tuesday gone, it's lovely and clear (already) and tastes ok (for a first try). There's a bit of estery fruitiness in there from the initial slow fermentation but it's drinkable and hopefully may improve in the next week or so. Haven't got the specific readings to hand but think it finished at about 5.4%.



My stout is tasting amazing, lovely lingering licorice taste and a good body. Going to add 125g of coffee beans (whole bean, not ground) on Christmas Eve, with a view to bottling on boxing day. Last hydrometer reading was 1.024 (ideally wanting it to drop to 1.014) which was taken on Tuesday.



Also stuck on the Evil Dog Double IPA, started at 1.068 and went down to 1.033 over the weekend, looking forward to that one.
 

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