Abdij beerfrerm kit advice

kalvaer · Oct 5, 2015

So I originally hijacked the following thread http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=54936&page=3
Where I had some questions about this kit.

So far I have bottled and I am waiting, but I think it turned out ok.
I started a second batch on Saturday, and this time I have been monitoring it at bit more carefully. Bubbles started in less than 6 hours, and its been going strong every since.

Only issue, as with my first batch, was that I never got the recommended OG with the instructions and I had to add in an additional 800g of sugar slowly over ~ 2 hours and checking to be sure I had it at 1.070. I haven't measured the exact SG of the sugar I am using, but it pretty much works out prefect for everything else I have tried and gets me nearly 100% spot on to what I have calculated.

I just did I check now, and I am sitting at 1.024 since Saturday. This could be why I didn't see anything the first time either if its going to hit 1010 so quickly. Temp in the room is controlled to 22C.

This is pretty much going in the exact same route as the previous kit.. and I am not complaining if the previous taste before bottling was anything to go buy, It just seem pretty quick?

Any thoughts would be really appreciated?

PS: Could a Mod fix my silly typo of the subject

dad_of_jon · Oct 5, 2015

kalvaer said:
So I originally hijacked the following thread http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=54936&page=3
Where I had some questions about this kit.

So far I have bottled and I am waiting, but I think it turned out ok.
I started a second batch on Saturday, and this time I have been monitoring it at bit more carefully. Bubbles started in less than 6 hours, and its been going strong every since.

Only issue, as with my first batch, was that I never got the recommended OG with the instructions and I had to add in an additional 800g of sugar slowly over ~ 2 hours and checking to be sure I had it at 1.070. I haven't measured the exact SG of the sugar I am using, but it pretty much works out prefect for everything else I have tried and gets me nearly 100% spot on to what I have calculated.

I just did I check now, and I am sitting at 1.024 since Saturday. This could be why I didn't see anything the first time either if its going to hit 1010 so quickly. Temp in the room is controlled to 22C.

This is pretty much going in the exact same route as the previous kit.. and I am not complaining if the previous taste before bottling was anything to go buy, It just seem pretty quick?

Any thoughts would be really appreciated?

PS: Could a Mod fix my silly typo of the subject

I had 7.35% in the end and used 520g of candi sugar per 9 litre brew (i doubled up) to 18 litres with 2 cans. I didn't get the recommended fg. I suspect old yeast or lack of aeration stopped it getting to 1.010. I bottled at 1.014 which was the MAXIMUM recommended bottling reading. Mine was a lazy fermentor. Only if it ferments down to 1.000/shows no sign of stopping would I worry.

kalvaer · Oct 6, 2015

Last time I added some more sugar to push it back to 1.020 from 1.010, 5 days after pitching. The next day is was back at 1.010 and sat there for a week.
Right now I have the exact same results and its currently at 1.020. So I expect it to be back at 1.010 by Thursday. Should I back sweeten again, or leave it?

I really liked the taste just before bottling. But since the first batch is still carbing.. I don't have something to compare to.
.

Sandimas · Oct 7, 2015

I've just done this kit (again). Like you I started it on Sat, first time I've done it with temp control - it's sat at 20C in a trub full of water with a 50W fish tank heater. Initial ferment was vigorous but it's started to slow noticably today, airlock bubbling every 40s. I'll leave it a good 2 weeks like I do with all brews.

Another difference this time is that I made it up with approx 600g golden syrup rather than sugar - I've done a few of these Brewferm kits and they're definately better this way, even better by using proper Candi Sugar but I didn't have the patience to make any, and golden syrup gives roughly the same taste. OG was a bit short around 1065, probably didn't add enough syrup as some got stuck in the weighing vessel.

kalvaer · Oct 10, 2015

Mine stopped bubbling as expected on Thursday evening. I haven't touched it yet though or even taken a SG reading. I'll leave it in the primary until next week Sat and move to a secondary carboy.

I've been reading the instructions again, and the part that got me was under bottling where it says "the optimal bottling density is 1.010. You can start bottling when the beer reaches the right density ".
I took this to mean that once it reached 1.010 it was ready to bottle, I'm now thinking that its talking about what the SG should be after you prime the brew for bottling? I'll check next week once I take a reading. For now I'll follow everyone's advice and let it rest

Sandimas · Oct 10, 2015

How long was it in the FV before it stopped bubbling?

Mine's stopped after 7 days, no pressure at all in the FV so I'm tempted to drop the hydrometer in, but that does seem quick. Most my brews seem to stop after 12-14 days. Been a while since I've done this kit, hope I haven't got a stuck brew as it was in a (coolish) temp-controlled environment, 19C.

Leon103 · Oct 10, 2015

kalvaer said:
Mine stopped bubbling as expected on Thursday evening. I haven't touched it yet though or even taken a SG reading. I'll leave it in the primary until next week Sat and move to a secondary carboy.

I've been reading the instructions again, and the part that got me was under bottling where it says "the optimal bottling density is 1.010. You can start bottling when the beer reaches the right density ".
I took this to mean that once it reached 1.010 it was ready to bottle, I'm now thinking that its talking about what the SG should be after you prime the brew for bottling? I'll check next week once I take a reading. For now I'll follow everyone's advice and let it rest

I don't think it means take a reading after priming.

I think mine stopped at 1.014 but I had a very high OG. Can't remember exactly but it is 9.6%abv after priming.

stevej · Oct 10, 2015

Ive brewed many Brewferm kits, for kit ales there great tbh i leave mine in the fv for around 3 weeks then bottle and leave for at least 3 months, its strange because out of all the ales i make its the only brews i manage to leave for that amount of time, very tasty ales i love them :drink:

Leon103 · Oct 10, 2015

I am surprised I have left mine for so long. I have drank two and given two away. I think seeing its so strong I don't think to drink them.

stevej · Oct 10, 2015

Leon103 said:
I am surprised I have left mine for so long. I have drank two and given two away. I think seeing its so strong I don't think to drink them.

Hi Leon these kits do need a lot of time to condition ive found, but there lovely ales i tend to brew ag mainly but i do like to try and slot a few of these kits in from time to time, ive got 14 ltrs of the xmas ale conditioning at the min my favourite out of all of the brewferm kits, but you are right they do tend to be mad strong

Leon103 · Oct 10, 2015

The abdij is the only one I have tried and for a kit it is lovely and will only get better.

kalvaer · Oct 10, 2015

So you all got me thinking and I took a reading.
7.2 days from pitching, and its sitting at 1.010... maybe 1.011.
I've had a digital thermometer in the room (in the middle of my fermenter's) and know that the max and min temp have been between 22.7 and 20.9. My Hydrometers are calibrated at 20 Degree C.
After moving the bucket to get a reading, I am now getting bursts of bubbles every couple of minutes (around 2-3 min), so its possible it wasn't completely dead by Thursday, just a bit long in-between me noticing, with all the others this week.

I've ordered a couple of other kits to try next week (an Irish velvet stout, a Christmas ale, and a "Brewmaker Pilsner") and will see how that goes. I started this as something to do while waiting for my mead... and realised today I've run out of fermenter's for beer

.. Never mind I seriously need to find more bottles ASAP.

And I also opened a bottle of batch 1 today.. Going to be hard to leave until Christmas

stevej · Oct 10, 2015

Im drinking a bottle of the brewferm xmas ale now that i made last year WOW its going to be a early night tonight if i open any more, finding it hard to resist

Orval62 · Oct 10, 2015

Being a big fan of Belgium beers, I have tried a few different Brewferm kits including Abdji and all have been consistently good brews. My current favourite is the Grand Cru, which is similar to Duval but a bit darker. The only downside is the waiting to drink them, but well worth it. My plans for the New year is to brew a couple of all grain Belgium beers.

stevej · Oct 10, 2015

Orval62 said:
Being a big fan of Belgium beers, I have tried a few different Brewferm kits including Abdji and all have been consistently good brews. My current favourite is the Grand Cru, which is similar to Duval but a bit darker. The only downside is the waiting to drink them, but well worth it. My plans for the New year is to brew a couple of all grain Belgium beers.

Ive always fancied the Grand Cru, for some reason i have never got around to it

Slid · Oct 10, 2015

kalvaer said:
So I originally hijacked the following thread http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=54936&page=3

PS: Could a Mod fix my silly typo of the subject

I don't believe the Mods can do this, mate. Once the thread is titled, that is pretty much that. An Administrator might be able to, but that's unlikely, given the triviality.

I would not bother about it. I knew what you meant, and so does everyone else. That sort of thing won't affect the responses you get here.

Leon103 · Oct 10, 2015

kalvaer said:
So you all got me thinking and I took a reading.
7.2 days from pitching, and its sitting at 1.010... maybe 1.011.
I've had a digital thermometer in the room (in the middle of my fermenter's) and know that the max and min temp have been between 22.7 and 20.9. My Hydrometers are calibrated at 20 Degree C.
After moving the bucket to get a reading, I am now getting bursts of bubbles every couple of minutes (around 2-3 min), so its possible it wasn't completely dead by Thursday, just a bit long in-between me noticing, with all the others this week.

I've ordered a couple of other kits to try next week (an Irish velvet stout, a Christmas ale, and a "Brewmaker Pilsner") and will see how that goes. I started this as something to do while waiting for my mead... and realised today I've run out of fermenter's for beer .. Never mind I seriously need to find more bottles ASAP.

And I also opened a bottle of batch 1 today.. Going to be hard to leave until Christmas

Go down your local and ask for some empties.

kalvaer · Oct 11, 2015

Leon103 said:
Go down your local and ask for some empties.

The "local" in the village I stay in (in France) only sells wine, pastis, and some artisanal on tap beer. I have asked everyone I work with to bring me all their empties though.

stevej · Oct 11, 2015

Slid said:
I don't believe the Mods can do this, mate. Once the thread is titled, that is pretty much that. An Administrator might be able to, but that's unlikely, given the triviality.

I would not bother about it. I knew what you meant, and so does everyone else. That sort of thing won't affect the responses you get here.

Ive renamed Threads in the past at the OPs request, cant remember how i did it, maybe mod tools, move thread, then this im sure allows you to rename the tilte, or it was copy thread then rename :thumb:

Sandimas · Oct 11, 2015

kalvaer said:
So you all got me thinking and I took a reading.
7.2 days from pitching, and its sitting at 1.010... maybe 1.011.

Same here, I also took a reading on day 7 and it was 1010. Decanted it to a secondary FV with no airlock and it's hardly pressurising the lid after 24hrs, so fermentation is pretty much done.

Amazed by that, as I don't normally drop a hydrometer in until day 14 or later. And given the high SG, I thought it would take longer not shorter. Reckon I'll be bottling tomorrow on day 9. :-D

Abdij beerfrerm kit advice

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