First attempt: Festival Pilgrims Hope

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moggi1964

moggi1964

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So we decided to have a go at this one as our first ever brew.

Followed the instructions that came with it and OG was 1.050.

It bubbled away merrily for almost 4 days then seemed to stop. I didn't open it to look but just left it till the end of day 5 when I added the hops and took a reading. That was today and I got 1.012.

I figure I'll leave it for 5 days more (so 6 days) on the hops and then transfer it to the second FV and add the sugar there.

It's been running at 20c (except the second night when the temp in the kitchen got low and it dropped to 16c so we put a blanket around it and a heating pad used for sore backs).

1.012 sounds pretty close to where it should be I think. We'll see what it comes out at when I test it before the day before the target transfer day.

Any advice welcomed. :thumb:
 
An FG of 1.012 doesn't seem unreasonable but the fermentation time does seem a bit quick. I've done that kit and seem to remember it taking the best part of two weeks before it was ready for the barrel.

Do you plan to bottle it or put it in a pressure barrel / keg?

If bottling and assuming the FG doesn't come down a bit more in the next few days then I would tend to add a bit less priming sugar than recommended to each bottle just in case it ramps up again on the secondary fermentation and you end up with exploding bottles.

Also unfortunate that you already added the dry hops, better to leave these until it has completely finished fermenting or at least is in the final stages. I remember this kit being a bit overly hoppy (for my taste anyway) when I made it and if I was doing it again I'd probably only dry hop for 2-3 days before racking off.

Don't worry though, I sure it will all turn out fine and be quite drinkable :)

If you want to get fully into this lark it's well worth considering making a brew fridge. Consistent temperature during fermentation just makes everything that little bit more reliable. If you are regularly getting significant temperature drops (i.e. overnight) then it can lead to stuck fermentations.
 
Thank you for the input.

I'll be bottling so will keep in mind your advice. I may lose a touch of the hoppiness if I've added a little early in the fermentation but so long as I tastes okay then it'll leave an opportunity for doing it differently next time.

It did seem very quick. I didn't use the stock yeast but the Wilco one so maybe that made a difference.

I have already been reading up a little on a brewfridge so thanks for pointing me in that direction.

I'll report back when it comes time for transfer to the second vessel and bottling begins. I take it EVERYONE has a little taste then before bottling just to be sure it is not yuk :)
 
Hi!
Wilko yeast is generally accepted to be Nottingham: it goes off like a rocket and seems to finish very quickly. However, even though vigorous fermentation seems to have ended, the yeast is still busy, munching away at anything it finds to make your beer better. I leave my FV for two weeks to allow the yeast to do the business, then cold condition for a week to encourage settling of sediment. Kits always underestimate the time required for decent fermentation.
If you are concerned about reduced hop flavour, try adding a hop tea just before you bottle. A cheap cafetière does the job splendidly.
 
pms67 said:
Ive always found the yeast supplied with the Festival kits to be excellent, haven't a clue what type it is though.
Click to expand...

I was going to mention that too, always found the Festival supplied yeast works well and a decent quantity of it too. No need to substitute unless it's out of date. The yeast may also be specific to the kit type in use although in this instance they've probably just substituted one English ale yeast with another.
 
I'll likely use the supplied yeast in my next festival brew. I heard good things about the Nottingham so figured it was worth a go.

So if I transfer to the second FV and stick it in the garage for a week that should help it clear I believe. Do I then have to warm it up to add the sugar or should I be adding the sugar as soon as it is transferred? I don't fancy priming all 40 bottles which is why I'm using the second FV.

Ta!
 
Don't add the priming sugar until you are ready to bottle.

If you're planning to batch prime, which it sounds like you are, then no need to warm up the secondary. Dissolve your priming sugar in some boiling water, just enough to dissolve it as any extra water will weaken the end result. Let this sugar syrup cool down then pour it into your bottling bucket, now syphon the contents of the secondary into this being careful to leave the sediment behind. This action should be sufficient to mix in the sugar solution. Now bottle.

Leave the bottles in a warm place for a couple of weeks to prime. The move somewhere cool for a few days and start drinking it :D

This is a useful guide:

http://www.lovetobrew.co.uk/batch-priming
 
Bottled and stored in the office. Will move to the garage in a couple of weeks.

Final SG was 1011 as per the expectations of the kit. Tasted some as I sucked through to start the siphoning and it was drinkable so should turn out fine after it spends some time in the bottle.

Thanks for all the advice. :thumb:
 
Now that the ale is bottled seemed a shame to have the bins sitting around so started a FPLP.

OG of 1049; used the included yeast this time. Will report back.
 

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