My first brew - progress update

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DrPips

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Hey, thanks for all your help so far. Thought I'd give a little update.

Managed to leave my fv alone for a full week. The hydrometer reading has gone from 1.042 to 1.014. There's still a little scum on top and it's cloudy. You can't see the hydrometer in the smoke jar if it's against the opposite side. The sample (couldn't resist trying) had a slightly sour taste, like you get at the end of the barrel. Is all this normal? If the hydrometer reading on Saturday is the same, I'll stick it in the keg. Am I right in thinking it's just 85g of sugar in the keg, then siphon the beer on top?

Thanks again,

Dom
 
I put 23 in. I didn't check when I did the hydrometer reading. Is that important?
 
DrPips said:
Hey, thanks for all your help so far. Thought I'd give a little update.

Managed to leave my fv alone for a full week. The hydrometer reading has gone from 1.042 to 1.014. There's still a little scum on top and it's cloudy. You can't see the hydrometer in the smoke jar if it's against the opposite side. The sample (couldn't resist trying) had a slightly sour taste, like you get at the end of the barrel. Is all this normal? If the hydrometer reading on Saturday is the same, I'll stick it in the keg. Am I right in thinking it's just 85g of sugar in the keg, then siphon the beer on top?

Thanks again,

Dom
Click to expand...

Little low but boil the sugar to sterilize it. Kegs aren't my thing but 23 liters I usually use 115 grams and up. Usually a minimum of 5 grams per liter. More for the IPAs and less for stouts.
Little worried about the smell you described. Keep an eye on it.
 
Try to give your brew two weeks in the FV before you move it over to your PB, or at least the same hydrometer reading on two consecutive days, at SG 1.014 it may have still got some way to go.
Beers sometimes tastes rank straight from the FV. I wouldn't worry if it tastes a little strange. So leave it a week or two in the PB before you sample. You will be surprised how much has changed. And depending on what beer it is, the flavour will change again over the following few weeks (if it lasts that long....)
For priming I use 85g of table sugar for pretty much everything I put in my PBs if it's a full 20-23 litre brew, and sometimes can get right down to the last pint or two before it runs out of puff. And I never boil the sugar, since it usually comes straight from the packet, and is measured out with a clean spoon or utensils.
 
So this is today. Same hydrometer reading as far as I can make out as Thursday, 1.014. Does all that gunk on top look normal?

image.jpg
 
Yep. Looks fine. I guess it's been at 1.014 for almost 3 days so, it's ready to be bottled. You don't have to rush. It can sit till you're ready to bottle. Don't try to squeeze in a bottling day when you only have a short time. Bottling has a lot of items and steps that need to be sanitized. Be patient and check each step. Step 1 is the most important... Kids and wife out of the way.
 
I would say that the bubbles on top are quite large so would leave for a few more days in this nice warm weather.
 

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