Good evening everyone. New to brewing (3 kits so far) and just about to start the Tiny Rebel Cwtch kit and in a bit of a quandary. After reading some of the posts about patience, or lack thereof, I don't know whether to follow the instructions to the letter or as some have suggested ignore it and go for two weeks left unattended but I notice you have to add the second batch of hop pellets after four days. Help! I don't know what to do. Any advice would be greatly appreciated but please it has to be in plain English as the terms and lingo at the moment are scooting straight over my head. Cheers
Cwtch
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huwb
Active Member
My understanding is mate you add the hops normally once the primary ferment has subsided so say a week or so into that two week fermentation you mentioned. Im sure sum1 far more experienced will be along to help.
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I would test the gravity after a week and don't add second hops until you get a consistent reading
If you put your dry hops in too early, you can get grassy flavours, which aren't beneficial.
As mentioned, wait until you reach your final gravity (a hydrometer will help), then add your dry hops for 4 days, then you can think about bottling or kegging.
Correct to follow the instructions, however, as you point out, most kit instructions are over optimistic with fermentation times. There really is no point in rushing your brew, especially a kit, unless you want to just produce cheap alcohol which doesn't taste as good as it could.
Can't help with a Christmas kit. I'm sure someone else can make a suggestion. Of course, feel free to experiment with a kit, but until you know exactly what you're doing and what you want to achieve, why not just do a few straight kits and see what you get?
As mentioned, wait until you reach your final gravity (a hydrometer will help), then add your dry hops for 4 days, then you can think about bottling or kegging.
Correct to follow the instructions, however, as you point out, most kit instructions are over optimistic with fermentation times. There really is no point in rushing your brew, especially a kit, unless you want to just produce cheap alcohol which doesn't taste as good as it could.
Can't help with a Christmas kit. I'm sure someone else can make a suggestion. Of course, feel free to experiment with a kit, but until you know exactly what you're doing and what you want to achieve, why not just do a few straight kits and see what you get?
Experienced my first bottling day from hell. Somehow the syphon kept interrupting then dropped to the bottom and stirred all the **** up. My bottle filler broke and the replacement didn't fit. Two litres got wasted at the end and then the bloody bottle capper went on the blink. The sample I tasted at the end was an interesting combination of citrus fruity pangs with an undercurrent of battery acid. Oh joy
Pope
Regular.
I followed the instructions to the letter and it came out fantastic.
get yourself a pressure barrel mate it saves all that bottling, or barrel some and bottle some if you like. You get better beer from a barrel as it conditions better.
Also The c02 made during fermentation kills the hops aroma so you should add them last of all.
I am as i write i am sterilizing a barrel to transfer Cwtch into it that has been fermenting for 4 weeks. i will add all the hops to the barrel and see what happens.
I dont understand why they say to add hops at the start. the c02 will kill the flavour
I've got a pressure barrel but not confident enough to use it yet. I'm just getting used to everything and not sure how to get it into the barrel from the bucket without all the **** getting into it, also when to add the gas etc etc.. But after this last balls up who knows.
DarkHorse
Active Member
Best kit I've ever brewed, the flavours really come through and are quite complex, it's full bodied, has a nice creamy head. Well chuffed, just a shame I lost half of it!
Pope
Regular.
My advice would be to drink it quick.
I finished mine on the 29th May and when I first tried it, the flavours were really strong.
I've still got a few left and it's still nice, but the flavours aren't as strong anymore.
DarkHorse
Active Member
Funny you should say that, I'm drinking one now and and it's just lost its edge.
Opened second bottle for 'taste test' purposes, after second week, tried it on my brother and my mate both really enjoyed it. Watching their eyes I couldn't tell if they were lying or not but my ego says give them the benefit of the doubt. Still no head to speak of but the wife does say it's quite fizzy. The Santas Winter Warmer is in its second week in the bucket, first time with an airlock has some patches on the top that I noticed after taking a sneaky peek, going to leave it a full two weeks before I use the hydrometer again (from start not today) hoping that it hasn't got an infection but it does smell wonderful. Feel free to hand out any hints if you see me ballsing it up.
