Brewferm kit from sunny Manchester

[Mike_C]

Hi all,
This is my first post from a newbie.

Brewferm Tarwebier Kit
I've only brewed 3 kits so far, John Bull, Victoria Bitter and Young's amber ale. I'm learning and keen to try to enhance kits where I can. But keen not to run before I can walk so to speak. But thoroughly enjoying reaping the rewards of home brew.

This is my first experience of a Brewferm kit. It was actually 6 months out of date but because it was not blown or dented I reckoned it would be fine.
Having researched (a lot). I decided to brew with fresh Munich wheat yeast and for sugar I used three quarters golden syrup and one quarter of soft brown sugar. I realise when adding golden syrup you need to add 20% more of it by weight to counteract the water present in it.

So my first mistake was my yeast starter, I just straight mixed my yeast in tepid water and left in a warm basin for 15 mins. I realised I should've sprinkled the yeast on top of the warm water and left it and mix after. I pitched it anyway as it was the only yeast I had. I ordered more just in case.

OG was 1.045, seemed ok and started to see some activity within 24 hrs.... Promising. Didn't see much of a krausen, compared with other brews I've made.
My new yeast came and activity seemed very slow after 3 days, so I sprinkled the new yeast on top. Halfway through the week I gave the fb a swirl to see if any sugar or yeast had dropped.

After 1 week it looks like most of the yeast has eaten the sugar.
Just taken a FG reading and is 0.006 so looking likely to be just over 5%

Clarification
So next the Brewferm kit instructions suggest 2 weeks clarification in a clean airlocked bucket.
Well I haven't got a spare bucket. Some threads here suggested that people skipped this part and left in the primary for 2 weeks. The Brewferm kit instructions are very generic for all their beers with a table for amount of sugar required etc.
I will take a few more readings but the fg looks ok and having tasted it at this stage and tasted good, if not a bit sweet, but wheat beer can be sweet or it might be the golden syrup. I reckon it is going to be ok.
So any experts out there want advise whether it's worth this clarification stage? I propose to leave another week check the FG and assuming it stays around 1.006 should it be ok to bottle?

Thanks a lot to all you brewers.

Mike

 

[dad_of_jon]

well my abdij was transferred to clarify but my kriek was not. as these need a few months to reach their best they can 'clarify' in the bottle, you'll get more sediment if you do this but no big deal IMO.

 

[Mike_C]

well my abdij was transferred to clarify but my kriek was not. as these need a few months to reach their best they can 'clarify' in the bottle, you'll get more sediment if you do this but no big deal IMO.

Thanks for your reply Jon. Think I might not clarify in a secondary. I can be very patient and pour carefully. Although wheat beer can be a little cloudy anyway so hopefully it should ok.
Cheers

 

[Mike_C]

I'll let you know how it worked out.

 

[Mike_C]

I'll let you know how it worked out.

Ok. I have to say this is one of the best brews I've made.
So as you know I pitched with Munich wheat yeast and for sugar I used three quarters golden syrup and one quarter of soft brown sugar. I realise when adding golden syrup.
Well it is really very good. I didn't put in a secondary. I bottled with grolsh type bottles.
I've left this 4 months and is getting better ...... Of course patience is the key. It's pleasantly fruity and compared it to other wheat beers and tastes better than commercial.
Would highly recommend and always worth tweaking kits for experimenting.

 

[Mike_C]

Here's a picture

 

[Farley]

Ok. I have to say this is one of the best brews I've made.
So as you know I pitched with Munich wheat yeast and for sugar I used three quarters golden syrup and one quarter of soft brown sugar. I realise when adding golden syrup.
Well it is really very good. I didn't put in a secondary. I bottled with grolsh type bottles.
I've left this 4 months and is getting better ...... Of course patience is the key. It's pleasantly fruity and compared it to other wheat beers and tastes better than commercial.
Would highly recommend and always worth tweaking kits for experimenting.

Done most of the wheat beer kits out there & this was the best,
Used 500g wheat spraymalt + 250g brew sugar, bottled after 11 days in fermenter. It's just a pity it's a bit expensive for a 15l kit but you get what you pay for. Don't forget wheat beers you swirl round the last bit in the bottle to get all the yeast in, makes a world of difference