First brew - Woodfordes Wherry

[john_s]

A bit insignificant compared to some of the shiny brew porn some of you produce, but a guy has to start somewhere, right?

Think I got everything done that needed doing; it's now sat in the spare room in the FV.

It's started with a gravity about 1.040, so all I've got to do now is wait and see how the yeasties get on.

 

[Kermit The Grog]

good going that was my first ever brew it took a while to clear but was fantastic
keep up the good work
K T G

 

[ni9e]

A bit insignificant compared to some of the shiny brew porn some of you produce, but a guy has to start somewhere, right?

Insignificant my a*%e as a all grain brewer I have just made one of these kits and tucked it up for its fermentation from what I have tasted they make a very nice pint just as good if not better than pub beer :party:

And because you made it yourself it will be the best beer you've tasted :thumb:

 

[corby_brewer]

I agree with ni9e :thumb: im just about to pull my last pint of Werry from the cornie. And ill definatly be getting another kit on the go.

 

[rickthebrew]

wherry gets the thumbs up from me to :thumb:

i must of brewed six or seven woodfordes kits - just give them time to condition and you will enjoy a great pint - keep us posted on your brew

 

[darrenwest1]

again i agree mine took a lot longer to clear than the box said but WOW ive nearly finished it just be patient

 

[evanvine]

Mine's been sat there a fortnight now and getting better every day!

 

[Vossy1]

Well done on your first brew john_s :clap:

 

[john_s]

Small update:

The fermenting froth (excuse the technical term :mrgreen: ) had dropped when I looked last night, so I had a careful peek at the hydrometer and it looked like it had already got down to about 1.015.

The yeasties must have been very busy; Sunday lunchtime it was starting to look like it was just getting going.

 

[Wez]

That sounds like it's on the right track :thumb:

 

[john_s]

1.012 today and it smells lovely. :)

 

[fivetide]

That's brilliant John!

It might not go a huge amount lower than 1.012 but a lot of people, me included, have had these kits stick at 1.014, so it's done really well. Monitor it until all bubbles have slowed and you get the same reading 24hrs aprt, then prime a keg and rack it up!

I recommend a week in the same room that you fermented to get the carbonation going (vaseline those seals!) then four weeks (sorry!) in a cooler place.

The longer a Wherry kit conditions for the better, and the last pint is always the best.

One day, try dry hopping these kits with a muslin of aroma hops as that works really nicely too.

I have a few shiny bits here and there as an AG brewer, but my first modern kit was a Wherry and damn fine it was too. It felt no less exciting or rewarding than AG brewing.

* Here's a GREAT tip! Buy another kit and another fermenter bucket right now. Get another brew on soon and you'll be less likely to fiddle with the first one and before you know it it'll be ready and you'll be drinking that and be too busy to fiddle with the second one. Repeat until all spare storage space is full of ridiculous brewing kit and your OH worries about you...

 

[john_s]

The keg's ready, with seals vaselined; just a quick sterilising and it's ready for priming and loading beer. I'll keep an eye on it over the weekend and prime and keg it when it looks like it's stopped. I might bottle a few as well to use for QC purposes, so I don't have to set to the keg.

I'm already thinking about what's next; I might do another Wherry, but I'm also getting tempted to have a go at some AG brewing.

I've acquired a Burco type boiler and aim to pick up a cheap coolbox for a mash tun and I'll probably buy some pipe to make a chiller. It's not a huge boiler (4 gal I think), but I've been thinking I could do a selection of smaller brews so that I can try a selection of different beers and see what I like.

 

[fivetide]

That's exactly the route I took. You'll have loads of fun.

If you get another kit along the same lines as the Wherry, then Woodfordes Great Eastern is a good golden ale, and Munton's Smugglers is a nice darker one. In other brands, Fixby Gold is good, and that whole Brupaks series let's you fiddle a bit more with hop and grain teabags which can be interesting.

Aaaaanyway, all the best with it.

 

[Moley]

I'm also getting tempted to have a go at some AG brewing.

I've acquired a Burco type boiler and aim to pick up a cheap coolbox for a mash tun and I'll probably buy some pipe to make a chiller. It's not a huge boiler (4 gal I think), but I've been thinking I could do a selection of smaller brews so that I can try a selection of different beers and see what I like.

Nice idea, and good luck. :thumb:

I bottled a Wherry last weekend, tested a bottle last night and it was ok but I will try to leave the rest alone now for a month.

For my next brew I'm thinking of doing a large mash, maybe 6kg of pale, a bit of crystal and a smidgin of choc or dark, then splitting the wort between 3 or 4 small boils, all with different hops.

 

[damfoose]

Congrats on the wherry it should turn out to be a good pint did one myself as one of my last kits before the change to AG.

Have plenty of great brew days mate.

 

[evanvine]

Great idea Moley! :idea:
What a good way to taste different hops. :thumb:

 

[john_s]

For my next brew I'm thinking of doing a large mash, maybe 6kg of pale, a bit of crystal and a smidgin of choc or dark, then splitting the wort between 3 or 4 small boils, all with different hops.

Nice idea... something else to think about.

 

[john_s]

Today's update... down to 1.010ish.

 

[john_s]

Seems to have stopped at 1.010. Will keg it later in the week and bottle a few if I remember to pick some bottles up.