First ever Brew :-)

[mattyhall22]

After reading up in here for a few weeks I have finally got round to purchasing some equipment and getting my first brew on.

For ease of use I went for a Coopers starter kit with a lager kit. Got everything set up and sitting nicely under the stairs.

Will update in a few days hopefully when there is some fermenting activity.

:-)

 

[Geoff_M]

Hi there fellow novice, I've been looking at the cooper stater kit myself, keep us posted on how it's going, and if it is successful, I've just bought a wine kit, and if you can recommend the cooper beer kit I'll will get one as well. All the best! :

 

[liamtmt7]

Farily new to all of this myself. Currently have 2 kit brews on the go, should be bottling my first one next weekend.

Will keep a keen eye on your progress!

 

[mattyhall22]

Quick update, it appears to be fermenting slowly but steadily under my stairs, the temp seems to be farily steady between 18 and 20c. I am however really impatient and want it to hurry up :lol:

Next update will be in a week hopefully :P

 

[GAZ9053]

I got the coopers kit, I like the FV, clear enough to see through so you can watch ya beer brewing

 

[liamtmt7]

I got the coopers kit, I like the FV, clear enough to see through so you can watch ya beer brewing

Thinks that a big plus. The beginner kit I purchased contained 2 FVs but they are bulky and solid white plastic. Much prefer the third FV with a tap I got from home brew online

 

[GAZ9053]

I got a second one from here
http://www.innhousebrewery.co.uk/p467569/coopers-beerwine-fermenter.html

 

[jeg3]

I'm fairly new to brewing myself.

First brew was a Slater's Top Totty which turned out excellent (I put that in a keg). Currently got Wilkos Stout bottle conditioning, Brewferm Tarwebier in secondary clearing and just started a Bathams Best Bitter extract clone.

I have three FVs and use a syphon, taps are convenient but I prefer a syphon.

The composition of beers is actually quite scientific and the Tarwebier and Stout were modified recipes which have turned out extremely well.

Good luck. Let us know how you get on.

 

[mattyhall22]

I've been testing my gravity it started at 1040 at is appears stable at 1014, which according to the my iphone app works out at about 3.48% ABV, I was hoping to have something a little stronger, so will probably brew to 20 Litres instead of 23 Litres from now on.

It looks good and smells good, just need to get it bottles and rested for a couple of weeks :P

Gaz thank you for that link I used them to buy some extra coopers bottles and my next Stout kit, they were very very reasonable on price and quick with delivery. :

 

[mattyhall22]

Well that is my first ever brew all bottled up, the Cooper's Kit bottle filler works like a dream, must be a lot easier than siphoning it out.

The bottles will sit for a week under my stairs and then out into the cold garage until Christmas, hopefully they will be OK :thumb:

My FV is being sanitized as I type and I am warming the next kit up, a Coopers Stout, I'm warming some treacle up to put in it as well. I can't wait :drink:

 

[Mark H]

Well done on your first brew, i started off with a Coopers lager kit too, in fact i tried 4-5 of their kits before moving on, not a bad beer at all.

Hope it turns out well for you, you may just about get it conditioned enough for Christmas, just.

:

 

[mattyhall22]

Just checked in on the stout and it is fermenting like a dream. Sorry about the quality of the photo its using my phone looking through the FV lid

Looks like it is quite happy at the moment :-)

 

[MyQul]

I've been testing my gravity it started at 1040 at is appears stable at 1014, which according to the my iphone app works out at about 3.48% ABV, I was hoping to have something a little stronger, so will probably brew to 20 Litres instead of 23 Litres from now on.

I've moved on to AG now but have done a fair few kits before AG. I've always hit my FG (if not bettered it) and never had a stuck brew. I've come to believe this is because I read about aerating early on in my brewing career. I have always aerated my wort well with one of those mechanical balloon whisks. Kits NEVER mention aerating in the instructions. Yeast is a living organism and as such needs oxygen. If it's not getting enough oxygen it's not going to be able to convert the sugars in the wort to alcohol

 

[mattyhall22]

I've been testing my gravity it started at 1040 at is appears stable at 1014, which according to the my iphone app works out at about 3.48% ABV, I was hoping to have something a little stronger, so will probably brew to 20 Litres instead of 23 Litres from now on.

I've moved on to AG now but have done a fair few kits before AG. I've always hit my FG (if not bettered it) and never had a stuck brew. I've come to believe this is because I read about aerating early on in my brewing career. I have always aerated my wort well with one of those mechanical balloon whisks. Kits NEVER mention aerating in the instructions. Yeast is a living organism and as such needs oxygen. If it's not getting enough oxygen it's not going to be able to convert the sugars in the wort to alcohol

Thank you, I will give using a whisk a go to aerate the wort prior to pitching the yeast and see how I get on with that, as you say the kits don't really say anything about it.

:)

 

[mattyhall22]

Well I have finally sampled my first brew, the coopers lager and I am really happy. Left it conditioning in the bottle in warm for 10 days and then in cold for 3 days, but I couldn't wait any longer lol.

Got a great pfftttssshhh when I opened the bottle, poured well got good bubble propagation and a head, tastes like good lager! Better than carling :)

Cant wait for it to carry on conditioning and to get my stout bottled up and sorted. :)

 

[mattyhall22]

The stout is all bottled up and is now conditioning under the stairs, I may have to become the Harry Potter brewery as all the fermenting happens in the cupboard under the stairs lol :lol:

 

[mattyhall22]

Couldnt resist testing a bottle of the stout, its been in the warm since 21st then threw it in the fridge for just under an hour last night. Cracked it open and it is carbonated just right. Good head on it and it lasts and laces the glass. Tastes nice but I think it will be amazing in about 8 weeks :)

Im a happy lad :)

 

[Mikey_G]

I started out with coopers and have done an Irish stout, woodfords wherry, and now a wheat. It is a fantastic start kit, I have gotten a lot of great reviews, especially since I tweaked the recipes a bit. My stout looked very similar to what you have posted there.

:

 

[Brewerboy]

Another newbie here.

I put a simply bitter on as my first brew which is now being drunk. (which went down a storm with all that tried it) I wasn't very quick to get my second brew on so now we are running out of beer.

I put on a cooper cerveza on friday which i cant wait to bottle and drink. And today i put a wherry on to ferment.
Its always the waiting thats the hard bit.

Yesterday i did quite a big shop in wilkos in the sale. I bought
2 x beer enhancer
1 x fermenter
1 x green man 2 can kit
1 x wherry
1 x wilko stout
150 x bottle caps

For the total sum of £59.60

Pretty pleased with myself! :

 

[liamtmt7]

Looking good mate!

I also have a stout conditioning at the moment, might have over primmed though as my cheeky taste on NY day was a little bubbly!!

: