Newbie Wherry advice needed

[PD]

Never rely on the markings on any shop bought fermenter or bucket. Always re calibrate them as you buy them, preferably using the same liter jug that you have confidence in is 1 liter.!

use a marker pen put on a straight line the length of your vessel and mark it off in whatever quantities you think necessary.

 

[rpt]

Even better, calibrate it in litres.

 

[morethanworts]

I've started to simply use my hydrometer when topping up (correcting for temperature difference from the hydrometer's 15C basis, with my glass thermometer handy). This way, as long as I've dissolved the kit and stirred well, I know I'm brewing as close to the intended OG of the kit as possible. Any slight variation between individual batches in the manufacturing is even taken care of this way, small though that may be. Far better than topping up with an arbitrary amount of water, in my opinion - Just seems like shooting blind-folded to me.

I have just bought my second Wherry kit, plus another sachet of Gervin ale yeast (to deal with the 'under-pitch' of the 6g supplied in the kit) as before. Although still conditioning, my first one is really joyous and tasted good from the moment it was down to 1.012. I dry-hopped it with 20g Goldings pellets for a few days in a secondary FV which has added a lovely aroma, but it was looking very good even before that. I suspect this will be well up there with my best extract brews in a few weeks time.

That said, I still agree with what was said above: I don't think an extra litre would have totally spoiled your brew.

 

[BicesterTerrier]

I tried a bottle on Sunday, that's around 12 days in the bottle. Wasn't particularly sparkling nor was it exactly clear. But i was impatient. Biggest point to me ws that it had quite a sharp bitterness to it, hoppy I suppose (it was a bit grassy) but quite strong, very similar to the aftertaste when I did the St Peters Golden Ale, is this something that will mellow with time, is the fact it was repsent in both something to do with my setup. I didn't treat the water before frewing with it, could this be chlorine or other water treatment artifacts.

Out of interest, can I treat the FV with campden once the extract is in or does it need the water treating separately before adding the extract?

 

[PremierCru]

This kit does have rather a strong hop taste. Mine has mellowed nicely after 6 weeks in the bottle; before then it was a little raw. How's yours drinking now?

I'm no expert but I think you'd need to add Campden to your water before mixing the contents of your kit and certainly before fermentation starts.

 

[BicesterTerrier]

This kit does have rather a strong hop taste. Mine has mellowed nicely after 6 weeks in the bottle; before then it was a little raw. How's yours drinking now?

I'm no expert but I think you'd need to add Campden to your water before mixing the contents of your kit and certainly before fermentation starts.

Wish I had saved mine, drank some of it far too young and then decided to dispose of the rest. Sadly, that was before I found this place.