Sugar? Lid on or off?

[Dickie]

Quick one.

I have a John Bull Traditional and Woodfordes Wherry about to go on. The Wherry says I need no sugar other than a prime on bottling is this right? If I need sugar what should I add?

What are people's thoughts on lids? On or off?

Thanks

 

[Theakston Tickler]

I made up Wherry recently and exactly followed the instructions, no sugar used other than to prime the pressure barrel and bottles. I used brewing sugar for the priming. It was very nice but will be sampling some more this evening just to be certain. :

 

[LeithR]

Not absolutely sure what the reference is to "lids on or off" if you are brewing kits in a bucket then you need the lid on. The way yeast produces CO2 is to create a blanket of CO2 above the beer and below any air in the bucket so having the lid on is important.

The other reference to "lid on or off" is in the boiling stage of All Grain brewing where there is some debate as to whether you need to have the lid on or off during boiling because of the production of DMS (Dimethyl Sulfides) this produces an off flavour in the wart of cooked vegetables.

I've tried it both ways and not found any great problems possibly because the lid was partially on rather than fully seated.

 

[jonnymorris]

1. Your Wherry doesn't need extra sugar.

2. People have been making beer in open fermeters for centuries. I put a lid on to keep fruit flies out but it's far from essential. In short, lid on but don't worry too much about it.

 

[Dickie]

Thanks guys for settling those points.

Yeah it was brewing bucket lid when brewing a mix I was referring to.

Can't wait to get it on now.

Just sampling a neighbours pale ale

 

[Dickie]

Ok, so brews on however like a plant pot....I have dropped half the yeast for the john bull on the garage floor...


What should I do?
Help is much appreciated

 

[jonnymorris]

Use the yeast from the Wherry and buy some more yeast for when you make up that kit.

Best practice is to rehydrate dried yeast in 100ml of cooled boiled water at about 30degC.

 

[Dickie]

Thank you, however I have both on the go at once :-(

 

[winelight]

I keep a pot of generic brewing yeast on hand just in case. But I don't really need it now because I buy other yeasts from time to time in sachets so I have spare kit yeast sachets.

I've never rehydrated yeast, I just pitch it dry. It always works. Not sure what difference rehydrating first would make.

 

[Fil]

you can split the yeast pack, i know some will be sucking in a sharp intake of breath still over that, as to get the very best from yeast the quicker the optimum colony size is reached the better for the brew, so in splitting you will be slowing the process down a bit in both brews. but without yeast the wort is very vulnerable to wild yeasts and other airbourn nasties. as the yeast eats and the beer ferments a protective blanket of co2 is created isolating the beer from the air and airborne nasties ..