Hello all,
first post here! Sorry if these questions have been answered elsewhere. I've had a look through the FAQ and couldn't find answers.
I have a Better Brew IPA bubbling away in its FV at the minute and I'm trying to work out what the next part of the process looks like for me.
I am thinking that I would rather bottle the beer than barrel it, as my understanding is that barrelling means that it is more likely to spoil the lot if it gurgles (as happened with a previous brew).
A friend with a little more experience seems to think that after fermenting in the FV, the beer must be transferred to the barrel to ferment again (?) and then get bottled. Reading around the internet, I'm under the impression that we should just go straight from the FV to bottles. Am I right?
Also: the beer is being kept at a fairly steady 22 or so degrees. Once bottled (or barrelled), I understand that it's better being left somewhere cooler for clearing. Is cooler the same thing as cold? I have an outside area that doesn't see any sunlight that would probably be cooler than anywhere else in my home and where the temperature will probably get down to single figures overnight. Is this desirable?
Also also: dry hopping: I like a good, hoppy beer (think: St Austell's Proper Job) so I'm contemplating dry-hopping. Should I wait until fermentation has ceased before I do this (therefore leaving the beer in the FV for an extra few days whilst the hops are in there)?
Thanks!
first post here! Sorry if these questions have been answered elsewhere. I've had a look through the FAQ and couldn't find answers.
I have a Better Brew IPA bubbling away in its FV at the minute and I'm trying to work out what the next part of the process looks like for me.
I am thinking that I would rather bottle the beer than barrel it, as my understanding is that barrelling means that it is more likely to spoil the lot if it gurgles (as happened with a previous brew).
A friend with a little more experience seems to think that after fermenting in the FV, the beer must be transferred to the barrel to ferment again (?) and then get bottled. Reading around the internet, I'm under the impression that we should just go straight from the FV to bottles. Am I right?
Also: the beer is being kept at a fairly steady 22 or so degrees. Once bottled (or barrelled), I understand that it's better being left somewhere cooler for clearing. Is cooler the same thing as cold? I have an outside area that doesn't see any sunlight that would probably be cooler than anywhere else in my home and where the temperature will probably get down to single figures overnight. Is this desirable?
Also also: dry hopping: I like a good, hoppy beer (think: St Austell's Proper Job) so I'm contemplating dry-hopping. Should I wait until fermentation has ceased before I do this (therefore leaving the beer in the FV for an extra few days whilst the hops are in there)?
Thanks!