AG Brew #1 ! Pacific Gold

[tubby_shaw]

Cracking job :thumb:

 

[rickthebrew]

just over a day in the FV and all going well - smells great - and if a little cheeky taste is anything to go by this is gonna be a lovely pint!!

can`t wait for the next brewday - maybe a light session ale to be brewed on sunday!! - followed by a stout!!

 

[evanvine]

What an excellent pic of a rocky head!
Mine never gets that dramatic, perhaps because I only ferment at 19.8 - 20.5C

 

[rickthebrew]

cheers! :thumb:

my kitchen sits at around 20degrees c - not much variant, maybe slightly cooler in the day when we are all out!

it`s been a pretty quick ferment its down to 1010 already - i pitched the yeast sunday evening and don`t expect it to fall below 1010 - i`ll leave it till at least saturday though.

tastes great already!! :P

 

[evanvine]

Then it must be down to the yeasts I use.
I really must take more notice of the yeasts used in the forum!

 

[shaunsbrew]

did you rate the boiler i have the same one but not used yet going for it on sat, did you get a good rolling boil as i was thinking of linking out the stat :?

 

[rickthebrew]

SB - yeah the boiler was great - kept a good rolling boil - not overly vigorous but ok.
There is quite abit of dead space at the bottom as the tap is quite high - i just tipped out the rest and strained it :grin: and my brew is clearing nicely at the moment. I`m thinking of maybe fitting a tap on the bottom of the boiler so that it drains down better - i made a hop strainer by just drilling some holes in a piece of 15mm copper pipe and banging one end with a hammer ! the good end just sits nicely in the tap hole - could be made a bit more secure with a little workbut worked fine!

Goodluck with your first brew - i`m planning my second already :thumb:

 

[shaunsbrew]

me and my mate done our first brew last week but used his boiler which took ages, so hopefully im doing another one this sat and wont take so long checked boiler today took 50mins from cold water in, to boiling. this brewing is addictive stuff though iv been looking forward all week to start again not sure what im gonna do for the rest of next month :rofl:

 

[Wez]

It is addictive, I have my wings clipped at the moment, cant get to the brewery in the garage, as we're renovating the house I think i'll be able to do a brew early december my time is being spent lookng at you lots brewdays and wishing :pray:

 

[shaunsbrew]

brewing and this site have become very addictive, i learn more each day, why i never started doing this years ago ill never know :wha:

 

[rickthebrew]

i couldn`t agree more this site is great for help, advice and fun!! I`ve gone from never brewing before to kits and then onto my first AG in around five months!! :party:

i can`t wait to do my next brew - would be this weekend but as its the missus birthday you can`t push things to far!!!

SB - there`s loads of room in the boiler - i`m gonna go for a sixty pint brew next - i`ve already got two FV and loads of bottles!!

i`ve also brewed around tweny gallons of wine!!

Wez - sorry to hear your brewery is out of action at the moment - i`ll keep posting my brewdays as they happen - hopefully about every fortnight!!

As for my Pacific Gold it`s been at 1010 for two days (giving me a great 5% ale) its clearing up nicely and i will bottle on sunday or monday - it tastes great and i can`t wait to tuck into my first AG pint proper!!

:drink: :drink: :drink: :drink: :drink: :drink: :whistle:

 

[rickthebrew]

so just bottled up 37pints of my Pacific Gold - came down to 1010 from 1047 so around 5%

the colour is light and golden - can`t really see in the pic and they`ve all been primed with a half teaspoon of medium spraymalt - and given a good shake!! :party:

will try to leave two weeks at least before a quick taster!!

just to the right a bottle of black sheep ale (first try) - very nice too :drink:

Attachment deleted, please re-post using photobucket

 

[llannige]

Nice pic,makes it all worthwhile,seeing them lined up there. :thumb:

 

[Wez]

Nicely done :thumb:

Clear bottles so keep them out of sunlight but well done :clap: I hate bottling :evil:

 

[rickthebrew]

all tucked away in taped up boxes - will seriously look into getting a couple of cornys soon !!

It`s always a bit of a job bottling - find it easier in clear bottles as you can see what your doing!!!

Can`t wait to taste it :thumb:

 

[shaunsbrew]

is it better to prime with medium spray malt rather than sugar ?

 

[shaunsbrew]

is it better to prime with medium spray malt rather than sugar and do you just spoon straight in from bag ?

 

[llannige]

I always prime with it,but there is nothing wrong with using sugar.

Dissolve in some drained off wort,bring to the boil and allow to cool.
I use a bottling bucket and chuck it in there when I've got about 1/3 of the wort drained off. :thumb:

 

[rickthebrew]

I normally use spraymalt for priming - it is sticky stuff and it`s easiest to do as llannige says - then you can just fill your bottles and crown cap! I have also dissolved it in some wort and then using a plastic syringe added the priming soloution to each bottle - but it is far easier to have it all mixed up in your syphoned wort in a second FV !

Bottling is a pain - but when your supping away it was worth it!! :drink:

 

[shaunsbrew]

wort before it has been fermented or wort after when you are racking to second FV, so just before bottling, i.e drain off a litre add malt, boil then add to final FV with rest of beer then syphon into bottles, and how much malt for ? litres of beer