Complete first timer would like to avoid disaster...!

[davebridge32]

Ive just purchased a Brew Buddy bitter starter kit… I know, I know its not the rolls royce of the brewing world but I havent tried brewing before so thought I would try out something cheap and cheerful for now and see how I get on. I can always get something with a flux capacitor later on if I get the hang of it.

Anyway, Im planning to brew the kit this weekend and was just wondering if there is anything I can do to make the results as good as possible with limited resources? Ive heard about replacing the sugar with an enhancer and talk of adding extra ingredients to give better results. What would you recommend? Nothing too clever at this stage, I would just like to make something people might enjoy drinking over the festive period.

Any help welcome!

 

[Sean_Mc]

Hi and welcome to the forum Dave :

Think the best advice I could give Dave on your first kit is to aerate the brew.

Once the kit syrup and water is added stir till your arm hurts, then keep going for another 10min :thumb:

 

[mark_liken]

Hi Dave,
i agree with sean just take your time and follow the instructions that came with ur kit. Make sure every thing is clean and sterile and hopefuly in a while u will be enjoying the benifits of brewing your own beer.


Good luck :thumb:

 

[Sean_Mc]

Oh and leave it alone at the right temp for 10 days, don't be tempted to keep lifting the lid for a nosey

 

[Grumpy Jack]

Sound advice there :grin:

The first brew I did was a brewbuddy bitter and it was perfectly ok, gave me a good baseline understanding to work from and to be honest, it was quite enjoyable and I was pretty chuffed.

Start off as simple as possible and then go from there... there's loads of advice to be had here and plenty of kits to choose from once you know the basics and what you like. :thumb:
It's the basics that'l make it work best though, make sure everything is sterilised properly and as already said, a good amount of aeration and stirring to get it going. Oh, and in this weather, make sure you've got a good consistent temperature to let the yeast start to work and then keep working...

Good luck and let us know how you go. Oh and welcome! :mrgreen:

 

[broadfordbrewer]

Welcome to the forum :thumb:
Hope you enjoy your first brew day... do as the others suggest... all I'd add is; get organised before you start and this will allow you to enjoy it! :thumb:

 

[craigite]

Hi and welcome.
For a first brew I'd follow the instructions as the rest have said, except as previously stated leave for 10 days.

Anyway, good luck. :thumb:

 

[abeyptfc]

if you are putting it into a fermenting bucket with a tap, make sure the tap is closed otherwise it could get messy.

 

[davebridge32]

Thanks for the advice everyone - I think I will follow it and keep it nice and simple. Im going to have a crack at it tonight - anythings better than watching the X Factor...!!

Will let you know how I get on.... Cheers!

 

[Mark1964]

good luck with it hope your not brewing outdoors

 

[Wendy1971]

hi dave and welcome to the hbf happy brewin

 

[the shadow]

welcome mate . think you will fined with the youngs kit you will get a prity good pint. just do wot it says on the tin . ive added dark spray malt the the youngs bitter kit and it turns out like brown ale :)

 

[davebridge32]

Ok, beer is now tucked away in the warm. Ive been looking at buying a 5 gallon pressure barrel to transfer the brew into. As well as the barrel, what else do I need... CO2, CO2 injector? If anyone could list what I need to go with the barrel that would be a huge help! Thanks again. Dave.

 

[the shadow]

if you prime the barrel with 3oz of sugar that shoud give you enuf persser to get harf way down the barre.l il go for a s30 vlave nad go to you locall home brew shop for a bottle of gas


i thake it you have a youngs presser barrle if so this cap is a prity good deal as it saved drilling holes

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Home-Brew-2-Barre ... 27b1d9a273

 

[the shadow]

oo i forget you will need a nick pint glass to enjoy your fist brew :

 

[davebridge32]

Sorry to sound thick but.....

If I get the Youngs pressure barrel, Im guessing its not just a case of screwing the cap back on and leaving it? It would be hugely helpful if you could list what I need to buy. Sounds like I need some kind of valve on the cap? What else? If you could be specific and list things it would be great. Im a first timer, please be patient!! Thanks....

 

[Grumpy Jack]

If you're looking at a pressure barrel rather than a corny keg, it comes with a screw top, you need a screw top with a valve.
There's generally two sorts, both use a gas injection system, one uses small co2 cartridges that are a one-shot and then dispose, which you buy in five or ten normally, they use a little red plastic holder to help and you screw them onto the cap, the cap pierces the cartridge and your gas gets fired into the keg (this is a pin valve system).
The other uses a larger bottle, like an old sodastream type cartridge, you screw it directly onto the valve, then let a little in, and then unscrew... (this is an s30 system).
Either is a simple way of keeping your beer for longer and keeping the fizz. Any 1/2 decent HBS should be able to talk you through things, but here's a link to the page of my local store to give you an idea.

http://www.colchesterhomebrew.co.uk/col ... stems.html

Hopefully this will help... :thumb:

 

[davebridge32]

Ok, thanks - I think Ive got it now. One last question (promise!)

The beer will hopefully be drinkable between Christmas and New Year. With that in mind and as I see it being drunk in a day or two (not just by me, we are expecting a group of friends!), could I get away with just transferring the bitter from the bucket into the pressure barrel, screwing in the cap and letting the added sugar build the pressure?

In other words can I skip the CO2 on a batch that’s being drunk quickly? Do I need to worry about pressure building in the barrel whilst it is conditioning - can I monitor this and what should I look out for… .wouldnt want my brew exploding all over our spare bedroom…!!

If the pressure drops once its being poured and enjoyed, can I simply take off the cap and let gravity do the rest (if the remainder is drank in one 'session'?)

Thanks again!

 

[Grumpy Jack]

One last question (promise!)

:whistle:

could I get away with just transferring the bitter from the bucket into the pressure barrel, screwing in the cap and letting the added sugar build the pressure?

Yes

In other words can I skip the CO2 on a batch that’s being drunk quickly?

Yes, but you may have trouble pouring it...

Do I need to worry about pressure building in the barrel whilst it is conditioning - can I monitor this and what should I look out for… .wouldnt want my brew exploding all over our spare bedroom…!!

Well quite, that'd be a terrible waste of beer. I very much doubt that it'd blow, unless you have a major barrel failure... I did have one that developed a balloon bulge in the bottom and was replaced by my local HBS, but I think that was an exceptional event... and even though I had to rebarrel, we managed to salvage it.

If the pressure drops once its being poured and enjoyed, can I simply take off the cap and let gravity do the rest (if the remainder is drank in one 'session'?)

Yes, in theory that'd be fine, but you'd best get pouring, because once the pressure's gone it'll be like last nights dregs even if you screw the top back on - the pressure needs maintaining ideally.

 

[davebridge32]

Wasnt exactly 'one' question was it...?

Thanks for the invaluable advice... huge thanks!! :