First homebrew imminent

[Baldilocks]

Hi guys.
So I am planning on getting some beer on the go for the first time ever. My darling other half bought me a fermentation barrel starter kit last xmas and I have only just found the time to get busy with it !

I think I have all the gear I need but any guidance for a first timer would be gratefully received.

I have this kit , a shed to brew in, indoor space under the stairs, a couple of crates of empty swing top grolsch bottles. What else apart from a beer kit do i need ?

Any suggestions on easy beer kits with good results would be handy too.

Thanks :grin:

 

[Lesinge]

Hi there, a couple of things that have made my brewing so much easier:

1. StarSan no rinse sanitiser is brilliant - rather than having to rinse everything 3 times. However, if you have the sanitiser with the kit at the moment use this and if you like the results of your efforts then invest in starsan (or another similar) for easier beer days.

2. A bottle trees and a bottle rinser makes bottling easy - again an investment if you think you will do more - I started last year and am now on my 41st brew!

3. Most important ant - a "little bottler" connector for managing the beer into your bottles is a must have. If you are putting in a keg then this doesn't matter.

I would also make this plea. Leave the beer for at least a month after brewing before making any judgment on it. My first few beers were pretty horrible from my first batch but by the end of the month I had great beer (for a first timer) and was totally hooked on brewing.

 

[Hoppy_Jay]

Hi Baldilocks I have the same Kit and I am looking to start my very first brew either this weekend or during next week, I have got a premium larger bag from the Range too,

I have added equipment wise..... Stack load of bottles, A Hydrometer and trial jar, crown caps and hand held capper oh and also steriliser (VWP was my choice)

One thing I am wondering though is if a airlock is needed? if so I will need to drill a hole


good luck buddy.

 

[Baldilocks]

Thanks Lesinge, all good advice there.

I don't know about a bottle tree or rinser just yet, I'll see how this first attempt goes first. I am planning on washing/sterilising all my bottles in the dishwasher on a hot setting with no detergent, does this sound good enough ?

What does the "little bottler" do ? it looks like it fits into the fermentation barrel and acts as a tap to fill bottles from the bottom up, is that right ?

 

[Rivvo]

Hi, I would suggest that a dishwasher is fine for cleaning them but you should really go with some form of steriliser to ensure there are no infections.
I disagree with the above, a hydrometer is the most important bit of kit you need, you should ignore the kit intsructions as they are designed to appeal to the 'quick and easy' section of a man's mind :smile:
Do the kit as intsructed (maybe rehydrating the yeast in some blood temperature boiled water (about 100ml is usually right) and then after a week or so use the hydrometer to check the gravity despite the instructions it is a variable process depending on temperature, live cells in the yeast etc, once you have two readings on consecutive days the same then it has finished the initial fermentation.
Personally I then rack it off to a second ferementer and put it in the garage on a concrete floor to cool a bit which helps the beer clear.
A second FV may be helpful to batch prime as well, but just post up any questions you have when that time comes.
Good luck.

 

[Baldilocks]

Thanks guys. I will be heading out to get steriliser (nothing fancy as yet), a hydrometer, a trial jar, some sugar, and beer kit tomorrow. Really excited about my first go.
I will be taking advice from a few threads i have found on this forum, mostly this one ...http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=28542


I tried out some homemade cider in 2011 with very mixed, but mostly poor results. Hopefully this will go a bit better. I actually found a couple of gallons of the cider at the back of the shed a few weeks ago still in fermentation vessels... can these be rescued ?

 

[Lesinge]

Thanks Lesinge, all good advice there.

I don't know about a bottle tree or rinser just yet, I'll see how this first attempt goes first. I am planning on washing/sterilising all my bottles in the dishwasher on a hot setting with no detergent, does this sound good enough ?

What does the "little bottler" do ? it looks like it fits into the fermentation barrel and acts as a tap to fill bottles from the bottom up, is that right ?

So from the post below, yes a hydrometer is one of the most important things to have but I assumed you had one...so that before the little bottler. As you say it allows you to fill bottles from the bottom up. This stops all the bubbling up and spillage and waiting that I got when trying to bottle from either a siphon tube or a jug (my first time!). Now I can sit and carrying on watching my way through the entire series of Game of Thrones whilst bottling my beer. Excellent time saver!

Oh and all the other stuff about the second FV and the cold floor, yes that all works too. I would just start first and see how it goes, get used to the process and build from there, it is far less complicated that it seems at first, although you can get more and more complicated as you go on. I am brewing tonight, a Wherry, and it is such a normal process for me that it is just like doing the washing up...a part of my normal existence. The difference is that in about 10 weeks time I will have a great tasting end product :thumb:

 

[Lesinge]

Hi, you should ignore the kit intsructions as they are designed to appeal to the 'quick and easy' section of a man's mind :smile:
.

Yes, totally agree! The idea behind this I think is to not put people off doing a kit so that they can say "beer ready in three weeks" or whatever. I personally leave the beer for two weeks (at least) in the 1st FV, then rack for a week, in house for a week and then to the garage. I am not usually in a rush and most times my beer is very clear before it gets bottled.

 

[Lesinge]

Hi Baldilocks I have the same Kit and I am looking to start my very first brew either this weekend or during next week, I have got a premium larger bag from the Range too,

I have added equipment wise..... Stack load of bottles, A Hydrometer and trial jar, crown caps and hand held capper oh and also steriliser (VWP was my choice)

One thing I am wondering though is if a airlock is needed? if so I will need to drill a hole


good luck buddy.

I am probably going against the orthodox but whilst I do have an airlock on one FV, I have four others that don't, and although I get domes on my FV lids most of the time, nothing bad has happened to the beer or the bucket. I just leave the beer longer to ferment out so don't need to always check activity. Mind you I am sure it is satisfying watching it bubble away. :smile:

 

[Baldilocks]

Get in ! Just noticed from their website that Wilkos have 25% off all brewing supplies right now. Think I might start with a wilkos velvet stout or a coopers original stout kit.

 

[Slid]

Good first choice, both would be ready pretty soon after bottling or kegging in my limited experience. For a first go I suggest the Coopers with 500g DME and 600g dark-ish sugar, if it's still on at 25% off.

 

[Baldilocks]

Well I went for the Coopers original stout as a first toe into the, as yet, murky waters of home brewing :-)

All seems to be going well, I mixed it all up, pitched the yeast, and I have fermentation ! Is it normal to be so anxious waiting for fermentation to begin on your first brew ?

I pitched the yeast at 26 degrees C and it is now sat at 22 C in the back bedroom. I am going by an adhesive label thermometer stuck to the FV as it is the best I have at the moment.

The lid is snapped on tight, but the first 12 hours saw it fermenting that much the lid was bulging like mad. I have opened it momentarily to release a bit of pressure then snapped it shut again.

Predictably I have some ongoing questions if anyone has the time. I really am a dry sponge looking to soak up as much beer flavoured knowledge as possible.

• Should I be looking to get it a bit cooler or will it be ok at this temp ? I'm not sure of the effects of fermenting at too high a temp.

• How long should I be waiting to check for fermentation completion ? I am guessing this depends on the temp a bit.

• Does the lid need to be kept on as much as possible ? I'm guessing it does to aid sanitation. I'm planning on only opening it to sake samples from.

:hmm:

Thanks everyone :thumb:

 

[Slid]

Hi Baldilocks

I reckon the yeast will cope with the temps you quoted - that's a fair part of the recommendation for Coopers at this time of year. On the plus side, the weather forecast is for cooler temps next week, anything else you do will probably just be bad news anyway, so just roll with it.

Since the fermenter does not have an airlock. you might loosen part of the lid slightly for the first 2/3 days, after which it will settle down.

Please try not to remove lid for 2 weeks post pitching, as unless you get an infection, this kit is as close to 100% cock-up proof as homebrewing gets. :lol:

 

[Baldilocks]

That's a relief on the temp. It's in the coolest room in the house, and the shed is much warmer after this weekend.

I will leave the lid on as recommended for the next fortnight. 100% cock up proof eh ? The pressure is definitely on now then. Mess this one up and you'll all be tutting and shaking your heads at me, ha ha.

I am pretty sure I was good with my sanitation at the mixing stage so hopefully no nasties will enter my brew. Some air seems to be escaping anyway as my spare room has a very malty aroma to it, so definitely no need to lift the lid.

I will check the gravity after 2 weeks with sanitised kit and see where it lies.

Thanks for the advice