First kit, Landlords Finest

[KC]

So got this underway on Sunday evening. Came back to it bubbling away on Monday evening. Now its in a very cold kitchen so I have had it on a warming mat and on Monday it showed 22 degrees. By last night it had slowed and dropped to 20. Now its at 18. Bit worried that my warmer has packed in or could this big a pro in temp be down to yeast activity and fermentation slowing down?
Temperatures were only on a sticker thermometer so not very accurate. May take SG to see where its at over the weekend.

My plan is to leave it in the FV for ten days then dry hop it and leave for another 5. Reading some of the reviews of the kit it suggests it may be very hoppy which I don't fancy much so I may chuck a quarter of the hops away.

 

[568ml]

I've done two Festival kits first one was the Rasorback IPA and I enjoyed that. Just bottled the US Steam Ale, it tasted great out of the FV. Might sneak in a tester this weekend, only four days in bottles, it can't hurt can it :)

As a kit I like the Festival, one box with everything and all you have to do it add water and wait. Coopers are good but I once or twice forgot to get everything so brew day got delayed. Not sure which one taste the best out off the two as I have managed to brew something very drinkable out of both kits.

 

[terrym]

So got this underway on Sunday evening. Came back to it bubbling away on Monday evening. Now its in a very cold kitchen so I have had it on a warming mat and on Monday it showed 22 degrees. By last night it had slowed and dropped to 20. Now its at 18. Bit worried that my warmer has packed in or could this big a pro in temp be down to yeast activity and fermentation slowing down?
Temperatures were only on a sticker thermometer so not very accurate. May take SG to see where its at over the weekend.

My plan is to leave it in the FV for ten days then dry hop it and leave for another 5. Reading some of the reviews of the kit it suggests it may be very hoppy which I don't fancy much so I may chuck a quarter of the hops away.

I didn't think this was 'very hoppy' at all. Certainly not like an American IPA. Dry hopping is all about aroma and flavour addition not hop bitterness, with the emphasis on aroma. So go on, chuck em all in!
And don't forget to save the sock filter thingy when you have packaged your beer into PB or bottles; it will come in very handy when you dry hop your next brews. :thumb:

 

[H0PM0NSTER]

Your heat mat should be up to the job. I gave up using mine because it would overheat my brews because I didn't have a temperature controller to turn it on and off. I replaced it with an aquarium heater set-up where the FV sat in a tub of water being heated by the aquarium heater. This was much better as the heater regulated itself.

If you're worried about maintaining the FV temp, you could always try wrapping it in a duvet overnight when the temperature might be dropping while your central heating is off.

 

[pms67]

So got this underway on Sunday evening. Came back to it bubbling away on Monday evening. Now its in a very cold kitchen so I have had it on a warming mat and on Monday it showed 22 degrees. By last night it had slowed and dropped to 20. Now its at 18. Bit worried that my warmer has packed in or could this big a pro in temp be down to yeast activity and fermentation slowing down?
Temperatures were only on a sticker thermometer so not very accurate. May take SG to see where its at over the weekend.

My plan is to leave it in the FV for ten days then dry hop it and leave for another 5. Reading some of the reviews of the kit it suggests it may be very hoppy which I don't fancy much so I may chuck a quarter of the hops away.

I had to read this twice,never,and i mean never throw hops away,im struggling to breathe thinking about it,i may not sleep tonight 😉