I have hops, now what?

[Jimwine101]

That's good news.
I have no local brew shop unfortunately. I'll get to work reading those links while I wait for my extract to arrive. :)

 

[Jimwine101]

My beer is in its FV. Been in since Wednesday night but I'm just a bit concerned at how quiet it it.
My wines are usually going ballistic in their first week. Is beer is quiet as the grave. There's plenty of foam on the top, and the air in the top of the FV is definitely full of CO2, (just sniffed it and nearly blacked out).
I don't want to stir it or anything like I would wine as I believe that oxygenating the liquid is bad? Am I pestering about nothing?

 

[Drunkula]

My beer is in its FV. Been in since Wednesday night but I'm just a bit concerned at how quiet it it.
My wines are usually going ballistic in their first week. Is beer is quiet as the grave. There's plenty of foam on the top, and the air in the top of the FV is definitely full of CO2, (just sniffed it and nearly blacked out).
I don't want to stir it or anything like I would wine as I believe that oxygenating the liquid is bad? Am I pestering about nothing?

Yes, yes, thrice yes. Leave it be - it's done you no harm. Shush now, baby child - beer be sleepin'!

 

[Jimwine101]

PMSL.
Thanks. XD

 

[Jimwine101]

Well my brew has had 6 days in the FV and the foam has come down but the SG is 1.010. Low enough to bottle? (and prime).

 

[Clint]

Leave it another week!

 

[Jimwine101]

Week!?
Ok.

 

[Duxuk]

I agree with Clint. 2 weeks is a good time to leave it. If you bottle early you are likely to end up with a lot of sediment settled in the bottom of the bottle, some of which may end up in the glass.

 

[Drunkula]

As above, 2 weeks is good. Even though the yeast have finished fermenting doesn't mean they've finished working. They sometimes have to clean up by-products that they make during early fermentation. If you haven't heard of a diacetyl rest then that's what that's for. It's worth doing a quick google on to get a little insight into the fun, fun world of yeast.

Being as my brews have gone so fast recently I did have a plan to go 4 days after it was over warm, then 3 in the cold but I'm useless so it still ends up near 3 weeks before I face the harrowing bottling day.

 

[Jimwine101]

Sg today is 1.010 still. Maybe .009 at a push.
Another week?

 

[Drunkula]

Sg today is 1.010 still. Maybe .009 at a push.
Another week?

Do you know how long it's been at 1.010? If it's been there for a few days then if you can then get it somewhere cold for a few days to try and drop some of the yeast out. I always used to leave beer 3 weeks plus but with temperature control it's always done within 5 days but I leave it until 2 weeks have gone and that could be where you're at now.

Are you bottling or kegging or pressure barreleleling?

 

[Jimwine101]

After 7 days (last thursday) I took the first measurement. It was 1.010 then (down from 1.050)
It's going into 500mm plastic pop bottles.

 

[Drunkula]

Great stuff - looks like you've got yourself a beer!

Got to say in case there are children watching - make sure you keep any bottles out of the light, especially if they're not brown.

 

[Jimwine101]

They'e actually green. Sparkling spring water bottles.
But they'e going in the back of a cupboard either way.

 

[dad_of_jon]

you can buy muntons dried mail extract from wilko....

http://www.wilko.com/homebrew-accessories+equipment/muntons-spray-malt-light-500g/invt/0318924

Plus you can split your boils over 3 or 4 smaller saucepans or pots. Although I use this...

http://www.wilko.com/casserole+stockpots/wilko-stock-pot-12l/invt/0322498

I use about 1kg of extract in around 6 liters of boiled water with hops after a 15 min boil I strain it into the fv add another 6 litres of water then stir in other 2kg into the brewing bucket. I top up to 21 litres
because a) I can't lift anything heavier b) need headspace for the krausen.

if you want to get the abv up a bit a 454g can of golden syrup for £1 at home bargains is a cheap way to boost your beer.