Newbie questions

[teriyakimonkey]

Hello.

I'm doing my second ever kit. I'm doing a Woodforde's wherry which is currently fermenting in a bucket. My first and only other beer worked well. I used 2 litre fizzy drinks bottles. This time I'm planning on using 500ml glass bottles. I've yet to order a capper. I have got two kegs, one of which has a valve on the top.

Here are my questions:

If I leave the brew in the bucket a few more days than the kit instructiuons say will I get less sediment in the bottles? Also as far as I'm aware this should help ensure fermentation is complete and reduce the risk of exploding bottles.

If I use a keg should I use the one with the valve and is it a big advantage to charge the keg slightly with CO2? The valve has actually got some oxidisation on it which I'm worried will spoil the beer.

Would the beer be better from a keg or bottles?

Should I follow the instructions with the kit for adding sugar to the bottles or keg or is there a preffered way of doing it?

Finally, If I use bottles I can't stop imagining they'll explode if they get at all warm. Would it help to bottle the beer in a warm room?

Thanks in advance. :)

 

[RobWalker]

1) I always let mine clear in the bucket. You don't have to but it's useful, and yes, you should get less sediment in the bottles. Don't do it if you have a short brew (10L-15L for example) and you have a lot of headroom in the bucket. you're quite right about waiting for completed fermentation, it's good to see a new home brewer with a bit of patience! :p

2) I like to charge with co2 along with priming because depending on temperature and whatnot, if your carb runs out then you're looking at a week until it reprimes with more sugar, plus the oxidization you get from opening the keg isnt good. sugar is cheaper, but id use a combo of the two. you can clean the valve up, if not they're a few quid to replace at LHBS. there isn't much difference in quality between co2 charge and sugar carb.

3) Wherry will probably be fine from either. It's an age old debate like PS3 vs Xbox or Blur vs Oasis though. Generally, kegs are quicker and convenient at home but can't handle a high level of carb, whereas bottles you can take around with you and easily chill, but it takes a little while to bottle and you have to get used to avoiding the sediment. but it's not very hard.

4) I bottle in a warm room, leave them in the warm for a few weeks, then transfer somewhere cool for drinking. Not 100% sure on the ins and outs but they carb up nicely, dont explode and are nice and cool to drink :

Hope this helps and doesnt go over your head! lol.

 

[teriyakimonkey]

Thanks very much. Answer number 2 went straight over my head I'm afraid.

I'll probably bottle this lot then and maybe try to keg my second lot.

Just re-read your answer for number 2. Are you saying that the CO2 can literally slowly escape from a slightly dodgy cap and so render the beer flat until I re-gas it? (I REALLY need to read up on the basics I think).

 

[Bluebottle]

Hi there teriyakimonkey. I'm doing a Wherry at the moment. Been in the FV for over a week now and all airlock activity has stopped. Just waiting for it to clear and do its thing before putting into a pressure barrel. Took a sample the other day to test FG and its cloudy as a SOAB but all part of the fun, waiting that is. I can't really answer any of your questions as its my first kit myself but I would say have a quick search through some of the old posts regarding the Wherry as they appear to get 'stuck' during fermentation quite often.

Oh and welcome to the forum by the way, and why do I recognise your user name? :wha: Are you a member of a certain 650 v-twin forum by any chance?

 

[RobWalker]

My process when carbing in a keg is to add the priming sugar and leave it for a few days. When and if the carb runs out, I'll then blast it with co2.

What I'm saying is that theres a number of factors that contribute to whether or not your carbonation lasts until the end of the keg - ie, beer absorbs more of it in cold temps so will require more sugar - just an example. if it runs out of carbonation, you're in a spot of trouble without a valve. It basically just takes the worry off. As for your oxidized valve, I'm not sure, but like I said, what I would do is replace it at the LHBS for a few quid. no dramas!

if you have a valve and you run out of carbonation from sugar, you can easily just give it a blast with the co2 to have enough carb again. beer is unaffected, beer is carbed, you don't regret not spending a few extra quid :p

 

[teriyakimonkey]

Oh and welcome to the forum by the way, and why do I recognise your user name? :wha: Are you a member of a certain 650 v-twin forum by any chance?

I certainly am although I'm now just monjey over there. Whom am I talking to?

Thanks very much Rob. It seems I will need to buy a few more bits and bobs to make things a bit easier such as a clip to hold the pipe on the edge of the bucket and maybe a bottling thingy and a new valve.

I used to have a homebrew shop about 2 miles away from me but alas it's been gone a while now, replace with Chinese herbs.

 

[Bluebottle]

Oh and welcome to the forum by the way, and why do I recognise your user name? :wha: Are you a member of a certain 650 v-twin forum by any chance?

I certainly am although I'm now just monjey over there. Whom am I talking to?

Used to go by Carlos over there. But haven't been there for ages. Sold the TL shortly after the Hovis incident happened and haven't been on a bike since. He was the last in a line of people I knew meeting their maker early doing what we love best, 2 just off that forum alone, and I swore there and then 'no more'. Can't handle another mate going like that. :cry:

 

[teriyakimonkey]

Blimey. I think there a more than people out there who have done exactly the same thing.

I'm hoping I get good at my new hobby so my bike mates can enjoy the fruits of my labour. A few of them are into their whiskey but I don't think I'll ever really enjoy one.