Returning to Homebrew in Cornwall

[Mike Stickley]

Hi All,

After a gap of a scary number of years I've decided to start homebrewing again now I've got the space for it again!

Just in the process of researching/begging/stealing kit for it at the moment (stand by for newbie questions!) and I'm going to start with some off the shelf ale/cider kits first to get back into the swing of it and iron out the bugs!

Hopefully beyond this may try doing some all grain in the future - who knows?!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Welcome to the forum

 

[Gerryjo]

Hi and welcome to the forum...

 

[Dutto]

Welcome to the Forum. :thumb:

 

[Hoddy]

Welcome to the team :thumb:

 

[Gareth Davies]

Good to hear.

 

[Mike Stickley]

Thanks All.

I'm sat here answering the door to various couriers bringing bits of homebrew gear and eagerly anticipating getting my first brew started (going with a John Bull kit after a recommendation from a neighbour)

Given the weather I might have to wait a bit before I start it off though - it's 25C in the Troll's Head Shed where I plan to brew!:angry: - might be the excuse I need to put together a brew fridge though... :-)

 

[Dutto]

............- it's 25C in the Troll's Head Shed where I plan to brew!:angry: - might be the excuse I need to put together a brew fridge though.. ....

Then again, it might not!

You know SWMBO will check so, before you go cap in hand with the begging bowl, I suggest that you move the thermometer probe down to the floor.

If that's not cooler than 25*C you can happily go and fetch SWMBO to prove just how hot the shed is!

However, if it is lower than 25*C, get brewing! :thumb:

 

[GerritT]

Welcome back! Any idea what size of batches you will be brewing?

 

[Mike Stickley]

Then again, it might not!

You know SWMBO will check so, before you go cap in hand with the begging bowl, I suggest that you move the thermometer probe down to the floor.

If that's not cooler than 25*C you can happily go and fetch SWMBO to prove just how hot the shed is!

However, if it is lower than 25*C, get brewing! :thumb:

There is the SWMBO factor to consider, yes... :-)

Actually I've checked the floor temp and it is a little lower at around 22/23C forecast is for the temps to drop a bit later this week (having said that weather forecasts in Cornwall bear the same relation to truth as a politician's expenses claim so who knows)

I'm planning on brewing with the FV in a water bath in a builder's trug with a thermostatic heater in it (doubt it would need to kick in at the moment except at night) so may try wrapping a towel around it for evaporative cooling - hopefully that might drop the temp down a degree or two...

 

[Mike Stickley]

Welcome back! Any idea what size of batches you will be brewing?

Probably just standard beer kits to begin with to built confidence and methods.. 32/40 pint ones

 

[Gerryjo]

There is the SWMBO factor to consider, yes... :-)

Actually I've checked the floor temp and it is a little lower at around 22/23C forecast is for the temps to drop a bit later this week (having said that weather forecasts in Cornwall bear the same relation to truth as a politician's expenses claim so who knows)

I'm planning on brewing with the FV in a water bath in a builder's trug with a thermostatic heater in it (doubt it would need to kick in at the moment except at night) so may try wrapping a towel around it for evaporative cooling - hopefully that might drop the temp down a degree or two...

Brewing in the trug is a great idea but forget about the heater for a few months yet as the yeast when fermenting will raise the internal temperature by a degree or two.

If you can get your bath to around 18° to 20° and your wort it'll still be in the safe zone and use the towel as a wick to keep it cool.

Sent from my ALE-L21 using Tapatalk

 

[Mike Stickley]

Hmmm, most of the kit has arrived now and looks like I didn't think it through properly. Following the advice in terrym's excellent How to set up a water bath thread I deliberately got an FV with no tap. However I also got a little bottler which needs a tap hole so the question arises as to what I do when it comes to bottling.. do I :-

1. Transfer to a seperate FV (would need to buy but might just come in handy :-)) with a tap hole bored in it and bottle from there (extra step increases risks of contamination?)
2. Get an auto syphon and try and figure out a way to hook it up to the little bottler - not quite sure what I'd need for this - any ideas?

I set the water bath up for a dry run last night with just water in the FV and the temp (as measured with an aquarium thermometer sensor inside the FV - will be using in the water bath when brewing!) seems to be holding steady at around 20C despite the room temp being 3 or more deg higher so I'm quite happy I can hit a stable temp in the right range, with just a little nagging doubt about how accurate the aquarium thermometer sensor is - any ideas for calibration?

 

[Dutto]

Stay with what you have and then get an FV with a bottom tap and call it your Bottling Bucket.

Personally, I always syphon from the FV into a Bottling Bucket and then use the wand.

It ensures that the brew is as clear as it can be and it's where I add the carbonation sugar and a Hop Tea (if required) before bottling.

 

[Mike Stickley]

Stay with what you have and then get an FV with a bottom tap and call it your Bottling Bucket.

Personally, I always syphon from the FV into a Bottling Bucket and then use the wand.

It ensures that the brew is as clear as it can be and it's where I add the carbonation sugar and a Hop Tea (if required) before bottling.

Thanks Dutton - your thinking pretty much aligns with the way I was leaning anyway, a second FV can never hurt can it?

 

[Gerryjo]

Thanks Dutton - your thinking pretty much aligns with the way I was leaning anyway, a second FV can never hurt can it?

A second,,,,,You're only just getting started,I have 4 for brewing,one for storing grains and.had 5 water containers which I can use as no chill cubes or can swap lids which have bubblers fitted with stuffing.glands...three fridges two kettles of which one is electric and can do BIAB the other is a 32l SS pot for the gas,a 52l cool box converted to a mashtun and the list goes on and I still have yet to replicate a brew exactly....

Sent from my ALE-L21 using Tapatalk

 

[Mike Stickley]

A second,,,,,You're only just getting started,I have 4 for brewing,one for storing grains and.had 5 water containers which I can use as no chill cubes or can swap lids which have bubblers fitted with stuffing.glands...three fridges two kettles of which one is electric and can do BIAB the other is a 32l SS pot for the gas,a 52l cool box converted to a mashtun and the list goes on and I still have yet to replicate a brew exactly....

Sent from my ALE-L21 using Tapatalk

Whilst for now I could just about get away with a second FV, SWMBO is today wearing her T-shirt which says "Though She Be Little, She Be Fierce!"

Besides, I'm starting to feel sorry for the DPD guy...

 

[Dutto]

I hope you realise that you are being dragged into an "obsession" rather than a "hobby"!

With a SWMBO to keep an eye on, here are a few tips:

1. ALWAYS quote as a maximum just half of what something actually cost. This is on the basis that it will be doubled in any future discussions on how much you are spending.
2. NEVER accept that you have bought something if it wasn't delivered whilst she was there. It's wise to claim that you have had "that old thing" at the back of the garage for years and you just thought how you could save money by using it for brewing.
3. NOTE all household expenditure on frivolities such as new carpets, washing machines etc and point out that you've spent less than a tenth of that amount on brewing in the previous year.
4. ALWAYS choose your equipment with great care. For instance, if all the FV's you buy are of the same size and design they can be stacked inside each other so that it appears that you only possess one FV and a number of lids!
5. Finally, ALWAYS justify your brewing on the basis that it a) Is cheaper than supermarket bought stuff. and b) It tastes a lot better than supermarket bought stuff.

The last one is easy to carry off because it's true but the rest may take a bit of practice!

Enjoy! :thumb:

 

[Mike Stickley]

I hope you realise that you are being dragged into an "obsession" rather than a "hobby"!

With a SWMBO to keep an eye on, here are a few tips:

1. ALWAYS quote as a maximum just half of what something actually cost. This is on the basis that it will be doubled in any future discussions on how much you are spending.
2. NEVER accept that you have bought something if it wasn't delivered whilst she was there. It's wise to claim that you have had "that old thing" at the back of the garage for years and you just thought how you could save money by using it for brewing.
3. NOTE all household expenditure on frivolities such as new carpets, washing machines etc and point out that you've spent less than a tenth of that amount on brewing in the previous year.
4. ALWAYS choose your equipment with great care. For instance, if all the FV's you buy are of the same size and design they can be stacked inside each other so that it appears that you only possess one FV and a number of lids!
5. Finally, ALWAYS justify your brewing on the basis that it a) Is cheaper than supermarket bought stuff. and b) It tastes a lot better than supermarket bought stuff.

The last one is easy to carry off because it's true but the rest may take a bit of practice!

Enjoy! :thumb:

LOL :cheers7:

I'm not doing to bad on the above but just blew it on 4 and ordered a different brand FV. Point 3. being a bit anal I already keep a very close eye on all expenditures and have already set up a expediture category for Homebrew - might have to be a bit of double double entry bookeeping there

I'm already considering a point 6. Always ensure that at least every third brew is something similar to what she especially likes to drink down the pub (Thatchers Haze/Rattlers/Cornish Gold/Prosecco).
On this basis one of the first two kits I've bought include a John Bull County Cider. Will investigate Turbo Ciders at some future point

Might struggle a bit on the Prosecco...

 

[Dutto]

...........

Might struggle a bit on the Prosecco...

Check out ...

https://www.darkfarm.co.uk

They are Forum sponsors and have 5 and 10 litre SS growlers with pressure regulators and taps on offer at the moment. (Just bought 2 x 10 litre ones!)

I intend to use the 2 x 10 litre growlers to reduce the chances of wine going off when I bring it back from France. I won't carbonate the wine enough to form a Prosecco but there should be nothing stopping you treating SWMBO to one!

Never forget the motto "There's more than one way to skin a cat!" :thumb: