St Peters Ruby red ale, Corbonation?????

[Andylatter85]

Hi all!! I come seeking your expert knowledge, Basically I am brewing 40 pints of St peters ruby red ale and will be putting it in a keg... question is how do I lightly carbonate it in a keg (I dont have a C02 keg) I know sugar but how much and when???? :

 

[pittsy]

Hi , you would want around 60 to 100g of sugar for a bitter so if you like it lighty carbed then around 60g into a pan with around 300ml of water , boil for 10 mins , cool in sink of water, add to keg then put beer on top while avoiding splashing then leave for 2 weeks at room temp then cool as best as poss and get ready to try a glass , it will be better after a few more weeks in cool .

 

[Andylatter85]

Hi and thank you pittsy superb! Just the kind of advise I am looking for, cheers dude :) The reason I asked is because I done some elderflower champagne and well lets just say it sounded like a warzone! I followed the advise of the book but even I thought it was too much sugar per bottle!! As I said in my (new member post) I'm pretty new to beers but I have been making wine for several years. Most of my family are wine drinkers but I myself like the beers, so don't be shocked if I ask your advice in the future :) :drink:

 

[fumblefox]

Hey Andy

How come your elderflower champagne went all Beirut on you? I've done elderflower cordial most years and, emboldened by my current adventure in beer, was thinking of elderflower champagne and elderberry wine next year. What should I not do...?

 

[Andylatter85]

Howdy, Basically I followed the recipe to the word and used exactly the right amount of flower heads (50) I think? Done the correct amount of fermentation in the FV then bottled it with half a teaspoon of sugar in some cava bottles, long story short I'm not entirely sure what went wrong exactly maybe the bottles were weak? Personally I believe I either used too much sugar and let them get warm or I used too much yeast?

My advice use a little sugar in each bottle and use either good quality champers bottles or the plastic ones brew shops sell (less glass flying around) I made it again but cut the amount of sugar down and kept it in the garage LOL! Tasted great too! I am currently thinking of doing a banana champagne :thumb:

P.s Knowing my luck it was just a freak accident give it a go matey you never know until you try :). I will try dig the recipe out for you.

 

[fumblefox]

I'd appreciate the recipe - always better to work with someone else's mistakes in mind, I find! posting.php?mode=reply&f=21&t=43983#.

Would commercial Coke PET bottles hold that gas?

 

[Andylatter85]

That is a very interesting question and one I wish I had the answer to, however I have used coke bottles for my 30p a pint ginger beer and that is seriously carbonated, there are some marks near the bottle top of stress but the bottles are still holding. I suppose they are much more flexible in comparison to glass ones so that might be advisable? As for the recipe I am trawling through the books and I hope to type it up for you :) Question are you planning on using dried flowers from a brew shop or fresh ones next year?

 

[Andylatter85]

I have only just realised I put "Corbonation" LOL I am such an idiot!! Apologies Carbonation!!!!!

 

[fumblefox]

If they work for fizzy ginger, they sound like a good bet for fizzy elder too...

I'll wait till the new fresh flowers next year. I'm hoping my brewing calendar is going to be full off beer-related activity over the next few months!

 

[nixhaz]

Howdy, Basically I followed the recipe to the word and used exactly the right amount of flower heads (50) I think? Done the correct amount of fermentation in the FV then bottled it with half a teaspoon of sugar in some cava bottles, long story short I'm not entirely sure what went wrong exactly maybe the bottles were weak? Personally I believe I either used too much sugar and let them get warm or I used too much yeast?

Hiya,

Doesn't sound like enough sugar to cause hand grenades... my guess would be that the fermentation hadn't finished sufficiently, maybe a bit of stuck fermentation, so when you bottled, you roused the yeast and it went mental. Did you check with hydrometer before bottling?

Thanks for asking the original question as I needed to know that myself! Never used a cask, just went straight to cornies!

 

[Andylatter85]

Hello nixhaz you are welcome :), I did use a hydrometer but I can not remember now what the reading was? I think you could be right with the stuck fermentation though! Elderflowers have natural yeast in them so maybe something went kaput LOL eitherway they went bang. What are you currently brewing then matey?

 

[Andylatter85]

If they work for fizzy ginger, they sound like a good bet for fizzy elder too...

I'll wait till the new fresh flowers next year. I'm hoping my brewing calendar is going to be full off beer-related activity over the next few months!

Sounds like a plan batman, I kegged my St peters RRA this evening an it looked surprisingly clear with such a beautiful colour! I decided to use 85g of sugar in 300ml of boiled water (cooled) going to let it condition for a couple of months. I'm struggling now to figure out what to brew next?? Maybe another St Peter's??? I dunno LOL.

:thumb:

 

[nixhaz]

Hello nixhaz you are welcome :), I did use a hydrometer but I can not remember now what the reading was? I think you could be right with the stuck fermentation though! Elderflowers have natural yeast in them so maybe something went kaput LOL eitherway they went bang. What are you currently brewing then matey?

I'm planning a bitter type thing (going to use 'Big Kenny' recipe off here as suggested by another member), for a party for my sister in law's birthday. I can't stand bitter, so needed to know how to condition it! :wha: It is at the end of October, so I don't think I need to make it just yet..

Currently brewing my second Kolsch, which is in the fridge clearing. Its got a way to go as it is hoppy as hell!
Going to get a cheeky blonde ale in before the bitter as I am panicking about running out of beer :shock:

 

[fumblefox]

I kegged my St peters RRA this evening an it looked surprisingly clear with such a beautiful colour!

Exciting! It's the waiting that's killing me... I'm checking on the baby in the bin every few hours. I don't know what I expect to happen' like it's going to climb out, clap me on the back and say 'well done, I'm beer!'

Have you got a kit lined up for your next brew, or do you need to shop? After I've done the Cider and the Wherry I fancied a shot at the Festival Landlord kit - love that style of beer, and I've read good things about the kits.

 

[Andylatter85]

Hello nixhaz you are welcome :), I did use a hydrometer but I can not remember now what the reading was? I think you could be right with the stuck fermentation though! Elderflowers have natural yeast in them so maybe something went kaput LOL eitherway they went bang. What are you currently brewing then matey?

I'm planning a bitter type thing (going to use 'Big Kenny' recipe off here as suggested by another member), for a party for my sister in law's birthday. I can't stand bitter, so needed to know how to condition it! :wha: It is at the end of October, so I don't think I need to make it just yet..

Currently brewing my second Kolsch, which is in the fridge clearing. Its got a way to go as it is hoppy as hell!
Going to get a cheeky blonde ale in before the bitter as I am panicking about running out of beer :shock:

That sounds awesome! I will search for the 'big kenny' recipe and see what it's like. I initially brewed the beer for boxing day, We have a big family get together but I know it wont last that long! I've done 48 bottles of wine for it so I'm doubtful they will see any of my beer! I will probably sit in my garage with a straw in the keg PMSL! :drunk:

 

[Andylatter85]

I kegged my St peters RRA this evening an it looked surprisingly clear with such a beautiful colour!

Exciting! It's the waiting that's killing me... I'm checking on the baby in the bin every few hours. I don't know what I expect to happen' like it's going to climb out, clap me on the back and say 'well done, I'm beer!'

Have you got a kit lined up for your next brew, or do you need to shop? After I've done the Cider and the Wherry I fancied a shot at the Festival Landlord kit - love that style of beer, and I've read good things about the kits.

The longer you leave it the better it is LOL, I know it's hard but time is a healer :lol:. So yours doesn't pat you on the back? Mine gets out and holds a gun to my head demanding I drink it.

As for the kit's yes I'm going to do a Woodforde's Admiral Reserve 32pt and a Woodforde's Nelson's Revenge 36pt.. I haven't seen these ones mentioned on here a lot, so I thought about reviewing the kits. Oh and I'm going to try what nixhaz is going to try.