Wilkinsons Golden Ale

[gbox82]

[quote="mick may":292l50j2]to bottle or to keg ...
iv bottled this before and it was so lush ...
but cant help thinking if its better in a keg ...

what do you all think...

regards mick... :hat:

I kegged 30 pints and bottled 10 so I will have a direct comparison, although it needs a few more weeks conditioning I think. Once I've tried both I will let you know.

ok thanks ... :thumb: .

it would be nice to no which is best ... :party: .

regards mick... :hat: .[/quote:292l50j2]

Hi mick

Sorry for the delay in responding. I have finished the kegged GA and still have a few bottles left. Overall I would say the kegged was better. Smoother drink, the bottled was too fizzy and tasted a little too harsh and bitter for me. Still nice, but I would say kegged was far better.

Hope that helps at this late stage!

 

[miiikeee101]

Just purchased this along with the wilkinson deluxe starter pack, a hydrometer, and trial jar.

Good choice for a beginner? The instructions say 21 days to brew
.. is longer recommended?

Cheers

 

[gbox82]

Just purchased this along with the wilkinson deluxe starter pack, a hydrometer, and trial jar.

Good choice for a beginner? The instructions say 21 days to brew
.. is longer recommended?

Cheers

I'm guessing the 21 days would be one week in the FV then two weeks in the barrel? It'll be drinkable at that stage (I had my first pint after 11 days in the FV then 2 weeks in the barrel) and it was very hoppy and bitter. However after a further 5 weeks in the barrel it had mellowed and tasted very nice!

Hope that helps - this was my third kit so I would say it was easy as a beginner.

 

[miiikeee101]

Cheers for the advice. I was going to start at the weekend but I think I will prepare a bit more and have a crack during the course of the week. I have now obtained a little thermo-hygrometer which I hope to use to monitor the temperature and relative humidity in the area I will be brewing in.

If I have the FV brewing in a slightly drafty area with a temperature of roughly 17-19 degrees, will the extra heat generated by fermentation be enought to keep it stable? What negative effects might I see?

Cheers,

Mike

 

[Wasabi]

I find I get the target final gravity after 5 days at 19-20°C if made as per instructions. For my second batch I added a bit of sugar to push it up to 5% ABV but it didn't seem to take any longer, though I allowed 7 days before bottling.

If people are finding it takes 14+ days I wonder if the temp is too low? I use a photographic thermometer taped to the side of the vessel to monitor temp, with a hollowed out slice of cork over it for insulation to stop it being affected by the room temperature, so I am able to tell the temp pretty precisely. I've noticed with wines that about 4° up or down will generally double or halve the fermentation rate, also from the kit instructions I wonder if the Wilkinson's yeast may struggle below 18° since they give that as the min temp.

 

[OnlyFerment]

I find I get the target final gravity after 5 days at 19-20°C if made as per instructions. For my second batch I added a bit of sugar to push it up to 5% ABV but it didn't seem to take any longer, though I allowed 7 days before bottling.

If people are finding it takes 14+ days I wonder if the temp is too low? I use a photographic thermometer taped to the side of the vessel to monitor temp, with a hollowed out slice of cork over it for insulation to stop it being affected by the room temperature, so I am able to tell the temp pretty precisely. I've noticed with wines that about 4° up or down will generally double or halve the fermentation rate, also from the kit instructions I wonder if the Wilkinson's yeast may struggle below 18° since they give that as the min temp.

Interesting you should say this. I currently have had this kit in primary for 13 days at 18c and am still getting 1 bubble per minute in the air lock. Gravity was about 1016-18 after 7 days. I haven't checked it since but will do tonight as this will be 14 days. During initial fermentation the temperature was 20c due to the yeast activity. Room temperature obviously falls overnight but the FV is insulated with a duvet and seems to hold temperature fairly well. I'm trying this approach as my first beer (different kit) has taken a long time to condition out the odd flavours and still isn't where I would like it and that was at a somewhat higher temperature throughout fermentation.

I should add that after 7 days it looked like pea soup and the yeast had clearly not started to settle significantly.

Dave

 

[Gassman]

Brewed for 2 weeks, left in bottles in warm 1 week and been in cold for one week

I decided to try one (four) would say nice brew and also very gassy so definitely next time kegging instead of bottling

 

[Gassman]

I've just had a re read of the whole topic and now know why it's so bloody lively

The priming sugar (dextrose monohydrate) which I get from the local HB shop was 150 grammes

Could be in for some explosions as some days here my shed seems to warm up a lot

 

[Slid]

I've just had a re read of the whole topic and now know why it's so bloody lively

The priming sugar (dextrose monohydrate) which I get from the local HB shop was 150 grammes

Could be in for some explosions as some days here my shed seems to warm up a lot

150g may not be too much priming sugar over 22.5 litres.
It is possible that the brew was not quite fermented out before bottling.
If the shed warms up beyond wintertime house temps, it is possible that the (pure) priming sugar has kick started the yeast which has then been able to convert the residual (complex) sugars and give you the problem.

 

[gbox82]

I find I get the target final gravity after 5 days at 19-20°C if made as per instructions. For my second batch I added a bit of sugar to push it up to 5% ABV but it didn't seem to take any longer, though I allowed 7 days before bottling.

If people are finding it takes 14+ days I wonder if the temp is too low? I use a photographic thermometer taped to the side of the vessel to monitor temp, with a hollowed out slice of cork over it for insulation to stop it being affected by the room temperature, so I am able to tell the temp pretty precisely. I've noticed with wines that about 4° up or down will generally double or halve the fermentation rate, also from the kit instructions I wonder if the Wilkinson's yeast may struggle below 18° since they give that as the min temp.

Interesting you should say this. I currently have had this kit in primary for 13 days at 18c and am still getting 1 bubble per minute in the air lock. Gravity was about 1016-18 after 7 days. I haven't checked it since but will do tonight as this will be 14 days. During initial fermentation the temperature was 20c due to the yeast activity. Room temperature obviously falls overnight but the FV is insulated with a duvet and seems to hold temperature fairly well. I'm trying this approach as my first beer (different kit) has taken a long time to condition out the odd flavours and still isn't where I would like it and that was at a somewhat higher temperature throughout fermentation.

I should add that after 7 days it looked like pea soup and the yeast had clearly not started to settle significantly.

Dave

Is it possible that the bubbling could be due to dissolved CO2 coming out of solution that is giving you the airlock activity rather than being an indicator of further fermentation? Guess the specific gravity will be the key.

 

[OnlyFerment]

I find I get the target final gravity after 5 days at 19-20°C if made as per instructions. For my second batch I added a bit of sugar to push it up to 5% ABV but it didn't seem to take any longer, though I allowed 7 days before bottling.

If people are finding it takes 14+ days I wonder if the temp is too low? I use a photographic thermometer taped to the side of the vessel to monitor temp, with a hollowed out slice of cork over it for insulation to stop it being affected by the room temperature, so I am able to tell the temp pretty precisely. I've noticed with wines that about 4° up or down will generally double or halve the fermentation rate, also from the kit instructions I wonder if the Wilkinson's yeast may struggle below 18° since they give that as the min temp.

Interesting you should say this. I currently have had this kit in primary for 13 days at 18c and am still getting 1 bubble per minute in the air lock. Gravity was about 1016-18 after 7 days. I haven't checked it since but will do tonight as this will be 14 days. During initial fermentation the temperature was 20c due to the yeast activity. Room temperature obviously falls overnight but the FV is insulated with a duvet and seems to hold temperature fairly well. I'm trying this approach as my first beer (different kit) has taken a long time to condition out the odd flavours and still isn't where I would like it and that was at a somewhat higher temperature throughout fermentation.

I should add that after 7 days it looked like pea soup and the yeast had clearly not started to settle significantly.

Dave

Is it possible that the bubbling could be due to dissolved CO2 coming out of solution that is giving you the airlock activity rather than being an indicator of further fermentation? Guess the specific gravity will be the key.

Could be, but I checked the SG tonight and it has dropped to 1.014 so I think 18c really does slow the fermentation to very slow. Still very cloudy so I'm chilling it in the loft as of tomorrow for a week or so before bottling. Have to say the sample still had a lot of yeast in it but tasted pretty good - still some sweetness but significant bitterness too. Hopefully will balance out over the next few weeks.

Dave.

 

[DamageCase]

I'm thinking about doing one of these with cascade or citra for a very aromatic, session-able american amber ale type of beer. How many grams would you guys recommend?

 

[miiikeee101]

Hello guys,

My Wilkos Golden Ale (Brewed Short to 21L) has been in the Primary FV for 12 days day.

The S.G. two days ago (Day 10) was ~1.016. Checked it again today and I seem to have the same result.

There is a small layer of bubbles on the top (Not froth, just bubbles) with some sediment floating around.

I am trying to decide whether to add the finnings today or give it a couple of days longer to reach a full 14 days in the Primary FV?

The beer is a rich Amber colour, and to my inexperienced palette tastes perfectly drinkable in its current state, albeit a little bitter. I expect after some conditioning it will be a nice brew!

The kit says to wait till 1.014 to bottle, while the Hygrometer says wait till 1.006. Would it do any harm to add finnings now and plan to Keg in 2 days time?

I am using Wilkos equipment

More details on my brew so far can be seen viewtopic.php?f=21&t=48787

 

[goldenone]

This sounds very much like the Wilko Golden Ale I did for my second brew back in August.

Personally I left mine fermenting for 14 days when it reached a FG of (I think) 1.012. I never added any finings as once it had been bottled and given conditioning time the beer was as clear as a bell.

This kit I bottled early September and the longer it was left the better it tasted. I still have several bottles left and it has developed into a pretty decent brew which others have also complimented me on....Not as nice as the Wherry though

I have learnt in my short homebrew life of 4 brews that the key word is patience and it can take several months for the beers to really develop so its best to put the newest batch to the back of the shed, avoid temptation and forget they're there for several weeks at least.

Good luck with it though buddy :thumb:

 

[mrtaytay]

Just been into wilkos this afternoon and was shocked to find that the price for golden ale had gone up to £22.00.

 

[mattfryer]

Got given one of these a while back as my mate was going to brew it but gave up, so I have the two cans and no yeast..

So after reading the reviews on here I am going to go a belgian style with mine I think...

I'm going to brew to 23l, add 500g candi sugar (may keep 125g back though for kegging) and use a Wyeast #3522 Belgium Ardennes Yeast. Then about 10 days dry hoping with a Saaz tea bag..

Will see how it goes..

 

[Sone]

Does anyone recommend swapping the yeast out with this kit?

 

[Sone]

Well I swapped the yeast for S-04 and made this kit up to 21L, quite looking forward to this one. OG 1.045, 1st time using my fermentation fridge too :thumb:

 

[Vallyred]

Well I've tucked into one of these tonight.
It's been almost four weeks in the bottle so thought I'd 'test the development'.
Still young as expected but can't get over the caramel-y aftertaste.
Will try again next week but all in all its very promising.

 

[ECLIPSE]

Still got a few bottles of this left. Had 1 the other night. Mine is very sweet. Stopped at 1.016