Hi all
New lad from galway here...First time on the site and first time brewing...ive been interested in brewing my own beer for a few years now but never really got stuck in cause of work and other commitments..recently i bought a full coopers home brew kit from Homebrewwest and started my first batch..Currently i have 23 ltrs of Canadian blonde in my hotpress which should be ready for bottling in about a week or so all going well...
It seems to be taking a little longer than expected though....My hotpress temp varies between 20.9c and 23.9c , The Krausner coller has now been removed with all the sediment stuc to it but my batch dosent seem to have done alot since..still a very yeasty smell from the FV....and alot of sediment on the very bottom..Maybe i need a brew belt to help it along???i have 500ml bottles to put it in to but should i use 1carbonation drop per bottle or 1 and a half?? all advice welcome
..Looking forward to doing this on a regular basis so if any body has any suggestions of beers that worked really well for them please feel free to send them on to me...Ill do the can thing for a while untill i get the basics down good and then progress to using grain and hops etc for my own flavours
Im sure i have loads more questions so sorry in advance
And thanks in advance for the imput
Shane..The Bards Son
Hey Shane,
Welcome to the NHC.
It sounds like all is good with your brew.
How long have you got it in the fermenter?
Are you using an airlock? Had this quitened down?
After a week or so and reduced activity I would look for consistent gravity readings, then you should be good to bottle.
All the best!
Welcome !
Nearly all the times stated in kits are wrong!!
They are overly optimistic. Your fermentation is finished when it is finished and not "after 7 days"
Relax and let time work its magic
Also, dont be tempted to rush this along with extra heat, brew belts etc.
Yeast working at high temps can introduce off flavours into the beer.
Thanks Lads for the welcome..
I have the kit from Homebrewwest with out the traditional type airlock system..it uses internal preasure to push the co2 out by pushing up the lid..I think ::)....It is sitting in my hotpress at what seems to be 23.2C by my digital thermometer for about 8 days now, although it did take a few days for it to get up to this temp...
I have taken gravity readings over a few days and it doesnt seem to have changed much...around 1015 if im right..
Still a yeasty smell from it...
And here come the silly questions:
Lower temp = longer fermentation time right?
will this result in better end product?
I can see the sediment/exspanded yeast settling in the bottom of the FV..The Chef in me wants to give it a stir...I take it that this is a big NO NO?
What would happen if the co2 wasnt escaping the FV?
Should I put 1 coopers suger tab in to 500ml bottles or 1 and a half.??
My first batch will probably have to go into the pet kit bottles,..but i have built up a collection of 500ml glass bottles to put my next batch in to...What is a good inexspensive capper to use that wont chip or break my glass and stand the test of time??..IM sure most my bottles are standard 26mm
Can old/other caps be reused if they are sanitised properly?Reasons why??
What about glasss colour?..I have clear bottles(12)Dark Green Bottles(12) and dark Brown Bottles (20) all 500ml,that im going to try my 2nd batch in....
Which is best to use and which to avoid???and why?
Thanks again for the welcome and comments lads
Shane
Quote
Lower temp = longer fermentation time right?
will this result in better end product?
Yes it will take longer but not ages more. Most of the fermentation is done in the first few days.
It will make it better as long as the temperature does not fall too far and put the yeast to sleep.
Quote
I can see the sediment/exspanded yeast settling in the bottom of the FV..The Chef in me wants to give it a stir...I take it that this is a big NO NO?
Only if you think the yeast has stalled should you attempt that. The dead and dormant yeast at the bottom is full of by products that your yeast has cleaned out of the beer for you. Dont re-introduce them.
QuoteWhat would happen if the co2 wasnt escaping the FV?
It would inflate and rupture the FV. Or pop the lid off if that was the weak point.
QuoteShould I put 1 coopers suger tab in to 500ml bottles or 1 and a half.??
1 and a half for 500ml. Or batch prime.
QuoteMy first batch will probably have to go into the pet kit bottles,..but i have built up a collection of 500ml glass bottles to put my next batch in to...What is a good inexspensive capper to use that wont chip or break my glass and stand the test of time??..IM sure most my bottles are standard 26mm
I have the better brew wing capper from HBW. Does all my needs, but doesn't handle Wychwood or Fullers bottles very well.
QuoteCan old/other caps be reused if they are sanitised properly?Reasons why??
No. They wont reseal properly.
Quote
What about glasss colour?..I have clear bottles(12)Dark Green Bottles(12) and dark Brown Bottles (20) all 500ml,that im going to try my 2nd batch in....
Which is best to use and which to avoid???and why?
Use brown only. Hops go funky in the bottle when exposed to light (not just sunlight, but any light). Brown bottles provide a lot of protection from this, green and white provide almost none.
- Lower temp = longer fermentation time? - generally yes, Make sure to stay within the yeast's temp range.
- will this result in better end product? - a cleaner ferment with less off flavors.
- I can see the sediment/exspanded yeast settling in the bottom of the FV..The Chef in me wants to give it a stir...I take it that this is a big NO NO? - That's called trub. stirring it won't do any harm as it will just settle down again, but there's no point. Just leave it alone.
- What would happen if the co2 wasnt escaping the FV? - pressure would build and it would pop.
- Should I put 1 coopers suger tab in to 500ml bottles or 1 and a half.?? i like 1 for ales and 1.5 for fizzier beers like lager. Bulk priming allows you to be more flexible
- My first batch will probably have to go into the pet kit bottles,..but i have built up a collection of 500ml glass bottles to put my next batch in to...What is a good inexspensive capper to use that wont chip or break my glass and stand the test of time??..IM sure most my bottles are standard 26mm - this one (http://www.homebrewwest.ie/brewsmarter-quality-steel-twin-lever-capper-boxed-26-mm-caps-3124-p.asp)
- Can old/other caps be reused if they are sanitised properly?Reasons why?? - crown caps? just buy new ones, they're €2.10 for 100.
- What about glasss colour?..I have clear bottles(12)Dark Green Bottles(12) and dark Brown Bottles (20) all 500ml,that im going to try my 2nd batch in....
- Which is best to use and which to avoid???and why? Brown > Green > clear. light can 'skunk' (http://www.professorbeer.com/articles/skunked_beer.html) your beer
Thanks lads
I think i will leave it alone for another week and see what happens..
Just out of interest what temp will the yeast go to sleep at??
Ill get rid of the clear and green bottles so and only use the brown..
Ill let ye know how i get on..
The yeast will work albeit very slowly down to about 12c after that there's a danger it'll go to sleep completely. Coopers yeasts due to being developed in Australia are good up to about 28c before the flavour starts to be badly affected, it'll start to taste of cloves. 23c should be fine for that yeast.
Sent using a complex system of semaphore and ninjas.
Hi Shane
Come along to our meetings. Usually the last Friday in the month although we'll probably move our October meet to the George Bernard Shaw in Dublin for the homebrew expo!
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2
Hi Shane,
I used that kit for my second batch. I added some dry malt extract and sugar, and I think I might have put in a hop teabag. It turned out great anyways, and disappeared fairly quickly. :) I probably waited a bit over 2 weeks to bottle it, so don't worry about it.
I might see you at the next Galway meet up, I'm in Galway too.
Ok Lads
I let my brew sit in the fermenter for a good few weeks being carefull to not let the temp drop below 21*c...
Bottled it all up there a few weeks back and put one and a half suger tabs into each bottle,
put the bottles into nice styrofoam boxes with lids I got my hands on ,and put the lot back into my hotpress with a digital thermometer.(constant 21*c reading)
Gave all the bottles a little shake about a week ago and put them back in again..
By my reckoning they should be about ready to put in the fridge after the weekend,
looks like there is a little bit of yeasty coloured sediment in the bottom of each of the bottles but im sure this is no harm once i dont pour it into the glass when decanting?
Anyway Im just going to go ahead and order my next brew tin and a few bits..
Any tips on a good tin to use for my second batch??
Ive used the canadian larger one already just waiting for the first taste test 8)
Also any tips you have used to make your brews more flavoursome or jus better in general would be appreciated..
Thank
Shane
The yeast sediment is normal. Pour gently and leave the last drop in the bottle and you'll have nice clear beer.
Even if you got all the sediment in your glass it's not going to harm you in any way.
It might harm SWMBO though, as she'll have to put up with your excessive farting in the morning.
For the next batch, if you want something easy and tasty try the Cooper's English bitter kit (http://www.homebrewwest.ie/coopers-international-english-bitter-17-kg-beer-kit-514-p.asp) + a tin of LME (http://www.homebrewwest.ie/bh-light-lme-liquid-malt-extract-15-kg-2733-p.asp).
If you want something a bit more hands-on/flavoursome, try the Cooper's IPA (http://www.homebrewwest.ie/coopers-india-pale-ale-32-kg-ingredient-pack-2961-p.asp), and dryhop with about 30grams of some tasty hops like cascade, willamette, amarillo, bramling cross, motueka.
Thanks Eoin
I mite try the IPA...
Another question... Which is better to keep using ,coopers carbonation tabs (250g pk) for easy measurement per bottle ? or, larger 1kg bags of brewing /winemaking suger.. measuring weight for each bottle ?, or are the larger bags designed for batch use only?
I know the larger bags would be more cost effective but is it worth the hassel?
I use the 1kg bags of dextrose and bulk prime.
All you need to do is:
- Transfer the beer off the sediment in the fermenter into the bottling bucket.
- disolve the sugar in a pint of hot water
- stir it into the beer gently
- bottle
pro: cheap, easy, consistant
con: need a bottling bucket/second FV
Otherwise, carbonation drops will do fine :)
One more tip...
Put bulk prime into bottling bucket first and then add your beer.
No need to stir.
If you want to try the batch priming and don't have a second bucket I always have a couple spare so can lend you one to try it with. That way you can see for yourself how easy if it is - much handier than measuring or using carbonation drops (I'm in Galway also)
Thanks lads for the tips and the friendly offers..I may take you up on it MisterBurns
I chilled and tested my first two bottles this evening and i have to say i am a little dissapointed
They were quiet flat and lacked taste.. even a little bitter
I thought the one and a half suger tabs would create a bit of carbonisation but it seemed to have little effect from before i bottled taste wise...
I still have 40 bottles in my hotpress so i mite leave them for a while more...see will they mature a bit :P
Should i have used two tabs per 500ml bottle for a more bubblier beer or would this just make it sweeter??
Is bulk priming a better way of creating a more carbonated beer??
I have been thinkin i will order this bundle next!!
http://www.homebrewwest.ie/coopers-premium-selection-heritage-lager-17-kg-beer-kit-254-p.asp
have many of you tried this and what were your results??
Hopefully this time it will be going into brown glass bottles
Again any tips or advice is always welcome
Shane
Get a hydrometer and don't rely on airlock bubbles.
Sent from my HTC One
Weird that you've little carbonation with 1.5 carb drops per 500ml.
if they're PET, did you tighten them enough?
Don't go to 2 drops per 500ml, that's too much (about 12grams per liter).
Regarding the heritage lager, I'd stay away from it unless you can ferment at a constant temp of around 16C.
It's not the best tasting anyway.. pretty plain.
Again, the EB, IPA or APA kits are much better and more forgiving.
I have to agree with LordEoin – a good piece of advice I got was that the darker the beer type the better the results when you are starting out because for Lagers without the necessary equipment to control fermentation temp etc you just won't get a final product you are happy with. People with more experience than me can no doubt give a better technical explanation but I have definitely found it to be the case – you should come along to the next meeting (usually last Friday of the month in the Oslo) as there are some very experienced brewers in the Galway club who can give you all the pointers you need
Well lads
I bottled up my second homebrew batch this evening and i am really looking forward to tasting this one
I went for the Coopers India Pale Ale and a can of light malt extract. I also added 250 grams of suger to raise the ABV a bit.
It bubbled up alot in the fermenter this time creating lot of foam which subsided after a few days
There was a lovely malty smell from it when i took the lid off
This time i used glass bottles and found that the smithwicks winter ale bottles cap really nicely.
I used one and a half coopers tabs per bottle, but also primed a bottle or two with 2 tabs to see the results (marked so i know which ones they were)...i left an inch gap at the top of the bottles so they dont pop..Fingers crossed
they are back in the hot press now so should be ready for christmas.
I dont know which one to try next..Any sugesstions??
Im not really a cider or wine man so ill stick to beer type kits..
Is there a galway meet for december?
On another note I see in the Galway advertiser that DELA restaurant are holding a 3 course beer and food pairing /tasteing on wednesday nights for 45 a head i think.. with brief talks from a small kerry brewer and beer somilier in between courses...sounds interesting...
If i can find the time i mite go to one of these nights..if anybody on here has been already have ye any feed back? is it worth the money??
Regards Shane
Hi Shane, A hot press may be too warm for bottle conditioning. Room temp and a little patience should be fine.
There a poll on the Galway page to check dates for a Christmas meet
http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,4794.0.html
On the kits it might be worth your while popping into home brew west and checking out there range in the store - they should be able to recommend something to you. The nicest kit I did was a Woodfordes Wherry two can kit
Hi guys
Thanks for the replies
Quote from: johnrm on December 01, 2013, 09:01:50 AM
Hi Shane, A hot press may be too warm for bottle conditioning. Room temp and a little patience should be fine.
My hotpress is sitting between 18 and 20 ish most of the time..is this a bit warm for my bottles??
The rest of the house is a little cooler most of the time so should i just leave the bottles in a spare room or something?
Quote from: MisterBurns on December 01, 2013, 10:48:13 AM
There a poll on the Galway page to check dates for a Christmas meet
http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,4794.0.html
On the kits it might be worth your while popping into home brew west and checking out there range in the store - they should be able to recommend something to you. The nicest kit I did was a Woodfordes Wherry two can kit
I had a vote on the poll..the 20th would be good for me...
I mite give that Woodfordes a try ..Is it really bitter??
Any body have any suggestions for good books on beer making or beer and ales in general?.. something informative maybe ..explaining tastes, flavours and differences in beer and ales etc
Thanks ,Shane
18-20 sounds fine.
Some hot presses can be quite a bit warmer.
Be careful of your twin-dropped bottles, these might be bottle bomb risks.
thanks John
Quote from: johnrm on December 01, 2013, 06:18:55 PM
18-20 sounds fine.
Some hot presses can be quite a bit warmer.
Be careful of your twin-dropped bottles, these might be bottle bomb risks.
Bottle bomb risks????...i take it you mean they mite pop their caps??...The glass wouldnt explode would it??
Yep, you're undies will smell of beer forever.
I had my first few brews behind me and thought I had my technique down.
A friend of mine decided a bottle of my beer would make a great paperweight and somehow it went pop.
It was the first time, and thankfully has not happened since.
Quote from: The Bards Son on December 01, 2013, 04:10:12 PM
I had a vote on the poll..the 20th would be good for me...
I mite give that Woodfordes a try ..Is it really bitter??
Any body have any suggestions for good books on beer making or beer and ales in general?.. something informative maybe ..explaining tastes, flavours and differences in beer and ales etc
Thanks ,Shane
That woodfordes wherry is a grand kit, I recall reading about it before I did the kit and the commercial version has won several medals and awards in England.... if you've had English bitter before and liked it.. it's a good example of one of those.
I'm sure there's plenty of stuff on the internet to read with regards to tastes, differences, particulars of each style of beer but no substitute for just having them!... It's not excessive boozing, it's research :)
If you make it out in Galway whenever this Xmas night gets agreed on, we can yak all night about it...
Not too bitter at all. Very smooth taste to it. I just checked my notes on the Coppers IPA and I used two carbonation drops and no bottle bombs .... thankfully
Quote from: johnrm on December 01, 2013, 06:55:43 PM
Yep, you're undies will smell of beer forever.
I had my first few brews behind me and thought I had my technique down.
A friend of mine decided a bottle of my beer would make a great paperweight and somehow it went pop.
It was the first time, and thankfully has not happened since.
hahahh....
I have most of the bottles in a wooden wine crate in the hotpress..only towels and bedsheets in there really
the twin primed bottles are in a styrofoam box with a lid so if they pop they shouldnt leak down on everything..I hope...Otherwise the fiance will have me out buying new everything....and that will be exspensive beer making!!!
The glass wont explode though?????
Yes the bottle itself can explode some kind soul over primed one and donated it to me for a favour I did them, the bottle completely exploded with cap still attached :(
That woodfordes wherry is a grand kit, I recall reading about it before I did the kit and the commercial version has won several medals and awards in England.... if you've had English bitter before and liked it.. it's a good example of one of those.
I'm sure there's plenty of stuff on the internet to read with regards to tastes, differences, particulars of each style of beer but no substitute for just having them!... It's not excessive boozing, it's research :)
If you make it out in Galway whenever this Xmas night gets agreed on, we can yak all night about it...
[/quote]
Yeah Im hoping to make it in to the Club meet for christmas....No better man to waffle on about stuff than myself so im sure we can bend each others ears....either way im looking forward to meeting a few members and having the craic...
Quote from: CH on December 01, 2013, 07:41:39 PM
Yes the bottle itself can explode some kind soul over primed one and donated it to me for a favour I did them, the bottle completely exploded with cap still attached :(
Thanks CH
OOHHHH... that changes things bit....I have to have a butchers hook at them every day so...
Shane
The two confusing british beers, are Bitter & Mild. A 'Bitter' is really just a beer that is more hopped than a Mild. Though milds can also be darker.
So a beer described as an english bitter, may not be very bitter. I have had some US pale ales that are more bitter.
Re: bottle bombs. Yes bottles can explode if over primed, but unfinished fermentation is a greater risk than over priming.
Over priming in general is a big beginners mistake.
(Really need to move this discussion to Kit brewing)