Evenin all!!!!
I just started my 2nd home brew this evening using the Tooheys Special Lager Kit.
As I haven't really seen it mentioned on this forum (unless I'm looking in the wrong place) I thought I would be the first.
I used the Tooheys Kit with a tin of LME and 250grm of brewing sugar courtesy of homebrewwest.
I'm reckoning my reading was 1.04 (still not 100% if I'm reading the hydrometer correctly) and the temp of of FV after pitching the yeast was 22 deg.
Pics to follow . . .
Here's a few pics
Jesus your keen ;D
It's about 1042 or perhaps a point higher give it a gentle spin to get rid of bubbles
Have a read of this at the end of the page
http://www.lumcon.edu/education/K-12/studentdatabase/hydrometer.asp
Yep I'm keen! Trying to distract myself with this brew until my first one is ready to taste 😀
Cheers for the clarification on my reading and I'll check out that link right now... Thanks again!!!
The Tooheys kits on homebrewwest are great value. I drank a fair bit of Tooheys New a few years ago when I was in Oz so I did one of these kits myself a few weeks ago. I actually used two kits in the one brew and dry hopped it with a langer load of american hops! It's only in the bottle 1 week but I can tell at this stage that it might not see the new year :P
Keep the pics coming fishjam. They love that shíte around here 8)
Cheers Garry - drank a fair of whack of Tooheys New in Oz myself but I was always more a Carlton Draught man myself - ya ever try it?
Just as well cos I love takin pics! Must get the Nikon out instead of using the phone so :)
Quote from: fishjam45 on November 27, 2013, 11:00:36 PM
Cheers Garry - drank a fair of whack of Tooheys New in Oz myself but I was always more a Carlton Draught man myself - ya ever try it?
No, I didn't try the Carlton. I knew sweet FA about beer at the time. A schooner of Tooheys New was recommended to me when I landed, so that's what I drank while I was there. Mind you, I was only there for 6 days :o Still drank the shíte out of it :P
I'm getting a taste for Coopers sparkling ale though. It's expensive enough in the off-licences down here in the Rebel county, but it's niiice :) I must try the Coopers Sparkling Ale kit and see if it comes close.
I was more a VB man, Sydney's equivilent to carling. Pure pisswater and I love it.
Quote from: Garry on November 27, 2013, 11:11:42 PM
No, I didn't try the Carlton. I knew sweet FA about beer at the time. A schooner of Tooheys New was recommended to me when I landed, so that's what I drank while I was there. Mind you, I was only there for 6 days :o Still drank the shíte out of it :P
I'm getting a taste for Coopers sparkling ale though. It's expensive enough in the off-licences down here in the Rebel county, but it's niiice :) I must try the Coopers Sparkling Ale kit and see if it comes close.
Yep its a nice drop alright, I found it was a lot more popular the further north from Sydney I went.
Let me know how ya go with that kit if you try it?
Quote from: LordEoin on November 28, 2013, 02:23:29 PM
I was more a VB man, Sydney's equivilent to carling. Pure pisswater and I love it.
Pisswater is defo one way of describing it! Great to see you can buy them all over here though now.
My airlock is bubbling away now so hopefully all is well with the brew.
I think I may be in trouble .... My airlock has totally stopped bubbling.
The last time I remember it bubbling was Friday evening. I started the brew on wed evening and it bubbled vigorously until Friday, now nothing ... Should I be worried? Is there anything I can/should do?
Airlock stopped might not be a problem at all.
Maybe it bubbles when you step out of the room...
If you had activity and you didn't mess with the seal on your fermenter you should be good.
What temp are you fermenting at? If its a bit high the Yeast might be done partying already.
Leave it another week.
Check Gravity.
2 days later, check again.
If readings are taken at the same temp and are not the same, leave another few days.
Bottle once you get two same readings.
Take gravity and report back
Sterilise hydrometer and pop straight in don't bother drawing sample off to be chucked later.
John - it's defo not bubbling because it's within earshot of my sofa :-)
It's sitting between 18 and 20 degrees (see photo to come)
It just has me thinking because it's stopped bubbling a lot quicker than my first brew.
CH - take a peep at the photos
Gravity seems to be 1.018, that right?
Your temp is fine
It's not finished
Check lid on your fermenter is tight and bung/bubbler is tight
And don't be peeking...
Oh yeah forgot about newbies talking sneaky peekies, every time you do that you release pressure and it has to build up again, measure gravity in a week and see where you are.
Yep, I checked it all and it seems ok, doesn't appear to be anything loose.
It should still be bubbling though shouldn't it?
I'll take another reading in Tuesday maybe?
And I won't peek :P
Sorry, I'll measure it in a week so :)
If you're not sure if the yeast is still gettin' it on...
Press on the lid to see that the seal is good.
Press until the airlock mostly level.
Go to bed.
Check the following morning to see if the level is the same or unchanged.
I had a beer a few weeks ago, the yeast had stopped based on gravity and activity.
I had no time to bottle/keg, so left it another 2 weeks.
It started fermenting again, dropped a few points and bubbled again for a few days.
Quote from: johnrm on December 01, 2013, 10:24:07 PM
If you're not sure if the yeast is still gettin' it on...
Press on the lid to see that the seal is good.
Press until the airlock mostly level.
Go to bed.
Check the following morning to see if the level is the same or unchanged.
Funny you should say that because I just pressed on the lid and the level of water on both sides of the airlock is now level.
I shall go to bed shortly and report back any change tomorrow.
Yeah, as everyone's been saying, don't worry.
I've had this happen many times, brew goes nuts for 2-3 days then nothing on the airlock.
don't forget airlocks can be liars, gas/liquid will always take the easiest route out! or it may just be done.
Have the living room temps/heating times been changed?
Again, same as last time leave it alone. Yeasties will still be working away. :)
Cheers Damo
We haven't even had the heating on yet, living in a new enough build so we are pretty well insulated here.
Will leave everything alone and check again in a couple of days so.
Thanks again.
Pm sent!
Quote from: Garry on November 27, 2013, 11:11:42 PM
Quote from: fishjam45 on November 27, 2013, 11:00:36 PM
Cheers Garry - drank a fair of whack of Tooheys New in Oz myself but I was always more a Carlton Draught man myself - ya ever try it?
No, I didn't try the Carlton. I knew sweet FA about beer at the time. A schooner of Tooheys New was recommended to me when I landed, so that's what I drank while I was there. Mind you, I was only there for 6 days :o Still drank the shíte out of it :P
I'm getting a taste for Coopers sparkling ale though. It's expensive enough in the off-licences down here in the Rebel county, but it's niiice :) I must try the Coopers Sparkling Ale kit and see if it comes close.
Not wanting to sidetrack a thread, but if you do the Coopers sparkling ale kit, first grow a yeast starter from a bottle of the Coopers beer. The yeast that comes with the kit is not the original.
Sent from my HTC One
I checked the airlock on Monday morning and the water levels had changed - so could I presume there was some activity overnight? Pressed the lid until the water was level again and set off to work. Lunchtime Monday and the levels appeared to have changed again but there hasn't been a hint of any change since ....
What action is happening in the beer?
Is there a krausen? Any movement in the wort? etc
It might just be poorly sealed
There still appears to be a Krausen, I'm afraid to open the lid though.
The doesn't seem to be much else happening.
It's only my 2nd brew so I don't know how any of the seals could be damaged already ...
Might take another reading.
hit all around the top lip with your knuckles.
Remove the bubbler and grommet, wet the grommet, replace it and refit the airlock.
That sometimes works for me if it's not been sealed properly :)
Cheers LordEoin, will give that a try and report back.
Open the lid and take a picture co2 is heavier than air
Top tip put your strip thermometers on the vertical rather than horizontal to get more accurate readings
Ps they don't strip off and reattach well:(
Here's 2 pics ....
It's fine let it finish start taking readings back end of this week aka LE's method and plenty of sanitation doing that procedure.
Not aimed at you FJ, listen up class
JUST BECAUSE A BUBBLER STOPS BUBBLING DOES NOT MEAN FERMENTATION HAS FINISHED.
Cheers CH, that's what I wanted to hear.
I
but it's very disappointing when they stop singing their lovely song.
let me sing you a song of my people:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KIecmSnD5g
Bubblers are useless on beers, pointless pieces of plastic to placate people who would rather not use a hydrometer....there...I said it.
Dump the bubblers people, they're good for wine long term wines etc, but for the two weeks that's in it with a beer......you're better off with a lid with no hole in it and don't snap the lid down completely.
Quote from: LordEoin on December 04, 2013, 04:01:17 PM
but it's very disappointing when they stop singing their lovely song.
let me sing you a song of my people:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KIecmSnD5g
If I close my eyes I can see the flares of footage from the Americans invading Iraq!!
Chillout Bubbler for those quiet Sunday afternoons
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfMkPZnGQxw
Rapid fire!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVAH4w_6RGs
Or dog barking bubbler
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQFo3Lg2MAc
Or set to Music!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf3NlNDrhjs
Not sure which is sadder the guy trawling youtube for them or the fella that put them up there in the first place.
Jaysus yis are such bubbly characters ! :D
Back on a more serious note, I took another reading this morning.
Wed 27th: 1.042 (before yeast)
Sunday 1st Dec: 1.018
Saturday 7th Dec: 1.016
It smelled ok and I had a little taste of it too, wasn't too bitter or sweet anyway.
Here's the pic of today's reading.
Hold, Hold, HOLD! :)
Am holding holding HOLDING :D
How we doing Mr Fishy?
I'm still holding holding holding ;D
Brew is in the FV since Wed 27th November, so that makes it 2 weeks today.
Should be ready to bottle, just gotta take a reading. Short on bottles though . . .
empty some into pint glasses :D
1.016 seems quite high for a lager kit though
Just took another reading, have a look at the pic.
Should I be concerned or is this all good for a lager?
Wed 27th Nov:1.042
Sunday 1st Dec: 1.018
Saturday 7th Dec: 1.016
Friday 13th Dec: 1.014
Nope that's nearly done
cool, i'll keep waiting so, cheers :)
2nd Homebrew:
Wed 27th November
Tooheys Special Lager & Tin LME & 250gr Brewing Sugar
1.042 before yeast
Temp 22
Wed 27th Nov:1.042
Sunday 1st Dec: 1.018
Saturday 7th Dec: 1.016
Friday 13th Dec: 1.014
Wed 18th Dec: 1.012 - 1.014
Should I bottle now????
It should be fine to bottle now. I don't think it will drop any lower.
If you bottle tonight, you could start sampling on new years day ;D
Good man Garry, I like your way of thinking!!!!!
the tin of LME always leaves a few extra gravity points ;)
Good job!
Woohoo, just aswell it's perfect bottling weather tonite! Wouldn't put a cat out in that, tonites run is defo cancelled.
Nice to know that the LME leaves a few extra points, cheers.
Bottled it up last nite, happy out!!!
I poured a sample into a glass as I was bottling and popped it into the fridge.
I tasted it a while later when it was chilled, although it was flat as a pancake and still very young I was very impressed with it!!! Seems much nicer than my first brew already
Now for my next brew ..... Watch this space
Congrats FJ.
Now for the hardest bit, patience!
Thank you
Patience has never been my strong point though :P
Quote from: fishjam45 on December 19, 2013, 11:20:48 AM
Thank you
Patience has never been my strong point though :P
I find with regular brewing that there is a steady supply of beer which greatly helps the patience issue!
A steady supply of beer will solve most if life's little issues I've found ;)
Just checking in with an update on this brew.
Its been bottled since Dec 17th. I had a look at some of the bottles today and i noticed some small white dots falling from the surface of the beer after the bottle was slightly moved. Nearly like its snowing. Anyway, I just wanted to ask the question because its something i didnt notice on my first brew.
Have a look at the photos if you want to see what i'm seeing . . . Have put one bottle in the fridge, purely for sampling purposes only
it's probably fine.
how does it smell and taste?
just popped the bottle there . . . it smelled ok.
there was major offensive taste, as in it wasnt too sour or anything. what myself (and the missus) both tasted was a very slight bitter aftertaste. We also both thought that it might just need to mature a little.
Sounds grand. Give all the bottles a bit of a shake and it might drop down to the sediment
will do LordEoin, thanks for the advice
I was worried about nothing thank god! Those white floaters didn't harm it.
Poured a sample bottle this evening, just to check like, and this brew is fine.
Been bottled since dec 17th so it probably needs a bit more time but that's ok.
Don't forget best not to bottle in clear bottles and the ones you have keep fully covered from light.
It looks great, bring some in the 23rd !
I'm happy to say that I have no clear bottles in my ownership :)
No clear bottles eh whose are those in #58 ;)
jaysis nothing gets passed you! I'd only renovated my shed today and put all my bottled brews and emptys on my new shelves out there, needless to say the majority were brown (a few green ones snuck in). That clear bottle is in a press in the kitchen and i had forgotten about it . . . until you just reminded me of it :)
at least its nowhere near UV light anyway being tooked up in a kitchen press . . .
If it tastes as good as it looks, I'll be over the wall!
tis drinkable at least . . .