Just started on my 1st kit

[CB_Phil]

so I finally started on my 1st kit, Murtons Connoisseur Export Stout.
All okish, final temp a little high. stick on thermometer says 28c but Im already on 23ltrs. Specific Gravity is 1045 w/correction.
Not sure how it will work, but cant cool it anymore so reckon Ill add the yeast & see how I get on.

oh, also noticed a slight leak @ the tap, Doh!!!

sure the 1st is always about learning what to do/ not to do

on a plus, the advice of heating the spray malt in a pan to stop clumping in the FV works a treat, althou I reckon thats where the extra temp came from as I didnt allow for the extra hot water Id be adding 

[CB_Phil]

Few pics,

All ready & hopes high


mixing the ingredients & following the very good 'How to' offa here


where it goes wrong, little high temp & a leak, maybe wrong location of the seal? Just wanted a little inside the FV as possible

[Garry]

Good man. If I took pictures on my first brew I would definitely have made a balls of it 


The temperature will probably be ok. Next time you can just leave the bucket cool down by itself a few degrees with the lid on before pitching the yeast. I usually have a few 1 litre bottles of water in the freezer. You can strap them to the bucket to cool it down during fermentation if needed. The high temp is probably fine for the first 24hrs anyway, it will give the yeast a head start. When the krausen starts to form at the top it's best to get the temperature within the correct range then.


Try giving the whole tap assembly a turn 90° clockwise from the outside. It might be enough to stop the drip. I find that when the tap is turned at 90°, you can put the bucket straight down on the floor and not bang it off anything.


You've probably spotted it already, but there's a motorbike parked in your house 

[DEMPSEY]

You've probably spotted it already, but there's a motorbike parked in your house 

Lots of us amatuer photographers do that  it is the policy here to look beyond the pic.
oh and congrats on your first brew.

[CB_Phil]

Cheers lads, think a few colder bottles would be an idea for next time as they were all @ room temp


& yep, shes my 1st bike & 1st ever build too, couldnt part w/her but also too small for me now to ride, so what better than have her in the house

[Garry]

shes my 1st bike & 1st ever build too

Respect 

[LordEoin]

If you need to keep temp down and using DME just put it and any other dry fermentables into the FV, then add the boiling water, pick up the FV and swirl, then add the goop.
The swirling action disolves dry malt better with no clumping 

Well done on your first brew. I hope you get the tap sorted out.

[Garry]

If you need to keep temp down and using DME just put it and any other dry fermentables into the FV, then add the boiling water, pick up the FV and swirl, then add the goop.

I think that's where I was going wrong. I threw the DME in on top of the boiling water  You could stir it with a grout mixer and it wouldn't get the clumps out. Still fermented though 

[CB_Phil]

Managed to get it w/out clumps, but I boiled it in water before adding, so I reckon that would have upped the end temperature, didnt help either Id say the water I used was @ room temp, so not much cooling from that really. Live & learn I guess

[CB_Phil]

Temp has come down to bout 23c now & looks like the leak has stopped or @ least reduced. I guess the pressure in the vessel is helping the seal.
did however find another problem in the shape of a nice circular mark the diameter of the FV on herselfs newly varnished dinner table, whoops

[Garry]

Temp has come down to bout 23c now & looks like the leak has stopped or @ least reduced. I guess the pressure in the vessel is helping the seal.
did however find another problem in the shape of a nice circular mark the diameter of the FV on herselfs newly varnished dinner table, whoops

You might want to put the bike outside before she does a revenge attack?

[CB_Phil]

LOL, I thought her to ride w/that bike, so she has some attachment too, so hopefully the bikes safe. I did hoover & mop the floors. Sure she was meant to give the table another coat 

[Garry]

She sounds alright  But this is probably the most important step in LordEoin's How-to:

Clean up, or face the wrath of SWMBO...

[CB_Phil]

I did spot that alright, definitely sound advice. I Should learn to pay more attention to instructions

[johnrm]

I have found that when tightening the Spigot on buckets, resist the temptation of turning the easier-to-grip tap.
Tighten the nut on the INSIDE of the bucket.
If you tighten the tap from the outside, the gasket can move and you can end up if moving into the gap between the hole and the thread on the spigot.
You probably won't have a leak, but it can weep, the biggest concern being the risk of infection.