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Brupak kit, Colne Valley Bitter

Started by nordic man, February 09, 2014, 08:39:39 PM

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nordic man

Hi all,

I got a Brupak Valley Bitter and there are a couple of things I would like to ask the people of brewing!

First of all, the instructions recomend boiling the dilluted wort for 5-10 minutes, this is apperantly a discussed method with kits, any experience from you guys? And I guess, I mix the concentrated wort with some hot and some cold water, and let it come to a boil, and then let it boil for 5-10 min.

There are also a few variations around when to add the hops (one bag of hops in the kit). I do like a hoppy flavour, so maby adding the hops at the end of the fermentation would be better than in the beginning?? The instructions say I could add the bag in the secondary fermenter, does that mean in the fermenter I have the priming sugar, and right before I bottle the beer?? Sounds a bit strange to me. The instructions doesn't say how long the secondary fermentation should last.

And about the yeast, should I stirr vigorously before or after I have added the yeast?

Also, the instructions say I shold cover the fermentationbucket loosely, what does that mean? have the lid on halfarsed, put a teatowel over?

Hope for some good advice here, new brewer, but I am up and coming :-)

LordEoin

Hi there!

instructions recomend boiling the dilluted wort for 5-10 minutes - most kits you wouldn't boil. But if it says to do it, then do. grab a big saucepan and boil it with about 3 liters.

Maby adding the hops at the end of the fermentation would be better than in the beginning??  - yup, wait til the foam and bubbles have died down.
secondary fermenter, does that mean in the fermenter I have the priming sugar, and right before I bottle the beer?? - nope. You ferment in primary, you clear in secondary, priming/bottling is separate.
how long the secondary fermentation should last - depends on the beer. 1 or 2 weeks would be a good generalization.
There was a handy timeline around here at some stage 1,2,3 - 1 week in primary, 2 weeks in secondary, 3 weeks in bottle.
But you're best basing your times on the beers activity rather than schedules

should I stirr vigorously before or after I have added the yeast?
- yest to get air into the wort

cover the fermentationbucket loosely, what does that mean? - they mean to not close it fully. ignore it and fit your lid and airlock like normal

nordic man

thanks for good answers!

About the yeast, is there a difference if I stirr before or after i mix it with the wort?


Greg2013

Quote from: nordic man on February 10, 2014, 07:19:26 AM
thanks for good answers!

About the yeast, is there a difference if I stirr before or after i mix it with the wort?

You need to stir like the devil to get plenty of oxygen into the wort so that the yeast can work efficiently and so it will not get stressed out, if you stir the wort first and you spill a little while stirring you just have a mess to clean up, however if you stir after pitching the yeast and you spill some you will lose some of that yeast as well. :D
"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet."  Gen. James 'Mad Dog' Mattis USMC(Ret.)

Ciderhead

Always better to stir the wort first and then add your yeast.

The foam that you create allows an environment that oxygenates and rehydrates the yeast gradually (even though a lot of modern yeasts no longer need hydration) by the time the foam has died down the yeast is fully hydrated and ready to go to work as it descends onto the top of your wort.