First Home Brew Started this evening . . .

[fishjam45 (Colin)]

Hahaaaa!
So ya reckon 18-20 days somewhere warm then hide em in the cold shed?

Glad u like the sig Damo

[Ciderhead]

squeeze them once a week and when the plastic bottle goes hard put one in the fridge overnight and crack the next day.
Post a picture!
If you are happy with it out to the shed with the rest.
The longer you leave it the better it will be.
2 Carbonation drops is too much if you are going to leave them 12 months.
Cleaning lots of of trub from the bottom of coopers bottles is a pita as they have ridges, hence my comment about letting as much as you can fall out in primary.

[fishjam45 (Colin)]

I see what you mean about the crap in the bottom of the bottle - there was a loada gunk in the bottom of my trial jar, don't fancy cleaning that outta a load of bottles!

Here's a reading from today

[LordEoin]

You're going to have more crap in the trial jar anyway, it settles in the tap.

[Ciderhead]

Yeah it's finished
What you could do is take it to a cold place overnight being careful not to disturb the crap at the bottom and let the worst of it fall over a couple of days and then bottle and bring the bottles back to the warm to carb them

You are always gonna get some element of muck in the bottom and you have to be careful with pouring young beers so as not to disturb sediment, with stuff i had in the shed last year it almost formed a solid in the bottom of some plastic bottles and I had to give them a right cleaning to get it out

96 sleeps till NHC Competition.

[LordEoin]

Feic the sediment. it's good for you.
bottle it up! 

[Ciderhead]

be careful in drinking lots of yeast it can have adverse impact on your metabolism


96 sleeps till NHC Competition.

[fishjam45 (Colin)]

Woohoo I'll get bottling so!!!!

[fishjam45 (Colin)]

It is with great pleasure I can say that I bottled my first home brew yesterday evening! (I waited 2 weeks)
I'd like to thank everyone who gave me advice along the way, I didn't realise how much I've learned until I was telling a guy in work about it all and found myself babbling on for ages  ....
I bottled 24 Ox Bar bottles each with 1 and a half carb drops and 36 x 330ml glass bottles each with one drop each.
Wiped out the FV straight after then left the Lidl w5 mix soaking in it overnight. Gave it a rinse out today and I hope to get my next brew into it over the next few days, after I Sanitise it of course.
Thanks again guys!!!

[Ciderhead]

I'm sure you won't but don't leave those 500ml of bars over 3 months as one carbonation drop is plenty, they are also feckers to cut, when you get your second bucket and try batch priming you'll never look back.
Bring one to the jan meet and I'll bring one that is over 2.5 years and we can compare!


95 sleeps till NHC Competition.

[LordEoin]

Woot! it feels good to bet a batch into the bottles

[fishjam45 (Colin)]

Cheers guys, yep feels very good to get my first batch bottled!

[fishjam45 (Colin)]

woohoo!
Cracked open my first bottle tonight and I am delighted to say that my first homebrew is a success!

Notes?
Well, its definitely carbonated anyway.
Still a little cloudy, maybe it will clear up with more time?
I used a full tin LME and there is a very strong malt aftertaste, which is nice but maybe not such a strong taste next time would suit my pallet better . . . .
Anyway, I'm very happy with the results!

[Ciderhead]

Congrats!
Time will sort the other issues.
Looks like a lot or carbonation?One tab in a bottle that size 3 months and it will be perfect

[fishjam45 (Colin)]

Cheers CH!
So you reckon 3 months and it'll be at its best? Hope i can hold off that long!!!!
yep its defo carbonated! not too fussed though cos i like a slight bit of extra fizz