I am looking to get my second brew on the go tomorrow. I have a wilko hoppy copper bitter kit and I want to add 1kg young's brew enhancer and 500gr medium dry malt extract. Will this be ok? I'm New to this and want to have a bit of a tinker with this bitter.
advice
- Thread starter jimbo1982
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As you haven't got an answer why not try it and let us know how it turns out. :thumb:
Can't see why it wouldn't work, the enhancer is half sme, adding the extra will just give you more strength and body, it sounds to me like you'll have improved it.
Not sure if I have a problem. Noticed the airlock level has gone back to the same on both sides. I know I have a good seal as it bubbles when I press down on the fv lid. The level was higher on one side yesterday and there is a ring of scum around the inside so I know something has/is going on. Should I be worried? I know it's only been on a few days but thought I should ask.
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Well like you say sounds like something has gone on so initially there is no reason to worry..
It has only been a few days and the first few days are when the fermenting is much more vigorous.
Personally I would say relax, wait a few days and take a hydrometer test.. Is there still a foamy patchy head on it?
From the look of it through the fermenter wall I can see some foam but I've not opened it to check so not sure if I'm honest.
Frogbrew
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I don't even open my fv the first week, be patient, I leave mine for two weeks then do a hydro test, if all good I bottle, simples:smile:
I like the hoppy copper, not too bitter and good for tinkering with, got another to go in my fv for crimbo next week.
Forgot to mention I don't even have an airlock on my fv, it would only make me faff about with it:smile:
Have em on my t/c and wows though.
I like the hoppy copper, not too bitter and good for tinkering with, got another to go in my fv for crimbo next week.
Forgot to mention I don't even have an airlock on my fv, it would only make me faff about with it:smile:
Have em on my t/c and wows though.
Scaff
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I start mine and pop them in a cupboard (3 at a time some times) and forget about them, I just check on them from week to week, no airlocks (unless wine) I give it 2 weeks with a couple of visual checks, then a hydrometer reading after that till it ferments out and bottle/keg.
Scaff
Scaff
Had this on since the 25/10 and the sg was approx 1050(hard to tell coz of the foam) checked over the last 2 days and showin as1020 on both days. Should I expect this to be lower? I only ask because I added 1kg brew enhancer and 500gr med dry malt so was expecting a lower reading.
1050 down to 1020 in 10 or so days sounds about right.
I would be inclined to leave it another couple of days, check with the hydrometer again on say Saturday and if not moved on down from 1020 give it a gentle stir (with a sanitised stirrer) to put some of the yeast which may have settled out at the bottom back into suspension.
This should be enough to re-invigorate things and get your SG down a bit more over another week.
Also, double check the temperature is still at the correct level - it has got colder in the last couple of days.
I would be inclined to leave it another couple of days, check with the hydrometer again on say Saturday and if not moved on down from 1020 give it a gentle stir (with a sanitised stirrer) to put some of the yeast which may have settled out at the bottom back into suspension.
This should be enough to re-invigorate things and get your SG down a bit more over another week.
Also, double check the temperature is still at the correct level - it has got colder in the last couple of days.
Thanks Spapro. I work the alcohol content to approx 3.8 % so will try what you have suggested so I can maybe get it a bit higher.
Ideally it would be good to get it down to 1010/1012/1014.
Not only to get the alcohol level up but if it hasn't fermented out fully (or close to fully) when it does its secondary ferment you run the risk of creating bottle bombs if there are still lots of unfermented sugars left in the brew when bottling.
Less of a risk if keging but you would still be overcarbonating the brew during secondary fermentation due to the unused/unfermented sugar levels in the brew at the point of keging.
Good luck with it, sure it will be great !
Not only to get the alcohol level up but if it hasn't fermented out fully (or close to fully) when it does its secondary ferment you run the risk of creating bottle bombs if there are still lots of unfermented sugars left in the brew when bottling.
Less of a risk if keging but you would still be overcarbonating the brew during secondary fermentation due to the unused/unfermented sugar levels in the brew at the point of keging.
Good luck with it, sure it will be great !
A stir should do it - I have a Wilkos Golden Ale two can kit fermenting at the moment - at 18-19C, after 10 days of bubbling airlock everything stopped at 1020. A gentle stir 4 days ago and within hours the lid was bulging and the airlock has again been bubbling regularly ever since the stir.
Make sure you sanitise your hands and the stirrer to avoid contaminating the brew whilst opening/stirring.
Make sure you sanitise your hands and the stirrer to avoid contaminating the brew whilst opening/stirring.
I will do this tonight I think. I sanitised all my stuff last night so I could get a stout on the go so will do it again later and stir the bitter up. Should I put the spoon on the bottom and stir? Will it do any harm disturbing the deposit on the bottom?
Redron
Regular.
Agreed, a GENTLE stir should be all that's required, just enough to pick up a little of the trub (sediment at the bottom), two to three seconds should do it without oxygenating your brew .
Patience is the brewers best friend ........
Agree with Redron, a GENTLE stir - you are NOT trying to airate the wort or completely mix it all back up.
Your spoon/stirrer probably wont reach the bottom of the bucket - which is a good thing - just gently stir as Ron says to just lift some of the settled yeast off the trub back into the main wort.
Your spoon/stirrer probably wont reach the bottom of the bucket - which is a good thing - just gently stir as Ron says to just lift some of the settled yeast off the trub back into the main wort.
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