assistance for first timer

[trist077]

hi all
going to have a first go at brewing

i am going to start with magnum strawberry cider and plus need sugar to complete the kit
also how long will it keep in a barral and what sort of conditions should i store it in
unsure but when do u add sugar in the fermation bucket or barral later

is there any videos or guides you can link me to of the hole prodcure and barral gasing etc


is everything below all i need and whats the airlock for and when do i need to presureise the barral
i am getting a kit that includes

1x 30 Litre Food grade Clear Fermenting Bucket with lid Airlock and Grommet
1x 25 Litre Bottom Tap Pressure Barrel Complete with 50ml Cap “O” Ring and Pressure Valve System
1x Hydrometer (for telling when the beer has finished fermenting)
1x Thermometer (for making sure we have the right temperature for brewing)
1x Steriliser (everything that comes into contact with the beer needs to be spotless)
1x Siphon & U Tube for 25 Litre (for transferring the beer from the bucket to the barrel)
1x 10 Pack of 8g CO2 bulbs
1x Bulb Holder (for adding extra pressure to the barrel)
1x Mixing Spoon or Paddle

 

[JAK]

Hi mate, I'm by no means one of the more advanced brewers on here but think I can hopefully point you in the right direction. There is usually some brilliant people hanging around here who will give you some advice when they get a few minutes.

As for videos I especially found the CraigTube home brewing videos helpful on YouTube, there are a series of them taking you from the very basics to a more advanced level. Have a look around some of the suggestive links on the side of the page and you'll find hundreds of videos taking you step by step through various kits. This one I think will be a good starting point HERE.

The airlock is going to attached to the top of your FV (Fermentation Vessel) to make it airtight, if you fill it up with water as instructed in your instructions or on the YouTube videos it will allow your FV to bubble when fermenting. It allows the CO2 produced to escape and not cause a explosion and also stops air from the outside carrying various nasties from getting inside and spoiling your brew!

As for pressurising your barrel, you will do this when you transfer your FV contents (your fermented beer) from the FV and into your 1x 25 Litre Bottom Tap Pressure Barrel. This pressure again stops air from the outside getting inside and mixing with your beer which would spoil it and make it stale. It also means that when you come to take a pint of your completed beer the pressure means you'll be able to transfer the beer from the barrel into your pint glass with some force.

Again sorry if this is too basic for what you needed (I'm relatively a newbie myself) I'm sure someone can add to this.

 

[Mark1964]

looks like you have everything but the sterilising solution you dont necessarily need a barrel we use used pop bottles they are ideal with a pressure rating of 100psi so they wont burst. If you get serious about brewing then get a couple of cornelius kegs and a co2 bottle they are better than the barrels by far :