Be gentle, I'm popping my beer brewing cherry today!

[Pilot Pete]

Hi all

Quick hello as I have two firsts today. First post on here and first attempt at brewing some beer!

I bought my equipment yesterday and had a good read last night before setting to today with some Munstons Premium Gold Smugglers Ale!!!!

Having read through some How To guides on here and the instructions on the box, I am a little confused as to wether I have done everything correctly :?

Firstly, everything was scrupulously cleaned using Young's U Brew steriliser and Cleaner. Then rinsed with cold water. I prepared my 23 ltrs of tap water with a half Campden tablet, which I read on here :thumb:

I stood the tins in hot water for more than five minutes, then used boiled prepared water to flush the contents into the bucket. Unfortunately I burnt my fingers and dropped one of them into the bucket briefly, Arggghhh! Have I ruined it before even getting going?

I then topped up to 23ltrs inthe bucket and added the yeast, after a good stir. I have now read something in one of the guides that leaves me confused. The box instructions say to just 'add the rehydrated yeast', whereas a guide on here says you should use distilled water to correctly rehydrate the yeast. Have I made another error? It seemed a little strange to me to have rehydrated yeast, which was a bone dry powder in a sachet?!?

So, should I scrap the lot now and try again, or see what happens. Thing is I need my home brew for a summer party on the 10th July, where all the guys have to bring some home made beer; bit of a competition!

Your advice would be welcome.

Cheers

PP

 

[31bb3]

Congratulations on breaking your brewing cherry
I think you will be ok remember to pick up the hot cans with a teatowel or something similar
Ive done quite a few muntons kits previously i personally just sprinkle the yeast over the wort put the lid on the FV and away it goes :thumb:
Did you check the temerature before pitching your yeast
I think you will be ok and drinking soon enough :drink:

 

[Dieseljockey]

Hi welcome...

Hopefully the boiling water would have sterilised the outside of the can... :pray:

 

[Pilot Pete]

Did you check the temerature before pitching your yeast?

Err, no. The instructions on the kit didn't say to! I used 3.5ltrs of boiling water to empty the tins (as per the instructions) and then topped off with the remainder of the 23ltrs of treated cold water. This I had in the barrel, which I allowed to pour into the bucket off a tall stool, so it mixed and frother up well. I did a bit of stirring with the paddle too and then just sprinkled the yeast over the top as per the instructions. The fermenter is now covered and standing on the counter. The instructions say 18-20C, the guy in the shop reckoned room temperature is just fine, but keep it constant (i.e. no heating and cooling with the central heating on/off).

Another question is the instructions sayleave to stand for 4-6 days, on here the guide says a few days more. Which is best? Is it just waiting for the hydrometer to read constant below 1014? Does constant mean a constant SG below 1014, or just constantly reading less than 1014 (i.e variable but lower than 1014)?!? I assume it should reach something below 1014 and then stop, remaining constant, i.e the process has stopped?

Cheers thus far.

PP

 

[31bb3]

once your gravity stays at under 10.14 for a couple of days

 

[Dieseljockey]

With 23 L of cold water going into 3.5 L of hot... you should be ok...do you have a thermometer stuck on the fv????

 

[Tony]

Nice to meet you! Providing the wort wasn't too hot, you'll be fine pitching dry yeast with that kit.

Sit back, relax, open a beer and within the next 12 hours or so you'll see all the magic start to happen!

Everything you do will be a learning experience and thankfully there are shed-loads of learning experiences in here. We're all still learning and we still all ask questions.

Have fun!
:

 

[Pilot Pete]

Thanks guys

No temperature gauge attached to the bucket (FV? =Fermenting Vessel?). Should I get one? If so, what do I need, something simple and stick on, or more complicated?

The lid is on the bucket and it seems to have expanded a little with pressure.....presumably the process underway. Do I need to leave the lid on or let the pressure out by 'cracking' the lid as I don't want the utility room re-decorated a funny shade of brown!

PP :drunk:

p.s. It was 3.5ltr of boiling water topped up to 23ltr total with cold, i.e. 19.5ltr of cold. Still, bucket was slightly warm to the touch when mixed and the yeast added. Still don't get the 're-hydrated' dry yeast label! Surely it is de-hydrated!?

 

[Dieseljockey]

Right...yes you need a thermometer!!..a sticky one will do fine for now...get one off Ebay or from where you got your kit.
Sound to me like you ain't got no AIRLOCK boyo..if you have the lid pressurised like you say you have...you should not have to "crack the lid" that needs to stay closed for the fermention period..you don't want nasties getting into your brew...you need to buy a cork and airlock at the same place you buy your thermometer :thumb:

 

[Samarith]

I don't use thermometers or airlocks for kit beers.

The destructions always seem to call for a lot more cold water than boiling, so if anything the yeast will have a slow start as the brew comes up to room temperature.

The standard 5 gallon beer FVs just don't seal tight enough to require an airlock for CO2 release, though I have seen a post were a FV with airlock semi exploded (I may one day eat my words )

That said both items are useful and will only improve your chances of a good brew

 

[Dieseljockey]

Fair comment....for me I'll play safe..don't take chance's....by watching the airlock for a short while will also show you how active the brew is....just a visual indication...

 

[Pilot Pete]

The standard 5 gallon beer FVs just don't seal tight enough to require an airlock for CO2 release

I have a Richies 23ltr fermentation bin, which sure does seal tight enough! I came down this morning and the lid was stretched into a dome and the base wasn't flat anymore either!

Spoke to the chap who supplied the gear this morning and he said crack the lid and remove the pressure without letting any air in. Sounded tricky, but actually was easy. Where the little cutout is to get your fingers in to open the lid I simply started to pull on the tab and a hiss started. Held it until most of the pressure was gone and then just let it re-seal.....job done! He reckoned that he never puts the lid on fully and the sample he gave me to try tasted great, straight from the barrel, so I am guessing that a complete airtight seal can't me an absolute necessity?

For future brews though, how do I fit an airlock and cork; do I have to drill a hole in the lid? Or do I have to buy different kit to allow this

Thanks again.

PP

 

[Aleman]

I don't use an airlock in any of my beer fermenters. None of them have lids that fit as tight as yours, but if they did all I would do would be to unclip a few inches of the seal . . . during active fermentation nothing is going to get in there.

Leave the airlocks for the wine makers

 

[rickthebrew]

How`s the brew coming along Pete?

 

[zigga]

Glad to hear you've popped the brewing cherry :thumb: - I have my virgin brew going at the moment so I am a newby like you...

My FV didn't have an airlock and I cracked the lid slightly from the off and didn't have an issue with the fermentation. It went for a week at which point I checked the gravity over 2 days and it was constant at 1012 so I racked into a pressure barrel with 115g of dextrose (didn't want to bottle my first brew, but will go for this option with my next brew - Muntons IPA).

I have bought an airlock and I plan to drill a hole in the top of the FV and pop it in there BUT this I will only use this as a visual indication of when fermentation is slowing, not when it's complete. I use the trusty hydrometer to tell me when it's complete.

I've been reading that some people check the hydro reading and even though the beer maybe ready they leave it in the FV for another week or so. Personally I didn't do this and I am sure they'll come a point where the yeasties start giving off bad vibes making your beer taste rank so I don't know if there is an abolsute limit on how long you could leave it in your FV.

Good luck with the brew - I'm sure it will taste superb!!! :party:

:

 

[snail59]

Zigga I wouldn't bother drilling your FV lid for an air lock. If you just put the lit on you can feel the pressure in the lid if the lid is tight as a drum just crack the seal to release pressure when fermentaition is slowing pressure on the lid is noticable to the touch. I left my kit brews in the FV for 10 days before bottling.