Brew Diary

[MirtazaPaul]

Today is day 4 of second attempt at brewing. Wilko stout kit, £12 cost.

So far, so good, I think.

Am fermenting in a cupboard at about 17 degrees Celsius, so slightly under recommended temp.

Could keg it today according to instructions, but plan to wait until day 6, which is this Wednesday

 

[Random Badger]

Are you taking hydrometer readings? You can't rely on the timescale quoted in the instructions for beer kits.

 

[Rodcx500z]

I would take a reading and i also would leave in the fv for 2 weeks, i have done this kit twice and it's very nice it will also get better with age

 

[labrewski]

Definitely unless using kveik I would wait 2 weeks
Sometimes even 3 weeks depending on hydrometer reading

 

[MirtazaPaul]

Cheers for replies everyone,

Yes, have been reading advice about longer ferm times. Don't have a hydrometer yet, will try and get one then.

I'm getting impatient as a first timer so it might be a case of seeing how long I can restrain myself!

Cheers

 

[MirtazaPaul]

PS

I've had a sniff of it and its smelling more alcoholic and less like a brewery now

 

[Slid]

It will not have finished even the primary (purple) fermentation at 17C yet. Here, once again, is John Palmer's representation of the fermentation process.

So, leave it for 2 weeks, like the others say.
What it says on the can label is there to make you buy it, not help you brew it.

 

[MirtazaPaul]

It will not have finished even the primary (purple) fermentation at 17C yet. Here, once again, is John Palmer's representation of the fermentation process.

View attachment 46446

So, leave it for 2 weeks, like the others say.
What it says on the can label is there to make you buy it, not help you brew it.

Thank you for that, appreciated

 

[MirtazaPaul]

Day 5
Tuesday 4th May (Star Wars Day)

Have tested beer with hydrometer. .. Tried it in test tube but wasn't working so dunked the thing reluctantly into my fermented. Reading was dead on 1.0 as far as I can tell.

 

[Random Badger]

Day 5
Tuesday 4th May (Star Wars Day)

Have tested beer with hydrometer. .. Tried it in test tube but wasn't working so dunked the thing reluctantly into my fermented. Reading was dead on 1.0 as far as I can tell.

What reading do you get when putting your hydrometer in plain water?

 

[MirtazaPaul]

What reading do you get when putting your hydrometer in plain water?

Hello Badger,
Same reading , pretty much. Am still getting my head around the baffling scale on it.

I plan to leave my brew for another week as per the advices of the experienced folk on here.

 

[Random Badger]

Hello Badger,
Same reading , pretty much. Am still getting my head around the baffling scale on it.

I plan to leave my brew for another week as per the advices of the experienced folk on here.

If it's reading the same for the beer as it does in water that does suggest that it has finished fermenting.

 

[MirtazaPaul]

Exciting!

Thanks for the tip.

 

[MirtazaPaul]

Have just dry hopped a second Wilko kit, their £16 hoppy IPA kit. I made a mistake when brewing but seem to have gotten away with it. The hops smell great, hopefully they will actually be perceptible!