Brewferm Framboos - Beginner - tips appreciated

[starspud1]

I realise that i may be posting somewhat random questions on these forums - i apologise, i'm trying to find my feet, please bear with me.

After a few homemade cider and beer recipes (maybe tramp juice) i had chance to purchase a beer kit from a homebrew shop. I purchased Brewferm Framboos. It's a tin thing and i'll be honest i'm feeling somewhat intimidated by this. There's no english on the outside, and i don't want to muck it up.

Am i out of my depth folks? I've read this is a good beer. Maybe i'll need to buy some bottles coz i haven't got any at the moment. I'm thinking plastic? Wheres the best place? I've run out of pop bottles

Cheers
bazza

 

[Mr BR]

tesco value 2 litre water 17p a bottle or local home brew shop for 500ml plastic coopers screw top re usable bottles or some of the big supermarket stores like tesco extra do some home brewing equipment hope this helps and good luck

 

[Mr BR]

ps as for instructions on the brewferm kit try looking on there web site most companies have instructions or brewing info some where on there sites if not able to find it somebody on here should be able to post a link to something useful.

 

[starspud1]

Thanks Mr BR, looks quite straightforward, in fact maybe easier than all the faffing i were doing before.
Good idea about the PET bottles, though i think i'd rather bottle in individual bottles than a larger 2 litre one. I doubt it'd make a difference to the overall taste but its the image in summertime with friends around that i'm thinking about.

 

[Mr BR]

i know what you mean when having guests but you can always re use 500ml coke or other fizzy drinks bottles or go to your local pub and ask for there empty glass bottles either 500ml usually cider bottles or 330ml bud or miller bottles for individual servings or as i do put it in 2 litre bottles and when ready to serve take your empty jug out of the fridge which will chill it nicely and put the whole 2 litre in the jug and let the guests serve them selves and they never see a 2 litre bottle all nite just some options hope this helps :thumb:

 

[alanywiseman.]

As another option I go to my local recycling centre and raid the glass recycling bins. Watch out for broken glass though.

 

[Shayler]

There should be English instructions under the plastic lid

 

[starspud1]

Good idea on the 2 litre jug Mr BR. I did just see a post somewhere on someone using a barrel but as cool as that seems i guess it'd be a rather expensive tool for someone like me.
As for the Pubs, i've tried that already and certainly the Crown pubs won't let anyone have bottles as the 'get collected for recycling'. At this point i kinda gave up, maybe i should try some more 'independent' pubs. I didn't know the recycling centre would allow you to take bottles. Isn't it illegal?

 

[Walker]

as Shayler said they instructions are under the lid, if not then i can email you a .pdf of them

read them over a few times to be clear about water amounts

 

[alanywiseman.]

If taking bottles from glass recycling bins is illegal I plead complete ignorance! I don't see why it would be though, thy are just going to get taken away and melted down.

 

[jaquiss2005]

Bottles - try your local Wetherspoons. I have used mine a few times and they are only too happy to let me take empty bottles off them. Usually in a large recycler at the back of the bar

 

[starspud1]

as Shayler said they instructions are under the lid, if not then i can email you a .pdf of them

read them over a few times to be clear about water amounts

Found the instructions under the lid in a million languages.. sorry i was having a lazy moment :hmm:
Looks relatively simple, surprised at the low amount of sugar thats needed.

I've got a Wetherspoons near me as well, just phoned them and they seem happy for me to take some Magners bottles Nice one that man who suggested it :)

I'm quite excited, though i don't have anything to put a cap on the bottles.

Tomorrows hopefully the day i'll get started so fingers crossed

PS... would it be reasonable to keep the yeast after it's finished doing its thing and reusing it? I've read about this practice elsewhere on the forum and wondered if it'd be beneficial here, or should i just buy the whole thing again if i like it?
cheers

 

[starspud1]

Update on the Bottles....

JD Wetherspoons have said 'not company policy' to allow people to take bottles :nono:

Harvester pub - seems ok but they don't sell much cider so will be hardly any bottles

Seems my local independent pub are happy for me to root around the bins at the back - 'take what you want' he said. Sadly they don't use crates so that's another hunt i'll need to go on..
Any crate ideas? It's been suggested i try a dairy farm :wha:

 

[oz11]

My lunchtime 'spoons save me bottles, it's just a case of getting to know the shift leaders and asking them. They have put a box behind the bar for me. I'd better not name them as it's against company policy :lol: , but, really, rather than phoning just get to know the staff that work there. :)

 

[starspud1]

My lunchtime 'spoons save me bottles, it's just a case of getting to know the shift leaders and asking them. They have put a box behind the bar for me. I'd better not name them as it's against company policy :lol: , but, really, rather than phoning just get to know the staff that work there. :)

I understand what you mean, but i've been sorted with the bottles - cut my hands delving around the bins at the back (and boy there were a lot of them!). Got about 40 Kopparberg bottles and 30 Magners bottles.
Removed the labels with relative ease, cleaned and put in the shed with a towel over them until ready.

In the meantime - i've made the beer!! The raspberry smells very 'synthetic'... is it supposed to be like that?

SG was 1.040, apparently needs to go down to 1.010 according the the instructions.. i'll have to google the abv with a calculator but fingers crossed eh?