Day 1

[Heyzy]

Hi there,

This is my first time brewing and have decided to go with a lager kit. I was just wondering about a couple of things,

1, should i tightly close the fermentation bucket lid or leave it open a bit?

2, when should i use the hydrometer?

3, how does a pressure barrel work?

Many thanks,

Heyzy

 

[Mark1964]

Hi welcome you can snap the lid tight as long as you have an airlock if not just cover and leave loose. You will need to test with hydrometer at the start of fermentation again in the middle and again at the end usually after a week. It will tell you if fermentation has ended. When your lager has finished fermenting you can put it in the pressure barrel which will need to be primed with sugar. then pressure will build and dispense your lager. You may want to invest in a c02 cartridge to dispense the rest when the barrel gets low on pressure.

 

[Runwell-Steve]

Hi, welcome to the forum :drink:

As Mark says, you can put the lid on tightly if you have an airlock, if you don't have an airlock just leave space for the gas to escape.
During fermentation a lot of CO2 is produced and this needs to be able to escape otherwise the pressure will build up in the bucket.

You should test the gravity of the wort with the hydrometer before you pitch the yeast, this will tell you the amount of sugar there is in the wort that could potentially become alcohol. You would be looking for something in the region of 1040.

You should also use the hydrometer to test if fermentation has finished, usually after 7 to 10 days, the reading should be closes to 1012, if it stays constant like that then you are fine to put into bottles.

I can't see any reason to test the gravity of the wort in the middle of fermentation as Mark suggests, I can't see what this would tell you.

The pressure barrel is where you put the beer to dispense it from. Once fermentation has finished you would transfer the wort to the pressure barrel, adding some sugar. The sugar then undergoes some fermentation in the barrel, producing CO2, which creates pressure in the barrel and carbonates the beer slightly. I say slightly as pressure barrels can only really hold about 10psi, which isn't really enough to carbonate a lager. It's OK for traditional Ales, but for lager you would be better off using bottles.

 

[Mark1964]

I usually check with the hydrometer in the middle just to see how fermentation is progressing thats just my way it doesnt have to be done

 

[Heyzy]

Thanks for the replies, just a couple more questions

Once i start to bottle after 10 days or when its ready how long should i leave it in the bottles before drinking?

I hope the bottling is easier than it sounds as im doing it with a syphen from the bucket without a tap on.

 

[gurtpint]

Don't bottle until you've had the same gravity reading using your hydrometer for 3 days - this will ensure that the fermentation is finished.

Condition the bottled beer according to the original gravity - for example if the gravity was 1.040 leave it for four weeks, 1.050 - 5 weeks etc. The beer will keep for ages and will only get better the longer you'll leave it.

 

[Heyzy]

Should it be left for example for 4 weeks in the same place i fermented it or in a cooler place? I have just looked at the bucket and there seems to be a very good head on it which i think is correct. The hydrometer reading was 1040 at the start which indicates 4 weeks in bottle. How long will the beer last for in bottles?

 

[Mark1964]

after bottling leave somewhere warm for a week or so then move to somewhere cool to condition it should last at least 6 months bottled maybe longer

 

[Heyzy]

Think it will only last a couple of weeks in my house lol. I was looking over the internet and it seems some people use muntons beer ehancer, is this good to put in lager indtead of the sugar at the start. Seen a bag in tesco for £2 i just used sugar from local brew shop.

How much sugar sugar should be put into 275ml bottles when bottling?

 

[Dave1970]

I hope the bottling is easier than it sounds as im doing it with a syphen from the bucket without a tap on.

Bottling with that won't be easy, you're likely to end up with a lot of spillage. AT LEAST get a tap for the end of your syphon tube, that should be very cheap from your LHBS.
Better than that is a thing called a 'Little Bottler' or Bottle Filling Stick, this fits onto a tap, the one on your pressure barrel might well be suitable if it's one of the budget kegs that usually come with starter packs. You then push the bottle up against it which opens a valve and fills the bottle, as soon as you move the bottle the flow stops. So what you would do is attach the LB to your barrel, sterilise the barrel and then siphon all your beer into the barrel leaving as much sediment as possible behind. You'd then leave it for a day or 2 to settle some more and then bottle from the barrel.

 

[Heyzy]

I was thinking it will be hard. I will have a look for a tap for the syphen. I havent purchased a barrel yet but probably will for my second brew. I have looked at the little bottler and they look good. Could i fit a tap to the bucket i have got now?

 

[Dave1970]

Ah sorry, I got the impression you'd already got a barrel.
You could fit a tap to your FV, and I would, going to be difficult this time while it's full of beer though. A second FV, with tap would be cheaper than a barrel. Make sure it's the smaller tap that fits the Little Bottler.

I have an FV that I just use as a bottling bucket, it has the tap that comes with the Little Bottler fitted. Once fermentation's done (steady gravity for 3 days and usually drops pretty clear as well). I transfer to the bottling bucket using the tap on the FV and a length of silicon hose. The hose reaches right down to the bottom of the bucket so there's a minimum of splashing....you don't want to be getting a lot of air mixed in at this stage. Bottling bucket then gets lifted up onto the workbench, left for day or 2 to clear and then bottle.

Sterilising bottles is a bit of a chore. I now run them through the dishwasher (with the rinse aid turned off) to get them physically clean and then put them in a 105 degree oven for half an hour, this only works 'cos I have an electric fan oven with very accurate temp control. This takes longer than sterilising & rinsing but I can do other stuff while it's doing it. I have bought some StarSan, which is no rinse so might try that next time.

275ml bottles are going to be doubly time consuming, you'd need 80 of 'em for 22 litres. I'd see if a local pub will let you have a rummage in their bottle bins and get some 500ml or pint bottles. The Bulmers and Gaymers cider bottles are good because they hold a full pint (568mls).

It's still worth putting a few into 275's as testers, say you try one after 3 weeks and it still tastes a bit ropy...at least you've only wasted 275mls of your precious brew.

 

[Heyzy]

I think will defo purchase another bucket and a littler bottler before i do my next batch. Evryone on her has been very helpful,

Thanks

I will keep this updated at each stage.

 

[cask is best]

after bottling leave somewhere warm for a week or so then move to somewhere cool to condition it should last at least 6 months bottled maybe longer

Hi Mark. I have lager bottled from last May tooked away and was planning to leave at least a year maybe two. Six months don't sound to long

 

[Heyzy]

Ok so im now 3 days into fermenting and the brew has lost its head but is bubbling away nice. Is this correct to have no head. I know the bubbles should beer there but thought it would have a head till the end of fermentation?

 

[Dave1970]

that's normal....all's well :thumb:

 

[Heyzy]

Update: Im now 5 days in and the reading on the hydrometer is 1020 so dropping nicely and smells lovely. Im hoping to be able to bottle my beer on tuesday as im off (if its ready).

I was just wondering how you work out the final % of the brew if this is possible. And how much sugar to put into the following bottles:
275ml -
330ml -
500ml -
568ml -
I know its going to be hard to measure with just a tea spoon so has anyone got a any other suggestions?

Many thanks.

 

[aneray]

Batch prime mate.

Mix all the priming sugar required (usually around 80g) with a little hot water to dissolve and place into your second fermenter/bottling bucket. Syphon your beer carefully onto the sugar solution keeping out as much air as possible and then bottle as normal. This will give all the bottles an even distribution of the priming sugar.

With experience you can increase/decrease the amounts of priming sugar to suit your own taste of fizzyness.

 

[Heyzy]

I will have to do it by putting the sugar directly into the bottles as i dont have a second bucket and cant really afford to by another before it will need bottling as its the end of the month.

 

[Dave1970]

Agree with Aneray, if you're using a mixture of different bottles that's going to be a right pain, so batch prime. For lager I'd go a bit higher than 80g, maybe 100 to 120g. If you must I guess you're looking at half teaspoon for a 500 ml, same for 568 ml, maybe a bit more for lager.
The alcohol content you use the 'Calculators' link top left of the forum. Put in your original gravity (1040) and your final gravity to the ABV calculator and it'll tell you the %