Did I just completely F*&# up my first attempt?

[funstuie]

I finally got off my backside and decided it was about time to start some homebrewing. Done some google searching and discovered Cheers Home Brew shop in Cheam was about 30 minutes drive away. So off I headed and an hour of advice and £50 lighter I came back with a fermenting barrel, all the gubbins and a Muntons Gold Pilsner kit. I couldn't wait so as soon as I got in I started.

So I followed the instruction and put the two tins in hot water for five minutes to warm them up. I then put a pot of 6 pints of water on to boil and cracked open the tins and poured the contents in the barrel. There was still a lot of residue in the tins so I put them in the pot of boiling water so all the remaining malt would wash out into the boiling water which I then tipped into the barrel. Clever I thought for about 5 seconds before thinking I have probably just contaminated the brew.

Have I mucked it all up?

Considering it cost £23 for the kit I am going to let it continue anyway.

And one really stupid question, do I leave the little red cap on the bubbler when I put it on the barrel?

 

[funstuie]

One more question. There is a pub at the top of my road which I don't frequent often but they would probably let me rifle through the bottle bins if I asked. Are used beer bottles OK to reuse?

 

[corby_brewer]

One more question. There is a pub at the top of my road which I don't frequent often but they would probably let me rifle through the bottle bins if I asked. Are used beer bottles OK to reuse?

Many pubs are happy to let you have there empty bottles, try to go for the brown ones. Just make sure you clean and sanitise them B4 use.

 

[tubby_shaw]

There was still a lot of residue in the tins so I put them in the pot of boiling water so all the remaining malt would wash out into the boiling water which I then tipped into the barrel. Clever I thought for about 5 seconds before thinking I have probably just contaminated the brew.

If you put the cans into boiling water they will have been pretty well sanitised so no worries there :thumb: and as those two can kits don't have labels glued to them there shouldn't be any other contaminants either :thumb:
So it should be fine
For future reference just rinse the cans out with boiling water

One more question. There is a pub at the top of my road which I don't frequent often but they would probably let me rifle through the bottle bins if I asked. Are used beer bottles OK to reuse?

So long as they are not chipped they'll be fine, brown are to be preferred over green or clear bottles and Magners/Bulmers cider bottles are ideal :party:

 

[tigertim]

Hi Funstuie,

I'd say you should be free to leave the airlock cap on or off. If it's the same as the types I've seen, the moulding of the cap has little standoffs which prevent it from blocking the escape of carbon dioxide if you leave it in place. It's supposed to prevent any small creatures from getting into the airlock and drowning, but if you don't have a problem with creepy-crawlies where you're brewing, you'll probably be ok.

Don't worry, I'm certain your brew will be fine :thumb:

Tim.

 

[funstuie]

Right I am in a bit of pickle here.

The brew should have been bottled off yesterday but I don't have enough bottles. I got some from the local pub so I have enough I think but I have no way of capping the bottles. I have the caps but no capper and wilkos didn't have any in stock and there is nowhere local to get anything.

How long can I leave the brew in the fermenting barrel?

What other options do I have?

 

[Moley]

How long can I leave the brew in the fermenting barrel?

What other options do I have?

A few more days probably wouldn't do any harm, but don't leve it too long.

Other options, plastic lemonade bottles, Coke bottles, mixer bottles (tonic water, dry ginger etc.).

 

[funstuie]

Well I finally bottled the brew this evening. I went to Sainsburys this afternoon and got 16 bottles of basic tonic water (24p a bottle), got home and poured the lot down the drain, sterilised the bottles and bottled up most of the brew into them.

I had to ditch about 2 litres down the drain as I had nowhere to put it.

The little bit I tasted when syphoning didn't taste too good though, hopefully it will age well.

 

[Dunfie]

I had to ditch about 2 litres down the drain as I had nowhere to put it.

Have you not got a mouth? :P

 

[Muddydisco]

:rofl:

 

[Polymath]

I had to ditch about 2 litres down the drain as I had nowhere to put it.

Have you not got a mouth? :P

haha i like.
I normally celebrate the starting of a brew by having a pint of a previously brewed brew. Its become a nice tradition. Sadly it means im normally low on beer and not able to walk very well. But never mind. Good times!