First attempt

[cwjohnstone]

Hello everyone, this is my first time brewing and after reading lots of info on the net I decided just to start off with a kit. I've gone for an American IPA although the instructions seem rather vague to me and just wanted to check I know what to do. I've done the first stage and the FV is in my wardrobe, I check it twice a day to try and ensure it stays between the 20-24 degrees as recommended. Now after a very rigorous s first 24 hours the airlock seems to have stopped completely though I can still lightly smell the yeast in my wardrobe, is this ok? It says leave for 2 weeks but have read that it's best to leave for 3 is that right? And just to check what to do after that, I add my hops to the FV, leave for 3 days before transferring it to the barrel with the priming sugar? I would like to bottle my beer eventually so do I transfer it to the barrel with the sugar, leave it for the suggested time and then bottle it? Apologies if it seems a stupid question but it's my first time and the instructions aren't very clear! Thanks

 

[Bigjas]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

First of all, don't worry about what the airlock is doing. Just leave it alone for at least 2 weeks and then take a hydrometer reading and see if it matches the instructions recommendations. Once the final gravity is constant for a few days you can either put it in a pressure barrel or bottle it. I wouldn't bottle it after putting it in a pressure barrel. If you want to bottle it, get a bottling wand, it makes life so much easier.

Jas

 

[ericmark]

I would agree when I first tried to bottle my syphon tube was too short. I bought some extra and a tap, and filling from the bottom stops all the foam and is so much easier. I use pop bottles again 2 litre bottles then only 12 for 40 pints, so much easier.

 

[cwjohnstone]

Ok thanks a lot, so I would leave the beer in the FV after I've done the hop addition and bottle it straight from the FV? So I would add the priming sugar to the FV and then siphon it into the bottles?

 

[Strollon15]

Ok thanks a lot, so I would leave the beer in the FV after I've done the hop addition and bottle it straight from the FV? So I would add the priming sugar to the FV and then siphon it into the bottles?

Here's what I do : dry hop after maybe 10 days and put the hops in a weighted down muslin bag for 3 or 4 days. Remove bag and then bottle straight from the FV using the wand thing. Add 1 carbonation drop per 500 ml bottle.
Works fine for me and gives the right amount of carbonation, leave the bottles for 2 weeks in a warm place and then another 2 weeks in a cool place, then enjoy. :drunk:

Stroll.

 

[ericmark]

I remember doing a coppers ginger beer and it took me ages to work out what a carbonation drop was. It turns out they are a bit like a sugar lump, when it said drop I thought it was a single drop of some magic liquid however that is not the case. It seems they are a set quantity of fermentable material designed to give enough CO2 for a standard bottle.

It states on my instructions one teaspoon of sugar for a pint, but I find that is enough for 2 litres. I personally don't want to have to carefully pour to avoid loads of foam, yes it was good fun tapping the top of some ones bottle so the beer came foaming out, but really that is OTT. There is no need for that much CO2 in the beer so be it sugar or other fermentable material I will only use half the recommended amount which is hard with the carbonating lumps called drops. I use a level apostle spoon every 2 litre bottle of simple sugar.