First brew for nearly 20 years is on!

[RubbleUK]

Just put my first brew on after a big parcel arrived by courier this morning! It's a Better Brew Export Lager and it looks and smells good so far, however my FV location is only 18.5'C and the instructions specify 20'C - 25'C. I used the yeast provided so I assume that needs the higher temps?

I have 2 rooms with ambients around 23'C at floor level so I could move the FV if needs be but if I leave it where it is, will it just take longer to ferment? Does anyone else have experience of this kit and the effects that different fermenting temps have on it? Depending how this one turns out, I may well consider a specific lager yeast for future brews so any recommendations on what to use with this and their Czech Pilsner kits would be much appreciated?

Another quick question, the kit says to bottle at 10 days (assuming fermentation at 20'C - 25'C) but given my current lower temperature, my plan was to ferment until I have a couple of successive stable OG readings (my start OG was 1031 BTW), is that correct?

Thanks in advance of any advice....

Chris

 

[graysalchemy]

It would be fine at 18.5 it will just take a bit longer.

 

[BrotherMalice]

Is it not supplied with a lager yeast? - The IPA I have made (twice now it was that good!) had ale yeast with it I think?

 

[RubbleUK]

Is it not supplied with a lager yeast? - The IPA I have made (twice now it was that good!) had ale yeast with it I think?

The yeast it comes with is labelled "Beer Yeast Export Lager 10g". The yeast with the Czech Pilsner kit is labelled "Beer Yeast Czech Pilsner 10g" so I'm guessing each kit comes with a kit specific yeast, otherwise why label them as such? The kit pouch itself seems to be generic with a kit specific label stuck on the front. The instructions on the back of both kits are identical and make reference to wheat beer, lager, brown ale and mild ale. However, having read the instructions again, it does say "for a perfect lager, try to ferment around 20'C" so the moral is, if in doubt, reading the instructions properly helps...!!

:-/

Chris

 

[BrotherMalice]

Yeah, the instructions have their uses even if they are a bit vague as to what you are actually brewing... :)

Should turn out well, let us know your results.

 

[Mr BR]

if it is a lager yeast then 18.5c will be fine and as you said wait till you have the same reading over 3days before bottling or kegging as this is the only way to tell if the fermentation has finished, i would disregard the 10days stated on the kit instructions as they are always shall we say a bit eager,good luck and let us know how you get on. :thumb:

 

[BrotherMalice]

if its anything like the kit I did, it mentions 2-3 different time scales on it, contradicting its self more than once :wha:

 

[mason]

You will soon have bottles and kegs everywhere! Then the hard part...waiting for conditioning.

 

[RubbleUK]

You will soon have bottles and kegs everywhere! Then the hard part...waiting for conditioning.

I'm already looking at fridges on eBay!!

I've decided to go for bottle only at this stage, it seems most people using kegs with lager have pressure problems. I've got a bunch of old 2L coke bottles that I currently use for watering the reps that may end up being repurposed unless I can get through enough Pepsi Max in the next 2 weeks! Luckily it's on offer at Tesco at the moment, £1 for 2L so I'm stocked up....

Chris

 

[BrotherMalice]

Cornelius Kegs would be good for lager I think?

 

[mason]

From what I've been told Cornelius kegs are ok for lager. Think you struggle to get the higher carbonation for lager in others.


Other than a slight faff bottling I would go down the bottle/carbonation drops route. One 'sweetie' per bottle as I put it and you're away. I've bottled all mine so far. Trying a keg next purely because I got one on eBay for pence. Kegging one then bottling a batch of same so I can compare.

 

[RubbleUK]

From what I've been told Cornelius kegs are ok for lager. Think you struggle to get the higher carbonation for lager in others. Other than a slight faff bottling I would go down the bottle/carbonation drops route. One 'sweetie' per bottle as I put it and you're away. I've bottled all mine so far. Trying a keg next purely because I got one on eBay for pence. Kegging one then bottling a batch of same so I can compare.

Worst case Mason, you end up with a keg of warm, flat, weak beer, but then Mild is quite popular up your neck of the woods isn't it....?!

;-)

Chris

 

[mason]

Haha yes, but not in this house. Have kegs and gas, of it fails then I've got bottles conditioning to!