First Brew

[dx4100]

I want to take a reading... Am I ok to move it to do this... ?

It's current in th fermentation fridge and an need to move it to get the room to do it ?

 

[Dave1970]

Do you mean a gravity reading? If so why are you taking it? Does the brew look inactive, in which case go ahead. It's pretty unlikely that it will be done yet.
The only thing you might have is that you could be stuck at about 1020...the Woodfordes kits are known for it.
If it does stay at about 1020 for a couple of days give it a good stir and turn your temp up a bit, infact I'd be inclined to up your temp to 20 now and it's probably less likely to stick.

 

[dx4100]

Do you mean a gravity reading? If so why are you taking it? Does the brew look inactive, in which case go ahead. It's pretty unlikely that it will be done yet.
The only thing you might have is that you could be stuck at about 1020...the Woodfordes kits are known for it.
If it does stay at about 1020 for a couple of days give it a good stir and turn your temp up a bit, infact I'd be inclined to up your temp to 20 now and it's probably less likely to stick.

Popped the lid and had a peek inside... Nothing going on in there... No foamy head and I can just see bits of stuff floating around in the surface...

Managed to take a reading without moving it...

it's around 1.014 if I am reading it right. To my untrained eye it didn't look quite like I was expecting so my heart sunk. Gave it a tase test and wow, it's pretty dam good :). Probably a bit lighter than it should of been but so enjoyable I finished the whole sample I took :). There is a slight after taste to it but I am guessing it still has some work to do in the bottle ? It's no unpleasant though.

I will leave it until tommrow night and if I get the same reading I will bottle :)

So chuffed :)

 

[shearclass]

Well done mate!

once bottled, the best thing you can do is give it time. I know you won't want to do that with your first brew, but give it at least 4 weeks in the bottle and you won't be disappointed.

 

[dx4100]

Will do... And thanks :) you guys have been a huge help. Glad I didn't add the extra malt now.

Well actually my plan is to try it at week 2, 3, 4... But I understand for best results it's going to be around week 4 etc :)

I want to move the FV into the house to do the bottling... If I move it and then leave it an hour or two do you think it would of settled fine before I start bottling ?

 

[shearclass]

i strictly waited until week 4 before my first try, although it seems most people sample theirs sooner than this. I expected it to be awful
but it was really nice.

nowt wrong with having a taste at week 2 and a taste at week 3 though!

If I was you i would move it the night before you bottle, rather than just an hour or so.

Are you batch priming or are you priming each individual bottle with a little sugar? If batch, then could you transfer from FV1 to FV2 (if you have FV 2), then move to kitchen? That would solve the problem.

 

[dx4100]

i strictly waited until week 4 before my first try, although it seems most people sample theirs sooner than this. I expected it to be awful
but it was really nice.

nowt wrong with having a taste at week 2 and a taste at week 3 though!

If I was you i would move it the night before you bottle, rather than just an hour or so.

Are you batch priming or are you priming each individual bottle with a little sugar? If batch, then could you transfer from FV1 to FV2 (if you have FV 2), then move to kitchen? That would solve the problem.

I have the coopers carbination drops for each bottle... FV2 is my Barrel with a bottle aid attached. I could siphon in the garage and move it inside. It's just not the cleanest environments out there compared to the kitchen. It's an external garage. I woild sill need to lift it out of the fridge to do it to get the height for the siphon to work.

 

[shearclass]

ah ok, well i would move it to an appropriate siphoning height the night before you bottle, or if you are doing it after work, move the bucket before work.

 

[dx4100]

Got the same ready so time to bottle Pray I have done it right :)

Bottles ready to go :)

Bottle aid ready

Wife lending a hand... I was told not to fear the bubbles from the Star San stuff... I hope its fine lol!

45 500ml bottle all done :)

In the fridge they go @ 19c :)

 

[Zaust]

I do hope you tested the weight on those fridge shelves ~11kg on each is quite a lot. I speak from experience of smashing one about a month ago - still one good thing, it took out one of the salad crisper's too.

 

[dx4100]

They aren't glass... They seem to be taking the weight ok...

 

[dx4100]

How long to keep bottles in the warm location

Some people say 2-3 days, as does the kit... Others seem to say 1 week in a warm spot...

What do you guys think is best for this Wherry ?

Cheers

 

[Dave1970]

A week would be better, two or three days could be ok. Depends how desperate you are to get that fridge free and get another brew on :)
There's also no need to worry about keeping it down at 19 degrees....if you are wanting the fridge freed up for another fermentation you could up the temp 21 and get the secondary ferment done quicker. Conditioning is fine anywhere cool, my beer's are just conditioning in the garage...hope it doesn't get too cold!

 

[Dr. B]

A week will be better than 2-3 days.
It can be at room temp, though so you can use your fridge for brewing some more!

 

[dx4100]

Been in the bottle for two weeks now so thought I would give it a quick try :)

Very happy with it so far... Slightly carbonated, could see bubble rising and taste the carbonation... ABV is fine, the extra water hasn't hurt it I don't think. It tastes like a 3.5% to me...

Can't wait for two weeks time and beyond :). Should be cracking :)

 

[RobWalker]

I find home brew goes down considerably easier than commercial stuff..be careful :-P

 

[dx4100]

Bottled my second brew tonight so thought I wold check out how well the first one was doing..

Got a bit of a head now, well carbonated and tastes great :)

Been in the bottle now for just under three weeks :)