First brew!

[ash]

Just kicked off my first brew - a Wherry (probably quite predictably). I can see already that I'm going to get totally hooked on this! Not entirely sure whether my wife approves of the FV in the utility either; just waiting for the reaction when one FV turns into one FV and a barrel, then two FVs and a barrel.........!

Bit nervous about how it is going to turn out; just got to play the waiting game now!

Any common problems that anyone is aware of with Wherry that i should be prepared for?

:

 

[corby_brewer]

evening ash.

iv'e never brewed a wherry so cant help you on that.
as for common problems just keep an eye on the temperature of you FV, dont let it rise to above 20 degrees or drop below 18 degrees.

DS :

 

[Wez]

Wherry has got a reputation for sticking at 1.020 (hydrometer reading) if that happens it's not the end of the world - stick a post here for how to get around it :thumb:

 

[Reviled]

Whats a wherry? :hmm:

 

[ash]

Thanks Davesiv. Like i say i have the FV in the utility room in my house, so hopefully it will be ok. Bit wooried that it may get too hot in the day if we get some decent weather, and too cold at night! The latter is ok as i've read that you can just insulate with bubble wrap or a blanket, but there's not too much i can do if it gets too hot. Is it best to leave it alone if it gets too hot and hope for the best, or would you recommend moving it somewhere cooler if this should happen? I'm assuming that its best not to disturb it.

Reviled: Its an ale from Woodforde's (Norfolk) commonly sold with starter kits.

 

[Wez]

Reviled - it's one of the more popular Kits here in the UK it's a beer originally produced by Woodforde's Brewery

 

[corby_brewer]

if it gets to hot i usualy get a desk top type fan blowing on to my FV. but you could allways do what wez suggested to gerry - wrap a wet bath towel around yor FV.

 

[ash]

if it gets to hot i usualy get a desk top type fan blowing on to my FV. but you could allways do what wez suggested to gerry - wrap a wet bath towel around yor FV.

Thanks davesiv, good tips.

 

[tubby_shaw]

Whats a wherry? :hmm:

This is a Wherry

It's a traditional boat from Norfolk :thumb:
But there's a very good beer named after it too

 

[prolix]

Wherry is a great pint I have never had one stick. Stir to oxygenate before the yeast goes in 'til your arm aches then stir 'til it's numb. for stir read whip the air into it like beating eggs 'til the foam exits the fermenter

this and most beers can be helped by a rouse after 24hr this is a gentler stir but some oxygenating helps (a few whips and then gentle like cheese sauce: raise the yeast from the bottom) but never after 24hr a bit like gremlins you will get a bad batch.

The problem is people think they have oxygenated but they haven't and so it sticks, beast the wort 'til you arm is in pain, it is good training for the lifting it will do when the beer needs dispatching.

Just in case people have not quite got the idea yet get an electric drill and a stirrer and spin that for 5 mins at 1400revs that is 7000 stirs that is oxygenated. A minute of hand stirring is what, 120 stirs and no good. Stir the bugger and stir again like it is bad beer and only a flogging will make it pure.

You can not over oxygenate

As for heat 22 is still ok after that it gets funky if the room is a constant 18 you will be ok as the temp increases in the first few days of fermenting and may get to 23 or so but leaving it for 10 days will let the yeast sort out these flavours, anything over 25 -26 will create fusols these are bad bad bad and give bad hangovers and funky tastes.

The fermenter in the bath is good, the wet towel works best with a fan as the evaporation removes the latent heat. A cellar is obvious but hard to dig.

Summer brewing is a pain that is why lots use coolers, I just wait 'til Wimbledon whent he temp drops to 16 for two weeks as per friday

 

[ash]

if it gets to hot i usualy get a desk top type fan blowing on to my FV. but you could allways do what wez suggested to gerry - wrap a wet bath towel around yor FV.

Thanks davesiv, good tips.

I can't wait for the conversation with my wife when i wrap one of the bath towels around it! :grin:

 

[Moley]

Welcome to the forum, and good luck with the Wherry.

Not entirely sure whether my wife approves of the FV in the utility either; just waiting for the reaction when one FV turns into one FV and a barrel, then two FVs and a barrel.........!

I've found I can push it to four

My FV1 (30 litre beer) goes in a corner of our utility, and I have a simple, hinged, temporary chipboard box approx. 3ft wide x 2ft deep x 2'6" high which is just big enough for FV1 and a small oil filled radiator. The rad (on its lowest setting and a low thermostat) keeps it warm enough at night and the box keeps it cool enough during the day.

FV2 (5 gallon wine) just fits in a corner of the kitchen (but you can't quite open the back door fully), FV3 (3 gallon wine) stands on FV2 and she will just about tolerate FV4 (another 3 gallon wine) in a corner of the worktop for a few days.

Of course, then I strain the wine (in this case 4 gallons of peach) to demijohns (which have to stay on a hard surface until I'm certain they aren't going to overflow) and bottle the beer (which has to stay in the warm for 4-5 days) so we end up with this:

and that really is pushing my luck.

 

[leondz]

Of course, then I strain the wine (in this case 4 gallons of peach)

Speaking of which, how is Wez's going? :whistle:

 

[ash]

Summer brewing is a pain that is why lots use coolers, I just wait 'til Wimbledon whent he temp drops to 16 for two weeks as per friday

Wimbledon doesn't seem to have done the trick with the weather! Bound to get some cooler weather over the next few days with Wimbledon AND Glastonbury on though, and i'm sure the Ashes series will do the trick when it starts!!

:)

 

[corby_brewer]

Just a quick question Ash. What was the SG of your Wherry?

ds

 

[ash]

I'm not sure whether i got a totally accurate reading, but i reakon it was about 1038 after making adjustments to take account of temperature.

 

[ash]

Bubbling away nicely now; turns out my utility is the perfect temperature!

:)

PS Anyone seen this by the way? http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=103042160904 (home brewing facebook group).

 

[dandan]

PS Anyone seen this by the way? http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=103042160904 (home brewing facebook group).

the owners of that face book page threatend leagal action against this forum

Good to hear the brews going well!

 

[ash]

PS Anyone seen this by the way? http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=103042160904 (home brewing facebook group).

the owners of that face book page threatend leagal action against this forum

Good to hear the brews going well!

Whoops, i guess its a bit of a faux pas posting the link on this forum (feel free to remove posting moderators)! What happened (without wanting to start legal battle)!

 

[corby_brewer]

ash click on this - viewtopic.php?f=10&t=3128.