First Brew

[ibbo999]

19/01/14
Having done the Wilko rose wine kit I got for Christmas I bit the bullet yesterday and made a start with a Wilko Light Golden Lager kit. After some advice and reading I have used bottled water and 50/50 brewing sugar and light spray malt. Stared the yeast before hand and now everything is starting to bubble nicely. It had an OG of 1038 so now it is in the lap of the beer gods.
I will keep you updated as to how I progress.

20/01/14
Well, the first mistakes are out of the way. Didn't read the hydrometer correctly and did not allow for temperature
I did add a bit mor brewers sugar before I realised so the OG should be nearer 1.44 ands it is bubbling like a witches couldron so wish me luck.

21/1/14
Just checked again. There doesn,t seem to be a massive head of yeast but it is still bubbling like mad. I had fitted an airlock so I could keep check and is is coming through every 5 seconds. Not sure if that is good or bad but the gravity is now down to 1.022 so it seems ok. Didn't want to waste it so I drank the test jar contents. Not bad considering. :drink:

 

[supersteve]

How was the Rose? I've got that kit to start soon. :whistle:

 

[ibbo999]

It seems ok but was very dark. I thought that it had been labelled wrong but it did get a bit lighter after a week or so. I racked it and it is currently in a cupboard for a while before bottling. I will let you know how it goes

 

[ibbo999]

22/1
Settled to about every 10 seconds now. Gravity now down to 1.018. :thumb:

 

[Duncs]

How was the Rose? I've got that kit to start soon. :whistle:

Mine was brown when it came out of the tin, its still brown now. Tastes ok but looks awful :sick:

 

[supersteve]

How was the Rose? I've got that kit to start soon. :whistle:

Mine was brown when it came out of the tin, its still brown now. Tastes ok but looks awful :sick:

Sounds lovely :lol:

 

[JonnyD]

Just checked again. There doesn,t seem to be a massive head of yeast but it is still bubbling like mad. I had fitted an airlock so I could keep check and is is coming through every 5 seconds. Not sure if that is good or bad but the gravity is now down to 1.022 so it seems ok. Didn't want to waste it so I drank the test jar contents. Not bad considering. :drink:

Every 5 seconds is fine, no yeast head is nothing to worry about, i don't get much on my largers. seems like you have patience issues

when its fermented out, i would rack it and leave it 1 week for ever 10 gravity points. so in your case i think that is 4.5 weeks.

 

[ibbo999]

Tahnks Johnny
It has settled to about 3-4 every minute so that seems fine. I am learning all about patience but i ws more concerned with if it was going right.
When I rack it would you advise doing into another container for the 4-5 then into bottles or just straight into bottles for 4-5 weeks. Not really sure. :?

 

[ibbo999]

SG now 1.010 and still no sign of it stopping. :shock:
Drank to test jar and it tasted ok. Still a bit yeasty and cloudy but I suppose I should expect that :hmm:

 

[ibbo999]

SG finished at 1.080. Now bottled and I will let you know how it goes.

The wine finally cleared but is still the dxarkest rose I have ever seen, more like a light red, but tastes ok.

 

[ibbo999]

Cracked open the first of the beer. Not bad, a nice light beer which will go down well on a summers day. I am going to leave it to develop further while I wait for the warm weather and an all day barbeque. That is if I can leave it alone long enough.

 

[ibbo999]

I have let this stand in a dark cupboard for a while. It is still not clear, looking a little bit cloudy. It also has a yeastyafter taste. Not necessarily unpleasant, a little like a fresh loaf. I read somewhere that it msy have been too warm when it fermented or I bottled it too soon. Can anyone offer any suggestions as to what may be the cause.

Other than that it has been ok. It certainly has not put me off. Currently we are in the middle of a house move but can't wait to get started again.

Any advice or suggestions gratefully accepted