First brewday! (Coopers Stout)

[Antony]

Hey Everyone, Today should be my first brewday,

Currently, my FV is sitting half full of warm water and a few campden tablets, then in a few hours I'll be adding my kit and some beer enhancer, filling her up to 20, and then playing the waiting game. Unfortunately ive been very stupid and have forgotten to buy a hydrometer, however ill pick one up in a few days, and then I can tell when to bottle. I'll keep you updated on my progress, and hopefully some tasting notes from the occasional trial jar

Wish me Luck!

Ant

 

[RobWalker]

welcome! did the same kit myself. regretted leaving half of it to age properly - it tastes amazing straight from the FV! it's wise to mix the beer enhancer with a few litres of boiling water to dissolve the malt extract - watch for lumps, bash them with a sanitized wooden if possible. good luck with it! :

 

[scott-ayling]

When I brewed kits I never bothered with a hydrometer just sat in fv for 10-14 days then bottled , I've started using hydrometer for ag as want to know what sort of efficiency I'm getting

 

[Antony]

Hey everyone, its now sitting in my room, smells lovely and Malty. I used 1Kg Brew enhancer, and 200g molasses, hopefully it should turn out nice. So far it doesnt seem to be doing anything, but I imagine thats as its only been going for an hour and a half. For reference, I clened out the FV using warm water and a campden tablet, then emtied and filled with boiling water, the kit, the brew enhancer and molasses, before filling with cold tap water. then I added the yeast, gave it a stir, and hopefully soon there will be beer

I Will of course provide tasting notes

 

[PD]

hope you let the temps drop to below 25 before adding the yeast...er you didn't forget a thermometer as well did you.... :grin:

Coopers stout is a great drink and if you over carbonate it by accident... :whistle: it tastes just like alcoholic Dandelion and Burdock....

 

[moleyman]

if you over carbonate it by accident... :whistle: it tastes just like alcoholic Dandelion and Burdock....

that sounds nice :thumb:

dont worry if it goes qrong first time im on my 4th attempt and just getting the hang of it

my best tip, read the guides on here NOT the instructions i have 40pts of cloudy bearly drinkable beer to vouch for that :sick:

my latest batch that i used finninga, a secondary fv and batch primed is not bottled and clear after a week and ive just opened one and it tastes fab leaving the rest to condition while i finish off the cloudy crap :hmm:

 

[Antony]

hope you let the temps drop to below 25 before adding the yeast...er you didn't forget a thermometer as well did you.... :grin:

Coopers stout is a great drink and if you over carbonate it by accident... :whistle: it tastes just like alcoholic Dandelion and Burdock....

My thermometer is the MK1 Finger (Washed)

After about 24 hours I've had a little looksie inside the FV, and there is a little bit of 'head' around3/4mm thick, it appears the yeasties have been doing there job! Now its just waiting, collecting bottles (planning to ask a pub ) and planning the next brew. (and probably picking up a few more bits for that)

 

[PD]

including a thermometer and hydrometer................... :whistle: :whistle:

 

[Antony]

including a thermometer and hydrometer................... :whistle: :whistle:

Got it in one, and a proper trial jar, as currently I have an old jamjar that will be sterilised before dipping ovbiously!

Any other bits and bobs you think could be useful?

 

[PD]

a turkey baster from Morrisons £3 ( for taking samples of your beer to test.)
a set of cooks measuring spoons £1 The Range, for measuring priming sugars easily
make a dip stick for each and any of your pots, its good to be able to know how many liters of wort/beer your dealing with at anytime

Plenty of Pale Malt,Crystal Malt fuggles and EKG and some yeasts, then you can put a load of brews on whenever you feel like it.

I also like a few sausage rolls handy when brewing......

 

[Antony]

Good News! I have got back from a weekend away and had a little smell and taste of my beer, and well, It tastes like beer.... Just, currently it is vaguely reminsicent of Marstons oyster stout, however it also has a sour aftertaste, is that normal for early in the brewing process?

Edit, also worth noting that the 'head' on the brew seems to have reached the top of the FV, and since that point appears to have pretty much vanished, but there is still airlock activity

 

[Doive]

Hi there, I've just made this kit as well, and it's been bottled for about a week now. Not bad straight from the FV, but a little cloudy, mine too had a bitter aftertaste. All I added to the kit was sugar and boiling water. After a week the bottles are settling out well, and the beer is becoming much more drinkable.

 

[Antony]

Hi there, I've just made this kit as well, and it's been bottled for about a week now. Not bad straight from the FV, but a little cloudy, mine too had a bitter aftertaste. All I added to the kit was sugar and boiling water. After a week the bottles are settling out well, and the beer is becoming much more drinkable.

Thanks, i'm going to leave mine for another week, then look at bottling

 

[Antony]

Had a little taste today and there is improvement, still quite cloudy, with a bad aftertaste. but I imagine another week in the fv (ie; the amount of time it is supposed to have) should yield improvement to something much more clearer and tastier.

I can already tell that due to using brew enhancer and sugar, its going to be watery, but that might go down well with a few friends who arent massive stout fans

EDIT: in other news, I already want a second FV!

 

[CarafeKid]

A second fermenter is a good thing to have. A third is even better, because you can juggle things and use one for batch priming (which makes bottling so much quicker and easier).

 

[Antony]

Good news! I've had a little sample today, and its reasonably drinkable, if maybe a little bland and yeasty. I'm considering black treacle to prime with , but im wondering if I would be alright Batch priming into my FV, then syphoning in to bottles? Or would I need to bottle prime, as mixing the treacle would stir up sediment?

Probably should clarify i dont have a secondary FV yet

 

[mikeyjay84]

Sounds like good progress :) :thumb:

 

[Antony]

Sounds like good progress :) :thumb:

Thanks, I was worried I had an infection a few days ago, as it was awful, however I'm pleased it tastes alright now. Although even in my trial jar I can see yeast dropping out, so hopefully it will be even better when bottlign comes

 

[mikeyjay84]

Give it time :)

 

[snail59]

There is one word you will hear a lot on this forum. PATIENCE. Time is your friend. :thumb: