First post, few noob questions :hmm:

[johnc86]

Hello to everyone. Im sure this forum is going to be verry handy for me!

I got some homebrew kit for xmas, just the basic Wilkinson's stuff to start off. Iv got a batch (a wort?) fermenting at the moment. Followed the instuctions, all verry easy. sterilised everything maticulaously.....

What Im unsure about is the pressure barrel. Does the pressure build up naturaly from the beer, or do I need to get the co2 injector kit for it? Might seem obvious to you all but im new here :rofl: .

I'm brewing the "pub style bitter" kit that wilkinsons sell. I used the "geordie beerkit enhancer" instead of normal sugar which it said you could use but I wanted it to be as good as it can be. I put a little extra normal sugar in as well (couple of heaped table spoons) just to make it a little stronger. Proberbly shouldnt have realy but it wont do much harm will it?

So just a couple of question. Thanks in advance for any help offered. appreciate it.

 

[BrewStew]

Hi john and welcome to the forum :thumb:

the kit instructions should say something about adding sugar when you've "racked" (transferred to another container) after the ferment has finished. This is called "priming sugar". when you've racked your beer, there will still be some remaining yeast in suspension. that yeast will digest the priming sugar you add. a by-product of the fermentation is carbon dioxide. this CO2 will build up pressure in your keg, naturally force carbonating the beer and will give it sparkle. dont over-do the priming sugar like you did for the ferment or you'll be pouring foam.... or worse, have a split/exploding barrel.

as for the extra tablespoon or two of sugar for the primary ferment, to be honest i doubt it'll do much. 100g would make a difference though.

if you haven't already got one, get yourself a hydrometer... it'll tell you more about how much sugar/spraymalt/beer kit enhancery to add to your taste if you fancy customising your kits. it'll also tell you if the primary ferment is either finished, or "stuck" which is a common problem with kit brewing.

hope this helps :thumb:

 

[johnc86]

Jobs a goodun mate (well, so far!). I started it on Monday and it’s got a nice amount of foam on the surface. I have the lid on loose but well covered is that ok? I’ve got a hydrometer, it came with the kit.

I was reading another post where a guy who was just starting off (like me) was wondering how to actually get the sample of beer to test with the Hydro. You would be surprised how much the instructions take for granted your prior knowledge!

I was also concerned about contaminating my brew whilst siphoning at this early point so it’s a relief to know you can just drop in into the fermentation bucket itself. Will wait for the foam/scum stuff to die down a little 1st.
I might fit a tap to the bucket at some point though for taking samples....can you just drill a hole off a given diameter and buy a tap? Can’t be too hard to do???

When I’ve done another couple of kit brew's (to get used to the basic techniques involved) I will try to attempt some of the clone recipe’s floating about on various forums. There seems to be a clone for every beer I've drank lol. Obviously I wouldn’t expect them to be anything like exactly the same but it’s a good thing surely :clap:.

I would like to brew a good stout, not like Guinness, I like that marstons stout (forget the name). Also maybe to a Belgian lager like hoegaarden or Forbiddeden (nice and strong!) and some German style beers/lagers.

The world of beer is our oyster eh? :lol:

 

[BrewStew]

you can get plastic taps for about £3 or £4 from most home brew shops and they're dead easy to fit... you only need a hole saw of the correct size.

i personally only have one fermenter with a tap to use as a bottling bucket aswell as for fermenting when all 5 of the others are in use. i dont like the idea of what bacteria maybe hiding out of reach inside it. i just leave my hydromters in the buckets (as you've read in that other thread).

clone recipes are great for a starting point. they're often even better than the original... i started with the Guinness clone from Brewing Beers Like Those You Buy... but my recipe has evolved somewhat into something i call TaRd (it's in the recipe section) which some others have tried and given great reviews

once you go all grain, yes indeed the world is your oyster... the hardest part about AG brewing is choosing your next recipe!

 

[johnc86]

God this is great! :

The possibilities are endless . My liver will be made up with this.
It's the nature of learning to throw up more questions I suppose.....

So, one more for now.....You say that you 'leave the Hydrometer in the bucket', do you mean that you put in in from the verry beggining? Does it not get to hot with the boiling water etc? Isnt all the stiring etc a bit too rough for it to not get broken???? :hmm:

 

[Wez]

Hi John & welcome

I'd put it into the fermenter once the initial yeast head has died down (normally 48hrs after pitching the yeast) remember to sterilise it.

Wez

 

[johnc86]

Thanks Brewstew and Wez.

 

[jamesb]

I would like to brew a good stout, not like Guinness, I like that marstons stout (forget the name). Also maybe to a Belgian lager like hoegaarden or Forbiddeden (nice and strong!) and some German style beers/lagers.

The world of beer is our oyster eh? :lol:

The pun hasn't got awry. The Marston's stout is called Marston's Oyster Stout!

 

[johnc86]

Had a look today. All the foamy stuff has gone, just sediment and small bubbles but there not rising quick enough to see. Suppose I should use the HM tonight and see what It reads. I was going to yesterday but I lost my bottle when it came to letting go of it. I dont know if it will go to the bottom. I know it wont but its psycological :?

Will it stay upright whel I let go or could it possibly go on it side or something? Il probably sterilize it and stick it in tonight and stop being a wuss.

 

[BrewStew]

stick it in tonight and stop being a wuss.

you said it :lol:

sanitise it and (gently) drop it in!

 

[johnc86]

*edited* too childish