First time brewing..

[Jamessinclair]

Hey all,

This is my first brew I've done and I went with the recommendations to do an extract kit.
I went with Coopers Canadian Blonde (made with 1kg of dextrose.)

The instructions said it would be done fermenting in about a week.
Yesterday (one week in fv) I checked the gravity and it was at the suggested FG of 10.010 I then calculated that the ABV was 5.5% I figured it was done so I transferred it into a bottling bucket (via siphon) added 115g of priming sugar (dex) then bottled.

In hindsight it was premature as the beer was still really hazy. I probably should've let it sit an extra week at least.

I guess to summarize
1. Will the haze in the beer settle as I let the bottles sit for a couple of weeks?

2. I still don't get why you'd transfer to a secondary if your siphoning the beer off of the trub to a racking bucket anyway. I'm sure it leaves a cleaner end product I am just terrified of oxidizing the batch.

3.whats would you recommend for future extract kits? Longer time in primary? Transfer to secondary for another week after getting a steady gravity?

I know I'm definitely over thinking everything I just want to streamline the process and make it as easy as possible.

Thank you,
James

 

[dwhite60]

Your beer is going to be fine. Relax.

1. Haze will settle. Might end up with a little more yeast in the bottle than optimal but, you're still good.

2. Lots of people bottle straight from the fermenter. I prime with sugar cubes so no need for a bottling bucket. To me a bottling bucket is another possible channel for infection and siphoning another chance for oxidation.

3. Standard practice is 2-2-2. Two weeks in primary, two weeks to carbonate, two weeks to condition. Some kits can take over four weeks in the bottle to get to optimal flavor. Beer I made back in February just didn't sit well with me. Flavor was off. Now, six weeks later it's REALLY improved. Wish I'd drank less of it!

 

[Jamessinclair]

1. Haze will settle. Might end up with a little more yeast in the bottle than optimal but, you're still good.

2. Lots of people bottle straight from the fermenter. I prime with sugar cubes so no need for a bottling bucket. To me a bottling bucket is another possible channel for infection.

3. Standard practice is 2-2-2. Two weeks in primary, two weeks to carbonate, two weeks to condition. Some kits can take over four weeks in the bottle to get to optimal flavor.

Thanks for the reply!

Okay that info helps out a lot.
Moving forward I'm going to leave it for at least another week in the primary.

 

[dwhite60]

Another thing. Instead of a kilo of dextrose you'll get more flavor with 500g of light dry malt extract (ldme) and 500g of dextrose or even just a kilo of ldme. Gives it a little more body.

 

[Jamessinclair]

Another thing. Instead of a kilo of dextrose you'll get more flavor with 500g of light dry malt extract (ldme) and 500g of dextrose or even just a kilo of ldme. Gives it a little more body.

Thanks for the tip I will do that with my next brew.

Do you know if I can do a boil with DME and Hops and then just add the can of the Cooper extract?

 

[dwhite60]

No reason that won't work. Don't boil the kit as boiling drives off some of the bitterness.

This is a great link. If you haven't read it you'll get a lot out of it.

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/...de-to-brewing-your-own-beer-from-a-kit.57526/

 

[Jamessinclair]

No reason that won't work. Don't boil the kit as boiling drives off some of the bitterness.

This is a great link. If you haven't read it you'll get a lot out of it.

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/...de-to-brewing-your-own-beer-from-a-kit.57526/

Very good read thanks again.

James