Hello from London

[nightroamer]

Hi Guys

New to the forum and just getting started with brewing.

Picked up a kit from Wilkos as a gift so decided to try out some of the pear cider.
Made as per instructions and its come out awful. Tastes like bitter water with a vinegary smell?

So i gave ginger beer a try as i love the stuff and it seemed simple enough.
Again i have some nasty bitter water, this time with some fire.

So where have i been going wrong. I will be glad to answer any questions about the process to see if anyone can help me.

I have one kit left at the moment which is a Wilkos Lager kit but i am too disillusioned to start it.

Any advice would be much appreciated as i am very keen to get some good ales and lagers brewing.

Thanks

 

[naturals]

Hi Guys

New to the forum and just getting started with brewing.

Picked up a kit from Wilkos as a gift so decided to try out some of the pear cider.
Made as per instructions and its come out awful. Tastes like bitter water with a vinegary smell?

So i gave ginger beer a try as i love the stuff and it seemed simple enough.
Again i have some nasty bitter water, this time with some fire.

So where have i been going wrong. I will be glad to answer any questions about the process to see if anyone can help me.

I have one kit left at the moment which is a Wilkos Lager kit but i am too disillusioned to start it.

Any advice would be much appreciated as i am very keen to get some good ales and lagers brewing.

Thanks

It's hard to say for sure but 99% it'll be something with your hygiene / sterilisation. Perhaps you could talk us through how you prepped everything and what products you used?

 

[nightroamer]

Hi naturals and thanks for your reply, not my best first post as i was a little annoyed!

Anyway i will give you an idea of how i have started off.
I was gifted the wilkos home brew started kit, with the FV bucket and pressure barrel.

I started off with the Wikos Pear Cider kit, basically brewed it as per the instructions. Before i started i washed everything in warm water and then sterilised with the provided Wilko Cleaner/Steriliser for 15 minute at the recommended dosage. Everything was then rinsed thoroughly in warm water.

I used wilkos brew sugar and tap water to make up the mixture.

Left in the FV bucket with lid loosely fitted as had no airlock and this is what they recommended. Probably opened carefully twice to stir and take readings.

Second brew was the same process but with a Wilko wide neck FV which i bought and used an airlock throughout not opening once until first reading was taken.

i feel fairly confident it was all sterilised well but i am a complete newbie to this process.

i would like to get under way with the Wilkos Lager kit, any advice?

 

[naturals]

Was it bottled? If so how did you sterilise the bottles?

 

[nightroamer]

Was it bottled? If so how did you sterilise the bottles?

First cider was bottled, 50% new glass browns 50% reused glass browns from local brewery. All cleaned with same disinfectant and rinsed.

Ginger isn't bottled it's still in secondary fv. May bin it....