Hello from Mildenhall, Suffolk

[Olliebrews]

Morning,

New Member after a number of years dreaming of starting homebrewing.

Requested as a gift from my brother a HBO starter kit with St Peters Golden Ale and mixed it up yesterday.

Hydrometer doesn't seem to work, bobbing about with the top of the bulb above the surface, so no reading. I'm just going to leave it plenty of time for first fermentation. Its in my spare room, 20deg on the thermostat.

I think I will do a number of simple kit brews first and then start tinkering when I have some bottles in the shed to fall back on, or forward, or sideward depending on how well this all turns out!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

welcome to the forum :

 

[cheapbrew]

welcome :drink:

 

[lush]

Welcome Olliebrews!
You can get plenty of help here bud!

 

[ManseMasher]

Welcome aboard!

 

[MyQul]

Welcome to the forum

 

[BeerCat]

Welcome. . :)

 

[dad_of_jon]

Morning,

New Member after a number of years dreaming of starting homebrewing.

Requested as a gift from my brother a HBO starter kit with St Peters Golden Ale and mixed it up yesterday.

Hydrometer doesn't seem to work, bobbing about with the top of the bulb above the surface, so no reading. I'm just going to leave it plenty of time for first fermentation. Its in my spare room, 20deg on the thermostat.

I think I will do a number of simple kit brews first and then start tinkering when I have some bottles in the shed to fall back on, or forward, or sideward depending on how well this all turns out!

Welcome to posssibly the most addictive hobby in the world :twisted:

at a steady 20 deg c 2-3 weeks should do it depending on yeast and SG.

re hydromemeter have you tried it in a sample jar with just water?

 

[Olliebrews]

Welcome to posssibly the most addictive hobby in the world :twisted:

at a steady 20 deg c 2-3 weeks should do it depending on yeast and SG.

re hydromemeter have you tried it in a sample jar with just water?

Thank you all.

First Brew so just used the yeast and hop sachet as per the instructions. Last night I checked in on it and the fermentation was going nicely.

The hydrometer turned out to be a spirit meter sent in error in the pack. As a beginner I didn't realise the difference. HBO were very efficient at answering my query and are sending me out the correct hydrometer. :thumb:

 

[marinali29]

Welcome :thumb:

 

[dad_of_jon]

Thank you all.

First Brew so just used the yeast and hop sachet as per the instructions. Last night I checked in on it and the fermentation was going nicely.

The hydrometer turned out to be a spirit meter sent in error in the pack. As a beginner I didn't realise the difference. HBO were very efficient at answering my query and are sending me out the correct hydrometer. :thumb:

ah, a hydrometer for the ... ahem stronger stuff!

 

[Olliebrews]

Correct Hydrometer has now arrived and I can report a 1.018ish, a few more days to wait before bottling, though, it smells like beer, looks like beer, oh hallelujah I have made beer............:party:

 

[dad_of_jon]

Correct Hydrometer has now arrived and I can report a 1.018ish, a few more days to wait before bottling, though, it smells like beer, looks like beer, oh hallelujah I have made beer............:party:

well done!

1.18 could be a little high to bottle.

I suggest you check hydrometer in water at 20c (thats usually the calibrated temp for them) it should read 1.000 if it reads 1.002 for instance your hyrometer is .002 off so take that off all your readings. if it read .998 then add .002 on.

Also rememer if you take a reading at a different temp to 20c use a tool similar to the following for a more accurate result..

http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/

Happy brewing.

 

[darkbright]

Welcome from Essex. There's loads of good advice on here and kits are a great introduction. Bottling is a pain though!

 

[Olliebrews]

I waited patiently and achieved the 1.014 for two days, So last night i bottled it. Wasn't too bad, sterilising the bottles was the worst and tedious part.

Now a week or so in the back room and then out into the shed to condition, Time to start considering brew 2.0.

 

[dad_of_jon]

I waited patiently and achieved the 1.014 for two days, So last night i bottled it. Wasn't too bad, sterilising the bottles was the worst and tedious part.

Now a week or so in the back room and then out into the shed to condition, Time to start considering brew 2.0.

yup, you need to build up a stock :-) to avoid running out inbetween fermentations :grin:

 

[Lesinge]

I waited patiently and achieved the 1.014 for two days, So last night i bottled it. Wasn't too bad, sterilising the bottles was the worst and tedious part.

Now a week or so in the back room and then out into the shed to condition, Time to start considering brew 2.0.

Welcome :drink:

Are you using Star San? If you aren't I would recommend it plus a little bottler (to fill bottles), a bottle tree and vinator - all will make bottling so much easier. At first it took blinking hours and felt like hard work...still takes time but I sit and watch catch-up TV and the time shoots by...

 

[dad_of_jon]

Welcome :drink:

Are you using Star San? If you aren't I would recommend it plus a little bottler (to fill bottles), a bottle tree and vinator - all will make bottling so much easier. At first it took blinking hours and felt like hard work...still takes time but I sit and watch catch-up TV and the time shoots by...

All Hail Star san! - much better than the other stuff I used and have now totally forgotten about!

although it does peel your skin a couple of days later :whistle:



I'm sure beauty salons charge a fortune for that!

 

[Lesinge]

All Hail Star san! - much better than the other stuff I used and have now totally forgotten about!

although it does peel your skin a couple of days later :whistle:



I'm sure beauty salons charge a fortune for that!

I use thick rubber gloves...😃

 

[Olliebrews]

If it burns your skin... what internal is it causing when diluted into brew? :whistle: I am going to invest in it anyway as the kit just came with one sachet of sanitiser which I have exhausted.

Bottle tree does look the ticket, I do have a little bottler, and a drum stool to perch on whilst I milk the fermenter. Catchup TV is a good idea. but I was so enthralled by my first time I wasn't bored at all :lol:.

I just made a sanitiser bath with a washing up bowl, dunked them, rolled them, shook them, swilled them out then stood them upside down on a fresh towel back in the box they came in. 1/2 hour later when filling they were basically dry.

As ever my ambition outweighs my budget. my shopping list priority being more bottles and more ingredients. Vinator will have to wait.