Hello

[FirebladeAdam]

Hello everyone,
I'm Adam and I'm new to the home brew game. I live down in deep space Somerset and am out to master making really good darkish beers and ales. I want to do this by 'all grain' brewing (I think that's the right phrase!) Which involves being as 'from scratch' as possible.
Looking forward to talking business with you all, I'm gonna need a lot of help!
Thanks in advance,
Adam

 

[Gerryjo]

Hi and welcome to the forum...

 

[terrym]

@FirebladeAdam
Welcome to the forum (and fellow biker too?).
My advice to you is to start ontwo or three kits first, get some experience under your belt, using basic equipment which will be usable as you progress to AG. Where to start here
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/...de-to-brewing-your-own-beer-from-a-kit.57526/There are many ways to brew AG beer from small batch stove top to large scale shiny kit costing £100s or even more, with many options in between. However when you have got to understand the basics (by doing a few kits) you can then make a better informed choice about what you want given space time and budget rather than trying to understand well meaning recommendations made by forum members.
Finally a book might be useful to you. John Palmers How to Brew is good start, and an online version is available here
http://howtobrew.com/

 

[FirebladeAdam]

Awesome thanks Terrym. Yes fellow biker as is Gerryjo by the look of it! Yes I've a lot to do, I'm just waiting on my first kit to sit in the bottles for two weeks. It's Victorian ale, and it's clear now with a bit of in bottle fermentation so all good, but I think it'll taste like dirty dishwater, just because it's a cheapo kit! I'll let you know, but it does confirm that I can clean and sterilise, ferment, cap bottles and other basic stuff. I suppose the purchase of a mash tun in coming months.
I'll have to work through the reading list you have assigned!

 

[Banbeer]

Welcome to the forum @FirebladeAdam, hope all goes well for you.

 

[FirebladeAdam]

Thanks Banbeer

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Welcome to the forum

 

[terrym]

Awesome thanks Terrym. Yes fellow biker as is Gerryjo by the look of it! Yes I've a lot to do, I'm just waiting on my first kit to sit in the bottles for two weeks. It's Victorian ale, and it's clear now with a bit of in bottle fermentation so all good, but I think it'll taste like dirty dishwater, just because it's a cheapo kit!

Be aware of the 2+2+2 'rule' which is suggested to folks starting out. That's 2 weeks in primary fermentation, 2 weeks in a warm place carbing up, and a minimum 2 weeks conditioning before you sample. You can then adjust the timings when you get some experience and know what you are doing, but note some beers can take several weeks to come good especially darker or high ABV beers (in my experience), although some beers are better drunk young. Again personal experience will assist in this. So if your Victorian ale tastes a bit naff one month on from bottling it might improve with keeping.

 

[FirebladeAdam]

Great I'll bear that in mind. I think it was supposed to be 5 days fermentation but the bubbles stopped at 9! So I bottles and primed, it went clear within 3 days and now they're just in the dark hopefully improving!
The 5 days came from the kit manufacturer, but it did say 'or when the bubbles stop'.
Really interesting to hear the 2+2+2

 

[terrym]

Great I'll bear that in mind. I think it was supposed to be 5 days fermentation but the bubbles stopped at 9! So I bottles and primed, it went clear within 3 days and now they're just in the dark hopefully improving!
The 5 days came from the kit manufacturer, but it did say 'or when the bubbles stop'.
Really interesting to hear the 2+2+2

Kit instructions are usually geared to minimum timings to get you to drink your beer in the quickest time possible, and therefore appear attractive to the uninitiated. However that's not usually compatible with getting the best out of what you have brewed.

 

[Galena]

Another reason for the first 2 in the 2+2+2 is that a rushed or stressed fermentation can produce excessive diacetyl which has a buttery or butterscotch flavour, this is desired in small amounts in certain ales but not something you want too much of and you should allow the yeast to clean up after itself, so don't bottle too soon.

 

[starseeker]

Welcome to the forum Adam, where about in somerset are you ? I live in Crewkerne myself and being another biker ,often end up at West Bay after a blast ,how about you ?

 

[FirebladeAdam]

I live near sunny Minehead!

 

[Merkin]

I live near sunny Minehead!

A beautiful part of the country.
I'm due to visit my son next month in Taunton - shame the WSR isn't running as I was hoping for a bit of steam and a gentle beer fueled wander round Watchet.

 

[FirebladeAdam]

I love the WSR, it's a rare find. Is it expensive? And I suppose you can only go to Bishop's Lydeard?

 

[Merkin]

I love the WSR, it's a rare find. Is it expensive? And I suppose you can only go to Bishop's Lydeard?

Pretty reasonably priced for a day out - runs from Minehead to Bishops Lydeard, with about half a dozen stations in between. They normally have a few special events on during the year (including a beer festival), but everything has been cancelled this year because of COVID.
It's a very friendly railway relying on a lot of volunteers - I would certainly get involved if I lived a little closer. Just hope it survives the financial pressures brought on by COVID.

 

[starseeker]

I live near sunny Minehead!

I am hoping to get out for a decent ride next weekend, head off down your way, then out across exmoor for a blast

 

[FirebladeAdam]

It's a great place for a blast. I have a loop of Exmoor I do quite regularly, fab route, amazing views. Really nice to do other routes too but equally great to see the trees and the landscape change with the seasons. But perhaps not the snow! I give deepest winter a miss