Help

[Tys]

Total newbe. On with my 1st brew (ever) of coppers mex larger and got it bottled last Sunday. Totally addidicted to home brewing even though I haven't had a sip yet. So much so I've made a second set up with Bull dog mixed berry for SWMBO and I've started another batch of coppers euro with my original FV. Ive bought a load of bottles (enough to cope with all the brews I've started) but would I be better using a pressure barrel the rate I'm brewing? And is the one sold in Wilkos any good as in Hull we don't have any local HBS?
Thanks in advance.

P.S When can I have my 1st taster. 😭

 

[LarryF]

First off welcome to the forum, with your bottled Coopers Cerveza give it 2 weeks in the house to carbonate and the bottles go hard. If they're not carbing up they may need to go near a rad this time of year. Then give it 2 weeks in the shed to condition and it's good to go but the longer you leave it the better it gets. What I tend to do is after 12 days in the house I put one in the fridge for 2 days and have a first taste. With your Coopers European Lager, that will come with a lager yeast and you might want to swap it out for something like a Wilko Gervin yeast until you understand the lagering process, you'll still get great beer using the Wilko yeast with the Coopers kit. As for kegging or bottling, I only bottle but if you've got the bottles, use them and use the time to read up on kegging to see if and what sort of kegging will suit you best. If you've got any questions ask away, the only silly question on here is the one you don't ask and let us know what that first bottle tastes like.

 

[IainM]

I don't get on well with pressure barrels, and there are plenty of 'help my barrel is leaking' threads on here. That said others like them a lot. If you do go down that route I'd read as much as possible first, starting with the barrel guide on here.

Welcome to the forum and the best hobby in the world!

 

[Bigcol49]

I don't get on well with pressure barrels . . .

Hi!
I, too, have had poor experiences with a PB, but there are many members out there who use them successfully.
Wilko's PBs will be made for them by a company who makes PBs for many outlets, so there's no reason not to buy one.
Try these threads: http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=38046&page=2
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=64773

 

[terrym]

@Tys
These might be useful to you
Basic beginners guide to brewing your own beer from a kit - The HomeBrew Forum

Guide to a Standard Home Brew Pressure Barrel

You will see a lot of posts on this forum about the times in the various stages for producing your beer. Personally I leave my beer in the FV for a minimum of 14 days or until it is nearly clear, then 1 to 2 weeks to carb up, then anywhere from 3/4 weeks after before I start to drink it. The last maturing or conditioning stage varies according to all sorts of different factors, and some beers can be drunk young and others only really come good after a few months including the Euro lager which even Coopers recommend should be kept for three months.
I run three budget PBs. They are not without their faults but for most beers they are fine, and it is far easier to package into a PB then lots of bottles. However unless you have a large fridge spare you cant refrigerate your beer in a PB unlike bottles, and there is a limit on the carbonation you can achieve in a PB due to pressure limits on the PB itself, so beers like ales are fine but high carb beers like lagers are best put into bottles. In the end its personal choice.

Finally it is widely accepted that it is best to brew your beer at a steady temperature, and to try to keep the temperature above 18*C when brewing with ale yeasts. Many home brewers use a brew fridge (look it up on here), some use a brew belt, I use a water bath
How to Set up a Water Bath for your FV - The HomeBrew Forum

 

[marlon]

I don't get on well with pressure barrels, and there are plenty of 'help my barrel is leaking' threads on here. That said others like them a lot. If you do go down that route I'd read as much as possible first, starting with the barrel guide on here.

Welcome to the forum and the best hobby in the world!

+1. I've had leak problems with plastic barrels too. If you're still a very keen brewer in the spring/summer, ( ...why wouldn't you be, right?..) take a look at Corny kegs. They're more expensive but sooo much better. Referb'd units are available for about �£40+, :thumb:

 

[Bigjas]

Welcome to this great hobby..

I have bottled, used pressure barrels and now use Corny Kegs in the last two years. I can't stand bottling, too much faffing around and takes too long for me. The pressure barrels are good, so long as you are prepared to tinker with them to get them to seal 100%. I have used a budget one and 3 King Kegs, all have leaked at some point and I have managed to fix every leak. I fitted pressure gauges to all of them to help monitor pressures. I have now moved on to Corny Kegs and wish I had used them from the start. They never leak, are so easy to use and I can force carbonate with ease. They are expensive initially, but worth every penny in my opinion. Its best if you have a dedicated fridge for them, so need some space. Oh, and you need to source a Co2 supplier, there are plenty around and the prices seem to vary a lot.

If I started out again, I would go straight to a Corny set up. This is the sort of set up I have https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=2964

 

[treebeard]

Hi Tys. Welcome to the forum and this great hobby. I'm not to far from Hull, near Cottingham to be exact. There is so much knowledge on here, folks are always willing to help out with any questions. :thumb:

 

[Tys]

WOW Thanks for for the good advice and fast response. I'll keep you posted 👍

 

[Tys]

I've added you to my contacts. I'll keep in touch👌