How to condition/prime

[terrym]

I have, yeah. It's just nerve-wracking on new kit and with the all grain bit. I know the pils is tricky, but figured I could learn a lot in a single brew.

Have you considered commissioning your new equipment in stages. Say do an extract beer or a kit in your conical fermenter first, then with that experience out of the way get the Grainfather and chiller up and running with a simple/basic SMASH beer, transferring to your conical fermenter with which you have previously familiarised yourself. Then when you are happy about the process get your Malt miller kit underway. You are still brewing beer when all said and done.
I am sure that would lead to a less stressful brewday experience.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

I think it is. Had years of faffing around with spoons and granules until I discovered the joy of carb drops. More expensive, right enough.

I started brewing a year ago and bought a kit that came with a pack of carb drops but I don’t think any two of them were exactly the same size. I now use a funnel with a measure teaspoon per bottle and it’s far cheaper and more accurate

 

[Scottyburto]

If I bottle tonight in 500ml glass bottles and store at room temp (18-22c) what is the shortest carbonation time I can hope for?

I normally use the 2+2+2 method as a minimum but the middle 2 has ended up an 8 and I was hope to have a couple before new year!

I'd imagine it's about 2-6c atm do may take a day to come up to room temp.

 

[Scottyburto]

Sorry forgot to mention.

I'm using 200g of table sugar dissolved in 200ml boiling water, cooled and injected 5mls per bottle!

Any help/advice is much appreciated.

 

[Fritzpoll85]

Thanks to everyone on both my threads. I did my first AG brew today abd used a Grainfather. Got an SG of 1.048, so pretty close to the 1.044 I needed

I think the grainfather instructions could be a bit clearer and the ones for the chiller were maddening as they left out including washers on the connectors so it began to leak. That was not fun to fix with glycol everywhere when I took the connectors off! But all ok now, in the fermenter and have managed to get the chiller to crash it down to 10C.

Now to wait for it to settle out. Thanks again to everyone for the help so far - I felt a lot more confident going into it having had the replies

 

[terrym]

If I bottle tonight in 500ml glass bottles and store at room temp (18-22c) what is the shortest carbonation time I can hope for?

I normally use the 2+2+2 method as a minimum but the middle 2 has ended up an 8 and I was hope to have a couple before new year!

I'd imagine it's about 2-6c atm do may take a day to come up to room temp.

Carbing times depend on yeast load on the bottles, carbing temperature and priming rate. Less sugar, more yeast and higher temperatures will result in shorter carbing times. For my beers I usually reckon on about 6-8 days before carbing is done and the beer is substantially clear. Last Thursday, 6 days ago, I bottled a brew at about 7*C, its been in a room at about 18/19*C, and have tonight sampled the first one. It is carbed, clear but not 'bright', and carbonation is where I expected it to be. Its definitely pleasantly drinkable, but I will now leave it for at least 2 or 3 weeks to condition before I try the next one. So if you want to get a headstart I suggest you put a few in the airing cupboard if you have one to get a headstart. And when it is clearing/cleared it has finished carbing.

 

[Scottyburto]

Nice one Terrym will do!

Thank you!

 

[Fritzpoll85]

Thanks to everyone on both my threads. I did my first AG brew today abd used a Grainfather. Got an SG of 1.048, so pretty close to the 1.044 I needed

I think the grainfather instructions could be a bit clearer and the ones for the chiller were maddening as they left out including washers on the connectors so it began to leak. That was not fun to fix with glycol everywhere when I took the connectors off! But all ok now, in the fermenter and have managed to get the chiller to crash it down to 10C.

Now to wait for it to settle out. Thanks again to everyone for the help so far - I felt a lot more confident going into it having had the replies

An update (and happy Christmas!): 9 days on, and the gravity is still dropping, currently 1.015. The target FG is 1.009 so I think I'm closing in fairly quickly.

I will be trying to do a 2 day diacytyl rest at 20 degrees (up from the current 10). I assume I want to ramp this up slowly over a few days - maybe 2-3 degrees at a time?

I'm wondering if I should start about now rather than waiting until it gets to the desired FG. But am not sure - is there a rule of thumb for this?

 

[Fritzpoll85]

As you've got a conical can't you just dump the yeast out of the bottom after the D rest?

@terrym @dan125 the brew is going well! Completing the D rest shortly - will then dump the trub. Assume I just open the valve and keep going until clearer beer starts to emerge? When I sample above the cake I get a hazy, but lager-tasting liquid - below comes out looking like pure yeast. Figured I'd dump until I saw the hazy stuff coming out. That sound right?

 

[dan125]

@terrym @dan125 the brew is going well! Completing the D rest shortly - will then dump the trub. Assume I just open the valve and keep going until clearer beer starts to emerge? When I sample above the cake I get a hazy, but lager-tasting liquid - below comes out looking like pure yeast. Figured I'd dump until I saw the hazy stuff coming out. That sound right?

Essentially, yes.
I'd wait until you've got it down to conditioning temp, so that as much yeast as possible has settled out - as long as it doesn't compact so much it won't pass through the valve. I've never used a GF conical, but this has been as issue in my Fermentasaurus plastic conical.

 

[pms67]

Sorry forgot to mention.

I'm using 200g of table sugar dissolved in 200ml boiling water, cooled and injected 5mls per bottle!

Any help/advice is much appreciated.

I use roughly 6g per litre of dextrose, open the FV, sprinkle it in and bottle ten minutes later, never had a carbonation problem, no stirring, no funnels, no sugar drops

 

[Fritzpoll85]

Essentially, yes.
I'd wait until you've got it down to conditioning temp, so that as much yeast as possible has settled out - as long as it doesn't compact so much it won't pass through the valve. I've never used a GF conical, but this has been as issue in my Fermentasaurus plastic conical.

Thanks a lot - the conditioning temp is specified as 10degC in the recipe, though others seem to think I should crash it to 4-5. I'll get there in a couple of days and dump then!

 

[St00]

It's great to witness someone's first foray into AG, it really is a rewarding hobby. I enjoy brewing as much as the end result. Most likely because I'm usually not the most "handy" of grown men. I'm allergic to any and all forms of DIY and Mechanics.

I hope your enjoyment of the new equipment continues and I look forward to finding out about the end result.

 

[Fritzpoll85]

It's great to witness someone's first foray into AG, it really is a rewarding hobby. I enjoy brewing as much as the end result. Most likely because I'm usually not the most "handy" of grown men. I'm allergic to any and all forms of DIY and Mechanics.

I hope your enjoyment of the new equipment continues and I look forward to finding out about the end result.

I'm really enjoying it - I found the brew day busy but fun, and I didnt need additional distractions to keep me occupied. Will keep you all posted!

 

[Fritzpoll85]

The first pour. I conditioned for a while in the fermenter, then (per a different thread) finished it off under pressure in a corny keg. Waiting for the regulator for the beer line, but it's been 4-5 weeks.

Tastes really good and clean. Some light fruitiness coming through from the hops. Fairly clear, but not crystal clear- I'm okay with that but noting it

Needs a bit more carbonating, or not to lose it all in the head! Otherwise really pleased. Thanks to @terrym @dan125 and the rest if you for the help

Weissbier next...

 

[skulltat280]

I think it is. Had years of faffing around with spoons and granules until I discovered the joy of carb drops. More expensive, right enough.

try batch priming, even easier