Minimum deviation from kit instructions?

[morethanworts]

I'm putting a Wherry on tonight. One part of me tells me to do it EXACTLY as the instructions say, because even total beginners report good results that way. (I've had some experience - maybe 20-30 brews, a few years back mind, partial mashes etc)

But I know from experience and wider reading that there are things in the Wherry instructions that most experts would not recommend, the main ones being:

No mention of aerating, just mixing the extract and water
Pitching the yeast dry
Only 2 days in the warm after priming

What deviations (if any) do you/would you make from the most basic kit instructions?

 

[Brewbob]

Adding 500g enhancer. I've got two Wherry's on at the mo and I think the one with the enhancer is fuller and more satisfying

 

[rpt]

Ignore the timings in the instructions. Use a hydrometer to judge when it has finished fermenting and then leave it a bit longer to clear up. After priming, it will take at a week or two to carbonate. Then it needs several weeks to be good to drink.

 

[eggman]

I would brew the kit as standard, it's a lovely pint. As stated above ignore the kit timings, give it at least 10 days in the fermenter but have a check on it after a week or so as Wherry is known for stuck fermentations. Then a week in the warm followed by at least 3 weeks in the cool. The longer it's left the better beer it develops into IMO
:

 

[RobWalker]

+1 for standard, nowt wrong with it at all!

dry pitching yeast is fine though, honestly. aerating is fine too, but not essential, just gives the yeast a better start. i can see the attraction to 2 days in the warm after priming, but go for a full week to ensure it's all done. theres really no point in spoiling a good point for a little more effort.

 

[Chickpeanut]

I would consider brewing it a bit short, say to around 20l.

I did this kit a couple of months ago and was recommended to do this to increase body and flavour as well as up the abv a wee bit. It's just becoming a lovely pint. If I do another one I'll brew it short again.

 

[redhousebrewing]

What temps would people recommend for a Wherry kit post priming for warm and then cool?
The instructions on the side of the Wherry kit have warm as 18-22 degC, cold unspecified.
The instructions that came with the Young's starter kit I'm using have warm as 24-25 and cold as 18-22 - obviously these are general suggestions.

To me cold is more like cellar temps which at the moment is 11degC.

Any views appreciated.
Thanks
Stuart

 

[munkian]

I short brewed mine to 20l and used enhancer instead of sugar - about 14 days in the primary at 18-22 then transfered to barrel with some sugar and a litre of water and kept in a cool dark place.

I topped it up with gas after 6-10 pints to keep it carbonated

 

[morethanworts]

Thanks for the replies :

All considered, I am tempted to brew just short enough to give a guesstimated drop (roughly) of 0.032 from OG to FG, which, combined with an expected 0.2%ABV or so from the priming sugars will get it around the 4.5% ABV, and full body (?), of the commercial pint. Many people report a lower than expected OG (and ABV) result on Wherry, however nice it tastes. I know many homebrewers aren't too bothered about exact ABVs (and we'd need more technology to get it spot on), but if brewing short will increase the body as well, it seems worth it - even if the hop IBUs are very slightly lowered in proportion by doing so.

My only concern is the reports of stuck fermentations. I guess brewing short would not appear to help that situation: more work for the same yeast. I am really tempted to rehydrate it first. I read that up to 50% of viable cells are often lost when pitching dry yeast, even though the other 50% will usually go on and successfully do the job. Rehydrated yeast cells are more resilient to the shock of hitting the sugars in the wort, apparently. Maybe this yeast is causing problems when pitched dry - stuck fermentations.

Anyone rehydrated the Wherry yeast first?

 

[munkian]

Newbie question - how does one 're-hydrate' the yeast ? Simple as it sounds ? :?

 

[eggman]

Newbie question - how does one 're-hydrate' the yeast ? Simple as it sounds ? :?

Have a read here
:

 

[munkian]

Diolch

 

[morethanworts]

Well, it is done and pitched.

Brewing slightly short to 21.5L gave me OG 1.044, which is exactly what I was after, hoping to get down to 1.011-12. I had topped it up gradually, testing it with a hydrometer in a wine thief as I went.

I whisked hard with a hand whisk for 5 minutes to aerate, along with a bit of stirring with the long-handle spoon. Whipped up a bit of a froth.

Yeast (6g kit sachet) was rehydrated in 60ml of cooled, boiled water at 25C for 20 mins, then pitched at 22C (the wort was at 20C). Straight in a water bath controlled by an STC 1000 and a couple of aquarium heaters, aimed at keeping the wort at 20C.

I also added 2/3 crushed campden tablet to help with the chlorine in our moderately hard tap water.

I know it's only a kit, but it's still nice when it all goes smoothly...so far! Now I'm doing my anti-stuck-fermentation-dance :party: It looks like that little yellow chap there, only with a bit more concern.

[EDIT I've belatedly seen an article on these forums that suggests I may have been better rehydrating at 30C, if the anonymous Wherry kit yeast (from Muntons) is the Nottingham strain. Fingers crossed it's viable enough - the morning may well tell!]

 

[rpt]

I short brewed mine to 20l and used enhancer instead of sugar

Which kit are you doing as Wherry doesn't need any extra sugar?

 

[mattrickl06]

2 weeks in secondary - at least 4 weeks after this until its drinkable really :