Must have equipment.

[Tripster]

if you go any builders merchants or diy store and ask for a gorilla bucket they'll know what you mean - id never heard the term trug till now

I didn't know they were called trugs until I started reading this forum. I've allways called them hippo or rihno tubs, and I work In construction (on sites) thats what I love about this forum It's so informative.

 

[Personal91]

I didn't know they were called trugs until I started reading this forum. I've allways called them hippo or rihno tubs, and I work In construction (on sites) thats what I love about this forum It's so informative.

theres always another angle to it, and thats what makes it all the more worth while

 

[dad_of_jon]

Thanks for the additional info. Not having started, yet, I don't know what temp range is necessary to create the wort. Hope that is the correct term. Videos I have watched just seem to show a gently simmering pot. Maybe temperatures are more critical.

I had wondered if I could manage without the copper cooling coil to start with but if it takes 15 minutes or so with one, goodness knows how long cooling would take without. Seems a no brainer.

If you're boiling the whole volume of wort you could do a no-chill to save using a coil. Myqul does this more than me.

but if you're doing extract brews you dont have to boil the full 23-25 litres, just about 6-7 litres and you can top up in the FV to 23 with cold bottled water and that will save even more time!

 

[Gerryjo]

Hi Aphid,you certainly seem to be keen and that's fantastic.I started back brewing after 20 odd years when all I had was access to kits,but kits now have come such a long way.Since I started back in August my first brew was a stove top kit which was 5 litre done on the job in a big pan using a nylon bag from the pound shop but ended up being 20litre with the addition of some liquid malt extract.
I used pop bottles which I got from helpful cleansing technician's at work washing them and sterilising with Milton fluid.
Bought a fermenter online for £10 and then bought a 25kg bag of grains to experiment with.
I have yet to follow a recipe but like yourself have watched numerous YouTube visa and been to forums as well.
I then came across this forum which I think is second to none as they have a wealth of information years of expertise and thousands of mistakes by which themselves and others have learned by and try to help others avoid.
What I would say is not to rush headlong into this and enjoy it as you go along your journey as it will consume you if you let it.Take it step by step small one's at that and you'll be amazed at what you can achieve with so little.Cheers and happy brewing.🍺

Sent from my ALE-L21

 

[Aphid]

Hi Aphid,you certainly seem to be keen and that's fantastic.I started back brewing after 20 odd years when all I had was access to kits,but kits now have come such a long way.Since I started back in August my first brew was a stove top kit which was 5 litre done on the job in a big pan using a nylon bag from the pound shop but ended up being 20litre with the addition of some liquid malt extract.
I used pop bottles which I got from helpful cleansing technician's at work washing them and sterilising with Milton fluid.
Bought a fermenter online for �£10 and then bought a 25kg bag of grains to experiment with.
I have yet to follow a recipe but like yourself have watched numerous YouTube visa and been to forums as well.
I then came across this forum which I think is second to none as they have a wealth of information years of expertise and thousands of mistakes by which themselves and others have learned by and try to help others avoid.
What I would say is not to rush headlong into this and enjoy it as you go along your journey as it will consume you if you let it.Take it step by step small one's at that and you'll be amazed at what you can achieve with so little.Cheers and happy brewing.🍺

Sent from my ALE-L21

Thanks for your input, Gerryjo. Sound advice. I have come to the obvious conclusion that I must walk before I run and the comments from numerous contributors have been extremely helpful in preparing me for my first attempt...and for clarifying more than a few misconceptions. Really excellent.

Mistakes - I am sure I will make more than a few and have probably done so right at the off. Already I think something is not right with my first batch created from a Woodforde Wherry Micro Kit.

I watched several YouTube videos to prepare myself and was so excited to get stuck in when my Kit arrived midday. My FV is in situ inside the trug water bath set up I was directed too. What a neat idea. But signs of fermentation are conspicuously absent after over 3 hours. Blindly following the instructions I never questioned the method. Perhaps I should have thought to check the wort temperature inside the RV before adding the yeast. In trying to figure out what was wrong I discovered that the stick on thermometer was reading 24C. Not sure now cos it's sunk in the trug bath. Maybe I have knackered the yeast! Sigh. Great start, huh!

 

[Gerryjo]

You may have pitched your yeast too early as your temp is a bit high.I usually pitch at 16 to 18 and with fermentation starting it will rise due the chemical reactions at work.
Remove from trub and let it drop.It may take a day or two for a visible reaction but patience is a virtue🍺

Sent from my ALE-L21

 

[Obfu]

Hey Aphid, wrt using the copper coil (immersion chiller) to cool your wort, you definitely can get away with not using one at first. I have no tap compatible with a hose so have been unable to fast chill my wort using one. When my wort is finished, I let it stand until it's around 85 Celsius, then transfer to a hdpe grade container with airtight lid. That gets left outside to cool passively. Container has to be spotlessly clean and sanitised because one of the the downsides of slow cooling is an extended time for infection to get introduced and right when the wort is most vulnerable.
I'm not suggesting you should do this, only that you can. If you do decide to use a 'No Chill' method, do some more reading around on it because there are factors that need to be taken into consideration. Myself, I'm looking forward to a time when I have a choice.

 

[Obfu]

On the yeast front, don't panic yet. i often don't see much sign of activation for 8 hours. My last batch took 12 hours to get going. If nothing happens by tomorrow, pitch another sachet. I did that 3 months back and the beer came out fantastic.

 

[BarnBrian]

Before I got my brew fridge I used a new plastic dustbin instead of a trug. I think the fact that it's got a lid means you end up with a more stable temperature in the bin. I put enough water in so the FV is floating about 2 inches off the bottom of the bin.

 

[Aphid]

You may have pitched your yeast too early as your temp is a bit high.I usually pitch at 16 to 18 and with fermentation starting it will rise due the chemical reactions at work.
Remove from trub and let it drop.It may take a day or two for a visible reaction but patience is a virtue🍺

Sent from my ALE-L21

Yes. Unfortunately no doubt about that. Pity the instructions didn't warn to do so but also a pity I didn't have my head screwed on. Lesson learned.

Although I originally left my FV in a spare bedroom, ambient temperatures are still about 22C even after turning radiators off. The weather is so mild at the moment. Here am I thinking the biggest issue would be to keep the temperature up to the desired range, yet I have the reverse problem. I have just moved everything into my garage at least that will be colder and the aquarium heater might even be triggered into working. Let's hope this helps.

 

[Aphid]

On the yeast front, don't panic yet. i often don't see much sign of activation for 8 hours. My last batch took 12 hours to get going. If nothing happens by tomorrow, pitch another sachet. I did that 3 months back and the beer came out fantastic.

Thanks for your comments. That is reassuring. As I have just mentioned (above?) I have just moved everything into my garage, now. Just too warm inside. Adding a new yeast sachet as a possible solution is a great idea but I don't have one. :-( Any suggestions where I can get hold of one quickly should I need it?

 

[Aphid]

Before I got my brew fridge I used a new plastic dustbin instead of a trug. I think the fact that it's got a lid means you end up with a more stable temperature in the bin. I put enough water in so the FV is floating about 2 inches off the bottom of the bin.

Sounds like a great alternative. Thanks for sharing.

As you will have gathered, my issue is keeping my temperatures down to within the desired 18-20C. Just too warm everywhere. I expected the reverse. Having moved my 'operation' into the garage I am hopeful of achieving the desired result. Let's hope so. This is like having a new baby - checking every few minutes. Come on, yeast. Do your stuff!

 

[Obfu]

If your local homebrew shop isn't local, try Wilko. Chances are your yeast'll pick up - fingers crossed fella.

 

[Aphid]

If your local homebrew shop isn't local, try Wilko. Chances are your yeast'll pick up - fingers crossed fella.

Wilko. There is one if those nearby. Thanks for that. Is there a particular yeast variety I need to look for?
Just had a look on their web site and this is the only beer yeast they have. Would it be suitable? Assuming it's the wort rather than the yeast that matters. Or is it both?

 

[Obfu]

If your fermentation doesn't start and you don't have a local homebrew, you're in a pinch. That yeast will be fine.

 

[Aphid]

If your fermentation doesn't start and you don't have a local homebrew, you're in a pinch. That yeast will be fine.

Good to hear the yeast will be OK. The nearest home brew shop is about 30 miles away (I think) so I will get some of the Wilco yeast today just in case. Any suggestions about when and if to use it? I assume if there are no signs of fermentation by mid afternoon - 24 hours after making up the initial wort - then would be the time. Or would you suggest more patience?

 

[Aphid]

Just been to my garage and checked my 'brew'. The top of the basic airlock was completely off lying on the lid and water bath temperature was 19C. Both good signs, I think. Hold back on the extra yeast?

 

[Bigcol49]

Wilko. There is one if those nearby. Thanks for that. Is there a particular yeast variety I need to look for?

As you say, Wilko has Gervin Ale Yeast. It is generally accepted to be Nottingham yeast. I use this extensively for all English ale styles and stouts. It starts quickly, works quickly and sticks to the bottom of the FV/bottle like toffee, making racking and pouring a piece of cake.
I have used this yeast on a "lager" kit. I used two packets of yeast and fermented at 14C. The result must have been good - my son drank it all in no time flat!

 

[BarnBrian]

The result must have been good - my son drank it all in no time flat!

Just think, your son might have drunk it quicker if it hadn't been flat :lol::lol::lol:

 

[DoctorMick]

Just been to my garage and checked my 'brew'. The top of the basic airlock was completely off lying on the lid and water bath temperature was 19C. Both good signs, I think. Hold back on the extra yeast?

If the airlock lid has come off it sounds like you're in business so won't need the extra yeast. With the yeast that comes with the Wherry kit is a bit temperamental but seems to prefer warmer temperatures so you might want to increase the temp of the water bath to 22c after a few days of vigorous fermentation at 19c.