New member & first Time Brewer, looking for reassurance :)

[Chris1991]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently in the middle of attempting my first home brew (well second, I tried a year ago but to no avail !)

I've just transferred my brew from the fermenter to my bottles.

Its a Coopers Mexican Cerveza.

It was in the fermenter for 8 days and I measured the same OG two days running.

I'm slightly worried as I had a sample and it seemed quite weak tasting. The original OG was around 1.040 and the final OG was 1.010.

I'm also looking for advice on how to keep my bottles at a decent temperature as I'm out most of the day and live in sunny Scotland so the ambient temperature will likely be too low to keep the bottles above 18 DegC.

I've had a look on amazon at temperature controlled heat mats, if any advice could be given on the best one to buy it would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Chris

 

[An Ankoù]

Welcome Chris. There's more advice coming your way than you can shake your hat at.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I've had a look on amazon at temperature controlled heat mats, if any advice could be given on the best one to buy it would be appreciated.

Many members use the inkbird controller with brew fridges but you could use one for controlling the heat pad.

Inkbird controller -
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133947829384?epid=6025093420&hash=item1f2fe9ac88:g:xikAAOSwvVZho4lK

Heat pad -
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274081195803?hash=item3fd083271b:g:9awAAOSwgrBdv6d0

 

[Obadiah Boondoggle]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently in the middle of attempting my first home brew (well second, I tried a year ago but to no avail !)

I've just transferred my brew from the fermenter to my bottles.

Its a Coopers Mexican Cerveza.

It was in the fermenter for 8 days and I measured the same OG two days running.

I'm slightly worried as I had a sample and it seemed quite weak tasting. The original OG was around 1.040 and the final OG was 1.010.

I'm also looking for advice on how to keep my bottles at a decent temperature as I'm out most of the day and live in sunny Scotland so the ambient temperature will likely be too low to keep the bottles above 18 DegC.

I've had a look on amazon at temperature controlled heat mats, if any advice could be given on the best one to buy it would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Chris

I'm slightly worried as I had a sample and it seemed quite weak tasting. The original OG was around 1.040 and the final OG was 1.010.

1.040 to 1.010 means an ABV of 3.9

If you need to work out an ABV just take the drop in SG, in your case 30 pts and times it by 0.131 i.e. in this case 40 - 10 = 30 X 0.131 = 3.9

The advice regarding equipment looks good to me - for the time being is there any chance of bringing the bottles in to the house for a couple of weeks whilst they secondarily ferment? Sorry if the temp you quote is in the house

Good luck - I'm sure it will be worth it in the end

 

[purewhitesnow]

2 weeks in the house should be sufficient to allow for secondary fermentation to occur. Room temp should be fine, I usually keep mine in my airing cupboard because that's where the boiler is and slightly warmer than anywhere else. Or on top of a wardrobe in the warmest bedroom should be fine.
Then transfer somewhere cool for another week or 2 before drinking. I like my beers cold so they go in the fridge after secondary fermentation.
Good luck!

 

[Galena]

Too late for this brew but it is always worth filling at least one plastic PET bottle, such as used for carbonated drinks. Then you will feel it harden up over the days and know that it is carbonating sufficiently.
8 days in the fermenter should be plenty, but many brewers including me always allow 14 days in the FV at fermentation temperatures, this allows the yeast to clean up any potential off flavours that may occur.
I'm sure those bottles will carb up as they are even if they need a little more than 14 days (unlikely) thats where a PET bottle as above comes in handy.
You could always try and cover them up with a duvet or something before the heating goes off and they will retain heat longer.

 

[damienair]

If you have an airing cupboard in your home, that is the best spot to Brew in, temperature in ours is usually between 20-22 degrees. I leave my Fermentation Bucket in the airing cupboard and when bottled I leave the bottles in the airing cupboard for 2 weeks and then down to the garage to condition for at least 2 weeks. Enjoy your beer, nothing like drinking your own.

 

[The Cat]

Many members use the inkbird controller with brew fridges but you could use one for controlling the heat pad.

Inkbird controller -
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133947829384?epid=6025093420&hash=item1f2fe9ac88:g:xikAAOSwvVZho4lK

View attachment 58810



Heat pad -
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274081195803?hash=item3fd083271b:g:9awAAOSwgrBdv6d0
View attachment 58808

That's exactly what I use for fermentation as I use my garage and it gets too chilly in there most of the year.

 

[Chris1991]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply.

Hopefully the Cerveza turns out ok.

I'll be sure to post my results if anyones interested.

Cheers

Chris

 

[dad_of_jon]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply.

Hopefully the Cerveza turns out ok.

I'll be sure to post my results if anyones interested.

Cheers

Chris

You can also brew shorter to increase the flavour and abv if you want. I have found kits to usually come out at less than advertised unless I brew short to 21.5 rather than 23 litres. Or I add DME and or extra fermentables. My last kit Wilco's winter warmer was due to be around 4.8% but I got it up to 8% ish brewing short and adding fermentables.
.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

If you have an airing cupboard in your home, that is the best spot to Brew in,

Advice to new and first time brewer, don't try and brew in your airing cupboard you're likely to be a bit cramped!

 

[531Man]

Advice to new and first time brewer, don't try and brew in your airing cupboard you're likely to be a bit cramped!

,
I suspect @damienair meant to recommend ferment or after bottling carb. up;
Rather than actually brewing in an airing cupboard.
Unless your name is Harry Potter, of course.

 

[Resilient Cat]

It'll taste infinity times better when it's fizzy. I'm just bottling mine today (minus a gallon for a dry hop experiment) as well

Wish I'd read the advice about brewing short when I started though, I definitely got carried away and added too much water to mine! Let's pretend I intentionally made it sessionable

 

[damienair]

,
I suspect @damienair meant to recommend ferment or after bottling carb. up;
Rather than actually brewing in an airing cupboard.
Unless your name is Harry Potter, of course.

Ha Ha indeed. I have wait until my wife is out of the house before I put a kit on in our kitchen as it winds her up. She refers to the process as rediculously needless faffing . She also complains sometimes about the Fermentation buckets being in the airing cupboard. Now if I tried to do the full Brew in the airing cupboard that would really set her off.

 

[531Man]

Ha Ha indeed. I have wait until my wife is out of the house before I put a kit on in our kitchen as it winds her up. She refers to the process as rediculously needless faffing . She also complains sometimes about the Fermentation buckets being in the airing cupboard. Now if I tried to do the full Brew in the airing cupboard that would really set her off.

indeed!
Don't joke about it.
As our airing cupboard has about 50cm space in front of the hot tank, all the water pipes, cold mains, cold and hot to house in it, coupled with her opinion of SWMBO'D how much space I take up in 'her' kitchen when brewing I can well imagine that being a serious suggestion from her.
The lack of a sink or drain would immediately be swatted away saying, 'there's a bathroom the other side of the wall.
What more do you want or need?!

 

[RoomWithABrew]

I'm lucky to have a fairly dedicated brewspace , I call it the brewroom. Why on earth my wife calls it the laundry room I have no idea!

 

[damienair]

A Brew went on this morning, a Bruphoria Wit or Witout you Witbier. Happily sitting in the airing cupboard.