New member seeking advice!

[rickyE93]

Hi All,

I’m very new to the home brewing game. Been wanting to get on board for quite some time so last week I picked up all the basics from Wilko to start a brew.
I went with the Wilko Cerveza lager kit. Followed the instructions which suggested to wait 4-6 days before adding yeast. Not sure why, most instructions on here suggest you can add the yeast when you start.
when I opened the lid to the FV, there was a foam on the top. Is this normal without adding yeast?

i took a sample and done an SG reading and got 1.032 @22celcius.
I have now added the yeast and plan on leaving to for at least two weeks before opening again.

any advice/comments on what I have already done would be great!
Thanks :)

 

[kelper]

I think you misread the instructions! I looked here http://corporate.wilko.com/_pdfs/WILKO_HOW_TO_HOMEBREW_LEAFLET_2019_hr.pdf

and it says 'add'yeast and wait 4-6 days'.

It will be fine and waiting two weeks will ensure fermentation is really complete.

 

[rickyE93]

Hi Kelper,

thanks for your reply!
Ah I’ve read that differently to you. They’re the same instructions.
I read it as after 4 to 6 days add the yeast and then wait 4 to 6 days!

anyway it doesn’t matter now but will add the yeast at the start for my next batch! Thanks :)

 

[kelper]

The instructions are badly written, I can see how you read them! Your OG (original SG of 1.032) is low. I think you didn't stir it well enough to dissolve all the gloop! But leave it now, as the sugary stuff will dissolve itself.

 

[rickyE93]

Ok, I thought the 1.032 was low. We will see how it comes out in a couple of weeks. I’ll make sure to give it a better stir on my next batch!

 

[kelper]

I'm drinking Wilko IPA. Very pleased with it.

 

[rickyE93]

I do like an IPA... that may well be the next batch. Do you just follow the instructions in the can or did you change anything?
for my Cerveza I did 500g of light spray malt and 500g of brewing sugar

 

[kelper]

I use dextrose. I leave it in the FV for at least two weeks until the Sg is steady for two or three days.

 

[rickyE93]

Great, thanks! I’ll give it a go once this batch is done. Thanks for your help :)

 

[London]

Worst instructions ever, I can see it being read both way.

 

[obscure]

I think you misread the instructions! I looked here http://corporate.wilko.com/_pdfs/WILKO_HOW_TO_HOMEBREW_LEAFLET_2019_hr.pdf

and it says 'add'yeast and wait 4-6 days'.

It will be fine and waiting two weeks will ensure fermentation is really complete.

That is one of the worst set of instructions I’ve ever seen, instructions on kits tend to be lousy but reading that I would have assumed just as rickyE93 said that you where supposed to leave four to so days and then add yeast.

 

[BrewMeHappy]

Yes bad instructions as everyone has suggested. The yeast should be going in straight away.

I'm sure it will be fine though so now it's the waiting game which, when I did mine, seems to be forever!

 

[An Ankoù]

Hi Ricky and welcome to the forum. I'm not as optimistic as my fellow forumites. If it's started fermenting without adding the yeast then what is causing it to ferment? It may be fine, but if it isn't, don't be put off. Fingers crossed.

 

[labrewski]

Terrible instructions what is up with manufacturer's none of them give u clear or honest information

 

[rickyE93]

Hi All,
Just an update, I’ve left the beer alone for 10 days now and just had a look and it looks like this. Does this look normal to you? My gut feeling says something isn’t right but I could be wrong! Thanks

 

[An Ankoù]

It's difficult to see from the photo. What does it smell and taste like? Whats the OG. Do you intend racking it into a clean fermenter to dry hop it?

 

[rickyE93]

It smells alright. Doesn’t smell like it’s off but haven’t given it a taste yet. I was going to take a reading on Friday (2 weeks from adding yeast)
I intend on bottling it rather than moving it into another fermenter and I wasn’t planning on adding dry hops.
it’s my first kit so I was planning on keeping it simple and bottling it after a couple of weeks.

 

[An Ankoù]

It smells alright. Doesn’t smell like it’s off but haven’t given it a taste yet. I was going to take a reading on Friday (2 weeks from adding yeast)
I intend on bottling it rather than moving it into another fermenter and I wasn’t planning on adding dry hops.
it’s my first kit so I was planning on keeping it simple and bottling it after a couple of weeks.

I'd take a reading now and another one on Friday and, if they're the same, bottle up. Once the beer has stopped visibly fermenting, that big flat surface is open to infection and oxydation if youleave it hanging about more than necessary. Particularly as you've taken the lid off to take the photo. On the other hand, those floaters are probably just yeast rafts, which is cool. Take heart, it all looks as it should at this stage.

 

[obscure]

I find it’s worth Not thinking too much about how beer looks in the fermentor it will have the scum round the side from the krausen, plus small islands of yeast. Hard to say for certain but that looks like what you have, Assuming the gravity reading is stable, and about right for the beer, and of course it smells and tastes fine (well as fine as warm flat beer can), I would bottle it leave it to carb and try. It’s amazing how different a beer often looks once fully cleared and carbed.