Newbie Brewer - Youngs Microbrewery Wherry Kit

[Sparkz]

Hello all,

Just set up my first brew. Steps done so far:


Sterelised (FV and Spoons, will do keg when I transfer it)
Opened cans after leaving them in boiling water for a bit, emptied them, put some boiling water in the cans to make sure all came out
Filled the rest to 23 litres with water
Added yeast (didnt mix it in)
popped on lid, put on the rubber washer into the hole on top of the FV. Popped in that air pressure thing.


The question I have is regarding the air pressue bit.

If you see the image of the kit i bought http://www.brewuk.co.uk/store/media/cat ... 1_23_1.jpg

You can see on the FV there is that plastic thing that sits in the hole. However on that picture the rubber washer isnt attached to it. Was I not supposed to put it on yet?

Also that plastic thing has a sort of lid that comes apart. Is this taken off for this process? I saw on a video the guy said you should fill it with water, however if the top is off it its just like a hole wherethe water just falls right through.


thanks, sorry if the questions seem stupid but never done it before

 

[snail59]

The thing is an AIR LOCK or BUBBLER it's job is to alow CO2 to escape while not alowing nasty infections in. Im not 100% sure how that type works but I believe its like a double chamber that go one inside the other. One chamber is filled with water and the CO2 will pass from one chamber to the other in the form of bubbles. The bucket lids are not air tight anyway so you probably wont even know its working as most of the CO2 will escape around the lid seal.

 

[Sparkz]

hmmm thanks for your reply.

im a bit confused with this whole air lock thing. What I did do since its a 2 part was fill the outer bits with water. then push the lid bit on. This has filled the entire air lock thing with water and over the tube going into the FV. Now theres nowhere for the CO2 to escape?

did anyone havea picture of how it should look for this kit?

 

[corby_brewer]

only fill it a 3rd of the way with water. i use those type for my DJ's.

 

[snail59]

Do as Dave says you only need a small amount to create the barrier. The CO2 will escape through the water. Imagine blowing through a straw into a glass of water. The air bubbles up through the water but if you suck on the straw you dont get any air coming back. The Air lock works on a similer principle. The CO2 build up creates pressure the only way out is by passing through the water as bubbles but air cant return to infect your brew. Or something like that

 

[corby_brewer]

To be totaly honest with you. Air locks on fementing buckets are a waste of time. As mick says. they are not air tight so any C02 will escape from the lid.

 

[Wez]

Lots of the plastic fermenting buckets will snap shut tight enough to make sort of a seal, co2 will then find its easiest escape route, which should be the airlock. :thumb:

 

[Sparkz]

thanks for replys. Whats odd is what must of happened in the night.

Obviously it hasnt even been in the FV for a day yet. I just got up, checked it and the lid of the air lock has come off and was on the floor. Cant think weather it was c02 trying to escape or it was not on tight enough...


edited: just put the top of the airlock on properly with half of it filled with water, there is some froth forming on the mixture in the FV and the airlock water is bubbling, its not frothy water in the airlock but the bubbles are constantly going... does this sound like all is right so far? (its been maybe 15 hours since I started brewing)

Im hoping all will be ok with this brew. Can anyone recomend a beer kit thats quite hoppy in taste??


thanks again

 

[snail59]

Its spot on :thumb:

 

[Sparkz]

awesome, thanks mate . Just seen it now and the froth looks higher up from outside the FV and theres a darker brown load of bits on top. So that looks ok.

There was another thing I wondered about specifically for this kit.... Using the syphon. The instrtuctions are either really poor or im looking too deep into it.

As it says "Insert the open end into the primary fermenting vessel top and that the bottom is as close to the bottom". Got that, Although does that mean to remove FV lid and do it or just feed it through the Airlock hole?

The bit saying "open the tap end and suck gently until the liquid flows and place into the pressure barrel" is confusing. For a first time brewer could it be that theyve overcomplicated it? does it attach to the tap of the barrel? do I just take the cap off the barrel and pour it into that? Also when it says "suck gently" does this mean literally suck? if so where would I have to suck?


Thinking of trying the hydrometer but im guessing it wont really be much use. If I left the brew in the fv for 8-10 days im sure it will be ready for putting in the barrel.

Oh and 1 more thing. on the barrel it basically says CO2 is unpredictable and it could explode. How likely is this? and what temperature should I be looking at storing it in when it gets in the barrel?


thanks again and sorry if the questions seem real dumb

 

[john_s]

The bit saying "open the tap end and suck gently until the liquid flows and place into the pressure barrel" is confusing. For a first time brewer could it be that theyve overcomplicated it? does it attach to the tap of the barrel? do I just take the cap off the barrel and pour it into that? Also when it says "suck gently" does this mean literally suck? if so where would I have to suck?

With your barrel sat lower than your FV, take the cap off the barrel, close the tap on the barrel, dunk the open end of syphon tube into your FV, open the tap (if it has one on the syphon tube), suck beer up tube, admire sample , and put the open / tap end of the syphon tube to the bottom of the barrel, keep the end of the tube below the level of beer in the FV, and the beer will flow. Don't let the beer splash about as it syphons.

 

[Sparkz]

ahhh thanks , I was trying to boil my head around that 1 all day, The simplicity of it confused things a tad.

The only thing now is with the temperature, acording to the adhesive thermometer its stuck at 22/23 degrees. Once its been put in the keg in a week or so would storing it in a pantry be ok for ther rest of the time? probs around 15-20 degrees... and regarding beer enhancer. I want to use that instead of sugar. Would I need to use the same weight in that as I would in sugar?

cheers

 

[Sparkz]

something else I wanted to ask also was regarding the airflow.

Its been just over 2 days since I started fermenting and the airlock was bubbling loads until today where the bubbles have cut right down (a few bubbles appear in the airlock every 20 or so seconds and not constantly) is this right for the timeframe?

would be appreciated if someone could answer


thanks

 

[john_s]

Probably.

I've not got an airlock on my FV, so I can't say for sure.

 

[Sparkz]

ahh not probs, thanks for all your help

 

[jamesb]

something else I wanted to ask also was regarding the airflow.
Its been just over 2 days since I started fermenting and the airlock was bubbling loads until today where the bubbles have cut right down (a few bubbles appear in the airlock every 20 or so seconds and not constantly) is this right for the timeframe?
would be appreciated if someone could answer
thanks

That's ok. After a lag period when you've pitched the yeast you'll have a fairly fast fermentation then it will slow down as it approaches final gravity. Leave it for a couple more days and then check the gravity with your hydrometer.

 

[Sparkz]

thanks, I think tomorrow may be the time to check this, Had a look at the airlock again today (its been 4 days and adhesive thermometer has shown 22/23 degrees all the way through this process, wasnt too sure if its working right) and the bubbles have completely stopped. What would be a good reading on the hydrometer that shows its ready to be transfered to the keg with added beer enhancer? oh and whats the best syphoning method? removing the airlock and feeding the tube through the hole in the FV or taking the entire lid off the FV and placing the tube in?

 

[Cussword]

Take off the lid. With the kit did you get a piece of rigid tube with what looks like a small bucket on the end? If so insert that into the untapped end of your siphon tube, it's to stop any yeast & debris from getting sucked into your barrel.

 

[Sparkz]

thanks,

There was no bit to put on the end of the syphon , i might just have to try and be careful with it when syphoning, i think its time i did a reading now.

Well just did a reading and I have to say it tastes completely lush already (didnt syphon much bits at all and the frothy layer has gone down completely, there was next to no froth at all). Already I can say I have tasted worse tasting ales before (namely the spinning dog spinach ale, yuck)

The hydrometer floats and I have read the line which shows 1.000 its just about on 20 so is that 1020? a good reading so far? the box says reading must be 1014 constantly when its ready to go to keg, so im guessing maybe tomorrow or monday it will be ready for the keg?


thanks

 

[Samarith]

Yes that is 1020, its a good reading for 4 days fermenting.

You can probably transfer to the pressure barrel in a few days. Or you could leave it till next weekend to allow the sediment to settle and compact more, you'll transfer less into the pressure barrel.