Newbie: Cooper DIY Starter Beer Kit = Gales HSB

[BruinTuns]

22 degrees is fine. Try to keep it as consistent as possible but don't worry about fluctuations of a degree or two.
Be prepared for fermentation to take longer than the instructions suggest, they tend to be unrealistically optimistic about everything, especially the length of conditioning time beer will take to reach its best.
In addition to this I always leave my brews in the fv for several days after activity has ceased - average three weeks total - to give the yeast a chance to 'clean up after itself', i.e. metabolize the undesirable by-products that occur during fermentation.
Longer in the fv does no harm at all and can help yield a clearer, cleaner tasting beer.

 

[hambrook]

Day 6 update; so at the end of Day 3 I removed the Krausen collar and immediately put the lid back on and the brew is now at 20 degrees after day 4, 5 and 6.

It appears visually cloudy and all the yeast surface activity has gone.

I'm impatient and took a Hydrometer reading today (day 6) and got something like the picture attached 1009 to 1010.

Coopers say to bottle the English Bitter after day 10, but comments on this thread suggest as long as 3 weeks in the FV?

Is it too early to take Hydrometer readings? Should the brew be clear before bottling?

 

[BruinTuns]

It will clear during bottle conditioning as the sediment drops to the bottom.
In the pic it looks more like 1005 than 1009. Whichever, take another reading in two days, if it hasn't shifted then it's safe to bottle.
But as I said previously, leave it longer and you'll end up with less sediment in the bottles and a cleaner beer.

 

[hambrook]

Day 9 update: Gravity seems constant between 1004 and 1005 for the past 2 days; beer seems cloudy with a kind of stale beer smell but that me be hunting for problems. Beer seems to be clearing at the top of the FV and has stayed constant at 20 degrees wrapped up in bubble wrap! Today the heat belt turned up so have wrapped that round to keep the temp constant.

As the Final Gravity is constant, should I bottle? As this FV is a Coopers and not entirely sealed (has a design where the lid is not an exact fit when it slides inside he base so that gas can escape) I am wondering how 'safe' it is to leave it for another week in case of infection.

Also, I keep taking samples for the hydrometer from the tap, is that OK? Should I be sampling from the top, which looks clearer?

Attached is my 'Boiler room' where I have the FV and, as of yesterday, a shelving unit complete with all the empty bottles awaiting filling!

 

[hambrook]

Well 1 month after brewing and 3 weeks after bottling, have tasted it last Thursday and again tonight ; beer smells kinda stale (it did when I bottled it) and awful; vinegar almost. Infected and lost?

 

[BruinTuns]

You mean it tastes vinegary, or just smells it?
It doesn't sound good but it may not be lost, 3 weeks bottled is far too early to be drinking it and miraculous transformations can occur in the bottle.
How thoroughly did you sterilize your equipment? Did you see any fruit flies flitting around when you were brewing? How many bottles have you cracked? It's quite possible to get a couple of infected bottles while the rest remain fine.

 

[hambrook]

I tried one last week and one last night. Coopers English Bitter Brewed 22 December, bottled 4 January with 1 Coopers Carbonation drop per 500ml bottle; OG 1040 , FG 1010 - ABV 4.52%


What would you suggest is the correct age to leave in the bottle before drinking?

 

[Spapro]

Not done the English Bitter kit from Coopers (its in my store cupboard to do) but have done a number of their Lager kits which have always been very drinkable after 2 weeks warm conditioning and 2 weeks cold conditioning - ie. 4 weeks in the bottle.

I definately wouldn't bin it though, nothing to lose by leaving it another 2 weeks and trying again, then another 2 etc. If it still tastes weird after 3 months in the bottle I would write it off I think.

Have you got it somewhere cool now ? a cold garage would be perfect for cold conditioning (make sure no risk of freezing though).

Best thing to do is get another brew on while you wait for this one to condition, Tescos Direct have their 25% sale on including the Coopers and Youngs kits, with free collect at a local store - take extra care with your sterilisation and keep smiling ! All may not be lost just yet.

Oh and another thought - if I have understood correctly your brew had sat consistently at 20°C just with bubble wrap round it. If thats the case then I wouldn't use the heating brew belt, you risk overheating the wort closest to where the belt touches the side of the FV. From what I have read this can cause funky flavours. If you can manage quite happily without a brew belt then probably best not to use it.

Good luck with it.

 

[BruinTuns]

I think most of us tend to regard 4 weeks conditioning (2 in the warm then 2 in a cool shed or garage) as the bare minimum. Certainly I've tasted big improvements after a few more weeks and, if I can wait, I now aim for at least two months in the bottle before drinking.
Many members have reported further significant improvements after 3 or 4 months, and sometimes even longer. It depends somewhat on the type of beer, e.g. some stronger ales can take up to a year to reach their best, although that won't be the case with a bitter kit.
Also depends on personal taste, some brewers don't mind the 'green' taste of a young beer and drink it early.
But if you do indeed have an infected batch then all the waiting in the world won't help, all you can do for now is to wait and see.
Good advice from Spapro - get another brew on while waiting to see if this one improves over the coming weeks.