Newbie from West Sussex

[SpaceDawg]

Morning,

Thought I'd say hello although I have been reading around for forum for a couple of weeks.

I've decided at the grand old age of 54 to get back into brewing (30 years since my last attempts).

I'm mainly interested in beer and local wines like elderflower, slow, blackberry etc.

I do have a quick question during my introduction. Sterilization of equipment, I bought some ChemSan, however, there seems to be no instructions and wehat I have read and seen on youtube seems to be either make up a large batch and submerse all the kit in it, or spray it on and leave the stuff for a few mins.

I've been cautious and have made up a few 3 gallon batches and immersed bottles in the batch for bottling. Yesterday I bottled some coopers larger (yes done at room temperature, I don't have a fridge yet).

So I wondered what people here do?

My next purchase will be a fridge, heater and controller.

Ta

 

[terrym]

With regards to your question I don't think there's a right or a wrong way to prepare your brewing stuff provided whatever comes into contact with your beer is clean and any chemical you are using in terms of sanitising or sterilising covers all surfaces for an adequate length of time. In the end you find out what product works best for you. And what you did looks fine to me.
In terms of lager brewing most kits come with an ale yeast which allows you to brew at about 20*C +/- 2*C. As you are aware lagers are normally fermented at lower temperatures and require a lager yeast and require cold conditioning for some time. Whether a kit lager brewed with an ale yeast is appreciably different to a kit lager brewed at low temperature I can only guess probably not.
Many on here brew with a brew fridge and that's probably the best way if you have the space. But you can still brew beer at a controlled temperature without one ( I use a water bath) so a fridge is not an essential bit of kit in my view, although there will undoubtedly be folks who tell you it is.
Otherwise welcome to the Forum

 

[Banbeer]

Welcome to the forum, I personally make up a 5 litre batch in a bowl if I'm sanitising bottles (not very often now as I use corny kegs) but mostly just make up one litre in a spray bottle for my FV's and other equipment I use Videne solution (no rinse) but have bought Chemsan for when that runs out shortly.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Welcome to the forum

 

[SpaceDawg]

Thanks for the replies, lets see how it goes,,,

 

[Gerryjo]

Hi and welcome to the forum...

 

[DavieC]

Hi Spacedawg, welcome along, If I want to soak something overnight for sanitasation I make up a solution of thin bleach and distilled(white) vinegar to the quantity of half a teaspoon of each to 1250ml of water (20 ltrs is 40ml of each in 20 ltrs of water)NEVER ADD THE VINEGAR AND BLEACH DIRECTLY TOGETHER it makes chlorine gas.
I generally rinse off with water after a soak then blast with star san from a spray bottle,although if you let things dry straight from the bleach solution Ive found this is ok and no smell of bleach or vinegar when fully dry. My bottle of star san is 2 years old and only half used! Happy brewing.

 

[DavieC]

Ps as @terrym says, waterbath is great, I used his help guide from this forum and it works a treat. Pps ,thanks Terry !