Ready to transfer to barrel...

[Jay77]

Hi,

So my "Woodforde's Wherry Real Ale" has fermented for over a week now and there is no activity in the airlock so I'll be transferring to my barrel tonight.

Can someone tell me if I'm on the right track...

- Sanitise the barrel and everything that'll come in contact with the brew
- Boil some water and add 100g brewing sugar, mix till dissolved
- Transfer the ale from bucket to barrel using syphon tube
- Try not to disturb the ale too much
- Add the dissolved sugar
- Place barrel in warm place for 1 week
- Place barrel in garage after 1 week

:nah:

 

[RobWalker]

yep, sounds good. make sure you leave the crap at the bottom of the bucket behind. :thumb:

 

[Jay77]

Is that the reason you shouldn't disturb the bucket too much? To prevent the bottom mixing?

 

[RobWalker]

yeah, you want to lose the stuff at the bottom by leaving it behind, it's a thick clay like layer of sludge, malt solids and dead yeast and stuff. it doesn't matter if some goes in the keg, but if it mixes in again, it'll have to settle out to the bottom again. in fact, it's actually somewhat good for the yeast as it's full of good stuff. if you just carry carefully, place it on the side an hour or so before you syphon out, then tilt as you syphon off, you should avoid most of it.

 

[Jay77]

Thanks Rob.

So, what happens once the brew is in the barrel?

Also, I take it I should leave for 6 weeks?

 

[RobWalker]

just a week in the warm, a week in the cold like you say, and it should be adequately conditioned. other people say more, i dont see the sense in not drinking a beer if it tastes good at that point :lol: but it will improve.

 

[bunkerbrewer]

Also, I take it I should leave for 6 weeks?

Yes :) There's always more than one "right" answer :)

Seriously though, once you start drinking from a PB, you have to keep going, so the longer you leave it the better. IMO, of course.

 

[steb]

i add my dissolved sugar first then syphon the beer onto it so its mixed. dont know if that makes any difference.

 

[happyhoppytaff]

didnt want to start a new topic with this on the first page...

i have been bottling in 500ml glass for ages. i just washed 44 botles for my newest brew. it took me an hour. it is nice to have a few (80) bottles knocking around the place but it takes ages.

i want to use a pressure barrel as well. can i ask a few questions?

can i reduce the sediment by transfering the brew to a second vessel for a few days before putting it in my barrel? is this why barrels have a CO2 bottle, to pump the CO2 into the brew? if i condition with suygar as with bottles would i still need the CO2.

and should i get two barrels so i can host a mini beer festival?

 

[rpt]

No activity in the airlock is not a reliable indicator that fermentation has finished. You need to take gravity readings with a hydrometer - if it has remained constant for 3 days then it is ready. This also gives the yeast chance to clean up after themselves. It's also worth keeping the FV in the cold for a few days once fermentation has finished to help the crud drop out.

I boil the sugar with water and put this in the barrel first to help it to mix in.

The CO2 injectors on a standard plastic barrel are not to carbonate the beer - you prime the barrel with sugar to do this. The injectors are to keep the pressure up in the barrel so that you can continue to dispense beer as it empties. If there is insufficient pressure then not only will the beer not come out, but air will get in through the tap which will make the beer go off. If you want to force carbonate beer then you need to use the stainless steel Corny kegs.

 

[Pearlfisher]

i add my dissolved sugar first then syphon the beer onto it so its mixed. dont know if that makes any difference.

+1 :thumb:

 

[Pearlfisher]

Seriously though, once you start drinking from a PB, you have to keep going, so the longer you leave it the better. IMO, of course.

Any particular reason why?

I often sample my brews after a few days ( quality control ) I might then leave them for weeks with only drawing further test samples
I do have 4 PB's to test though. :whistle: