Too late for Christmas?

[Beardy]

Am I too late to start a brew for drinking at Christmas? I intend to start of nice and easy with a Woodford Werry kit.

Still not got my kit yet, but as I live only a few miles up the road form Colchester Homebrew shop, I thought I might sneak out of work on Monday and nip down there :)

Was planning to get a basic starter setup from them with a King Keg top valve with S30 valve. I was advised on the keg by a friend, who explained why apart form the S30 bit, anyone care to tell me the difference? Does this sound like a sensible place to start?

next up seems to be a second keg so i can have one drinking and one improving.

The BIG challenge though is going to be to make one keg last long enough for the second to be ready This assumes of course that I can make a drinkable brew :pray:

next thng to do is set up my sig.

Thanks
Paul

 

[Mark1964]

Plenty of time should be drinkable before xmas :

 

[Wez]

Not too late at all.

To make sure it's ready there a a couple of things you can do to help.

1. When you are at the home brew shop (HBS) get 2 packets of Safale SO4 yeast and use those rather than the yeast that comes with the kit. S04 is a good yeast and it gets the job done fast!

2. When you keg or bottle use gelatine to 'fine' the beer, this will get it cleared down in a very short space of time.

My record for getting a beer brewed to the point I could drink it was 9 days :thumb: (that was all grain, but used the same tips as above)

PS. I'm brewing a stout for christmas tomorrow, and will brew a hoppy beer the following weekend, also for Christmas :

 

[Moley]

1. When you are at the home brew shop (HBS) get 2 packets of Safale S-04 yeast and use those rather than the yeast that comes with the kit.

:shock: You mean pitch one and keep the second in the fridge as a spare? :wha:

It's quite possible to get a brew ready between now and Christmas, but is a Wherry a good choice? I've brewed one and thought it needed at least 3 months.


Paul: Welcome to the forum :

 

[Wez]

Pitch both.

We underpitch by quite some way us homebrewers.

 

[Beardy]

It's quite possible to get a brew ready between now and Christmas, but is a Wherry a good choice? I've brewed one and thought it needed at least 3 months.

I'm open to suggestions. I only chose Werry because a) I know the beer, b) was told the kit is good c) have to start somewhere. If it needs longer in the barrel for conditioning, it's probably not the best choice as I've three discerning beer drinkers who will be partaking of the brew, who won't have the emotional involvement that allows he overlooking of minor errors :)

Paul: Welcome to the forum :

Ta.

 

[Sussex Hopburner]

Wherry can take some time to clear (although I have brewed one that dropped clear within a week!)

It is nice though!! Got one in the FV as we speak.

Cheers


Dave

 

[Wez]

Wherry can take some time to clear (although I have brewed one that dropped clear within a week!)

It is nice though!! Got one in the FV as we speak.

Cheers


Dave

Gelatine :thumb:

 

[Beardy]

OK, seems that where theres a will :)
But, an added complication...
The said brew will need to be transported to Yorkshire on the Thursday. Assuming I let it do it's own thing until then, can I fine it when I get there and expect a drinkable beer the following day? Or am I just expecting too much?

 

[Wez]

Gelatine works fast, i'd fine it prior to the trip to let it grab the particulate, then fine it again when you get there and re-gass.

(assuming you are using a keg)

 

[Kyral210]

2 weeks in the fermenter
2 weeks in the bottle

You have just about enough time for a Christmas brew. Just make sure all your kit is EXTRA sanitary, you use either two packs of dry yeast or liquid yeast with a good sized starter, you aerate your wort well before pitching your yeast & you use enough gelatine when you bottle.

Basically brew the best you can and it will be aright.