Yet another 'is it ready' question!

[rats_eyes]

the Festival kits seem to be slow fermenters. I did the IPA last year - it took around three weeks in primary fv, but was the best kit brew I've done. A great pint. I was expecting the long fermentation (thanks to this forum!), so added the hops much later than the instructions recommend. This seemed to stop it pulling your gums back over your teeth.

 

[Rivvo]

dry hopping does not increase bitterness, boiling hops increases bitterness thats why you use a hop with a higher AA rating on the intial boil, this is to release the alpha acids and counter act the sugar sweetness of the beer, dry hopping adds flavour and aroma, that is why you use aroma hops for this. 6 days will be fine, i normally leave mine for 8, choose wisely the hops you use (yodastylie)

Of course you are correct, I didn't express myself very well on reading that back, I didn't mean the Ibus but the actual taste of the beer I have found to be bitter after dry hopping, which as I've said does fade with time in the bottle/cask :thumb:

 

[DaveM]

Hi all

Temptation got the better of me and I tried one of my small test bottles on Saturday (after 6 days conditioning in the warm and a night in the fridge).

Overall I think it was quite promising. There was a nice 'psst' when I removed the cap. The initial carbonation was quite good, although as expected it didn't last long. There was a nice compact layer of sediment on the bottom of the bottle which wasn't disturbed on opening/pouring. The beer was still fairly cloudy.

Now the important bit - the taste! I quite liked it, although it was not really what I was expecting. Its still quite bitter and very hoppy but not unpleasant, and I image it will get better with time. If I had to compare it to something I would say it was quite like St Austell's Proper Job - I'm not sure if its meant to taste like that, but it does to me!

I will keep you posted on how it matures.

Cheers

Dave

 

[skeniver]

Hey,

Found this tread and thought I'd post my experience with a Festival Golden Stag kit. It's my second batch ever and seemed to be going well, but it's heading on 14 days in the first FV with the hops added after 5 days, straight into the FV (as per the instructions).

I took a SG reading after 9 days (1012) and today, 12 days in (1011). But the airlock is still very active; bubble once every 15 minutes, maybe a little quicker.

The instructions say to barrel after 10 days at an SG of 1009. I don't want the beer to get too bitter from chucking the hops straight in, but it's not stopped fermenting yet.

Any advice?

Also, if I wanted to bottle some and put the rest in a barrel, would both be done after the first ferment or do I keg it first, then bottle later?

Thanks!

 

[Redron]

Hey,

Found this tread and thought I'd post my experience with a Festival Golden Stag kit. It's my second batch ever and seemed to be going well, but it's heading on 14 days in the first FV with the hops added after 5 days, straight into the FV (as per the instructions).

I took a SG reading after 9 days (1012) and today, 12 days in (1011). But the airlock is still very active; bubble once every 15 minutes, maybe a little quicker.

The instructions say to barrel after 10 days at an SG of 1009. I don't want the beer to get too bitter from chucking the hops straight in, but it's not stopped fermenting yet.

Any advice?

Also, if I wanted to bottle some and put the rest in a barrel, would both be done after the first ferment or do I keg it first, then bottle later?

Thanks!

Hi,
I would leave it a few more days. Mine took over three weeks. As you have already added the hops there is not much you can do about it now, it will be HOPPY ! I did the same and followed the instructions, mistake, but a good learning experience.
My Massively hoppy Festival Landlord has been in the keg for nearly three months now and has improved no end. It is still very hoppy and perhaps not a session beer, but very nice nonetheless and has quite a kick to it.... I sometimes mix it with a sweet, under fermented Muntons bitter which I kegged too early , bit like a pint of 'mixed' we used to drink in Yorkshire in the seventies, half a bitter and half a mild.
If you keg it too early and have a pressure release valve on your cap you should be ok, though beware of bottling it if it's still fermenting.
It will be ok sat in the FV , let it ferment out.