Young's American Amber Ale

[ceejam]

Just started this off tonight.

Followed the kit instructions (first time I've read instructions for a while!) and ended up with 23L @ an OG of 1.050.

Set it hung with the FV in a water bath wit aquarium heater, another first - I usually chuck it in the FV, but I think this should be a bit safer, less foreign objects in the FV and no space round the rim for infection to breed!

Let's see how this turns out!

 

[ceejam]

Well, down to 1.012 already and the sample tastes promising, if a little cloudy (Youngs AAA on the right, my AG on the left)

View attachment ImageUploadedByTapatalk1436808468.248875.jpg

 

[ceejam]

So, after 2 weeks in the FV, I added the dry hops in my sterilised hop sack tonight.

Here's a pic of my water bath setup.

View attachment ImageUploadedByTapatalk1437596319.332557.jpg

 

[coopsy]

Love the water bath idea, i usually put the heater directly into the beer, gonna try this one out, i,ve had to ditch a couple of brews over the last year or so....:electric:

 

[ceejam]

Aye, me too. Had a couple of issues, so thought I'd try this method - seems to be working well!

 

[clibit]

Look forward to the AG v Kit tasting comparison. :thumb:

 

[Chippy_Tea]

@Ceejam.

I haven't kept tropical fish for many years but in those days you had to fully submerge the heater, have times changed or do you need to submerge yours?

 

[Tony1951]

@Ceejam.

I haven't kept tropical fish for many years but in those days you had to fully submerge the heater, have times changed or do you need to submerge yours?

They should be fully submerged or there will be local over-heating and possibly the thermostatic control won't operate properly. Mine has some stick on clamps which hold it to the bottom of the tub the FV stands in. I'm guessing that a partly submerged heater will switch off at a lower actual temperature than one fully submerged.

 

[ceejam]

Thanks for the advice, will measure the water temp and get it submerged!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

They should be fully submerged or there will be local over-heating and possibly the thermostatic control won't operate properly. Mine has some stick on clamps which hold it to the bottom of the tub the FV stands in. I'm guessing that a partly submerged heater will switch off at a lower actual temperature than one fully submerged.

I tried a water bath when i first started wine making, i used a piece of slate to hold the heater at the bottom of the bath (recycling bin) not high tec but it worked. :wink:

 

[Tony1951]

I tried a water bath when i first started wine making, i used a piece of slate to hold the heater at the bottom of the bath (recycling bin) not high tec but it worked. :wink:

That would work for sure - keep it down with a rock. :)

I found the aquarium heater in the water bath pretty much essential when I was getting started in Feb and March. My brewing cupboard is pretty cool in winter or spring. It just gets some incidental heat from the house, but it is out of the way - which is why I get to use it as a junk / brewing / store room.

I got the idea from this forum I think before I started posting here. Best seven quid I ever spent I reckon.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

That would work for sure - keep it down with a rock. :)

I found the aquarium heater in the water bath pretty much essential when I was getting started in Feb and March. My brewing cupboard is pretty cool in winter or spring. It just gets some incidental heat from the house, but it is out of the way - which is why I get to use it as a junk / brewing / store room.

I got the idea from this forum I think before I started posting here. Best seven quid I ever spent I reckon.

Wine doesn't seem to suffer from swings in temperature so i no longer bother with heat sources, it seems to ferment perfectly well at the upper twenties to the lowest i have seen it in my kitchen 15c, its a lot slower at 15c but i have never had one fail to reach .995.

 

[alhenderson]

So, after 2 weeks in the FV, I added the dry hops in my sterilised hop sack tonight.

Here's a pic of my water bath setup.

View attachment 2244

Thanks very much for posting that picture. I have just joined the forum today, soon to embark on my 3rd brew and looking for ways to keep a constant temp during fermentation. I had read about the water bath but had the impression that I needed some monstrous plastic box which would allow me to immerse the whole bucket in water. From your picture, I guess I don't.

Good news :-)

Al.