Homebrewing - Part 3

Nig said:
Has anyone used old yeast with a brew kit ?
I've got an out of date lager on the go with new mangrove jack's Bavarian lager yeast M76 but also have a elderflower wine kit that's out of date.

I'm wondering whether to try starting fermentation with the old original yeast and if unsuccessful put a new batch in.

Would this be detrimental to the brew and should i just throw old yeast away or is it worth a try with no side effects if i add another yeast ???
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How out of date is the yeast? If it’s more than a couple of months, I wouldn’t bother. Just get some new yeast from wilko if you want to start it off straightaway.
 


Wilfy said:
How out of date is the yeast? If it’s more than a couple of months, I wouldn’t bother. Just get some new yeast from wilko if you want to start it off straightaway.
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5 years marra 👍 🤣

Aye, your right, I wanted to get it and two ciders on the go tomorrow but I've only got two yeasts.
I'll nip to wilko like you say but millennium twàts are buying up arl the stock lol.
 
Evening! I’d like to get some all grain equipment, probably an all in one setup like a grainfather or Bulldog. However, I’d prefer to brew half batches of 10-12 litres - I want to try different recipes and not end up an alcoholic. Would this sort of gear be ok with smaller batches?
 
Tees Exile said:
Evening! I’d like to get some all grain equipment, probably an all in one setup like a grainfather or Bulldog. However, I’d prefer to brew half batches of 10-12 litres - I want to try different recipes and not end up an alcoholic. Would this sort of gear be ok with smaller batches?
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You can get the short malt pipe for the Grainfather, dunno about the bulldog.
 
Tees Exile said:
Evening! I’d like to get some all grain equipment, probably an all in one setup like a grainfather or Bulldog. However, I’d prefer to brew half batches of 10-12 litres - I want to try different recipes and not end up an alcoholic. Would this sort of gear be ok with smaller batches?
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Wilfy said:
You can get the short malt pipe for the Grainfather, dunno about the bulldog.
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the bulldog, klarstein, brew monk are all variations on a theme. I reckon this would fit them all
www.angelhomebrew.co.uk

BrewDevil Telescopic Overflow Pipe

BrewDevil Telescopic Overflow Pipe. Fully adjustable giving full control of overflow above grain bed on any grain bill
www.angelhomebrew.co.uk www.angelhomebrew.co.uk

probably going to get one too. To be honest the dead space under the malt pipe is more of a consideration if you’re doing little batches. I started out thinking I was going to do little batches too. Haven’t done one yet :lol:

next one due out of the fermenter is going to be my first one into my sparkly new corny keg setup

:cool:
 
Ambivalent Squirrel said:
the bulldog, klarstein, brew monk are all variations on a theme. I reckon this would fit them all
www.angelhomebrew.co.uk

BrewDevil Telescopic Overflow Pipe

BrewDevil Telescopic Overflow Pipe. Fully adjustable giving full control of overflow above grain bed on any grain bill
www.angelhomebrew.co.uk www.angelhomebrew.co.uk

probably going to get one too. To be honest the dead space under the malt pipe is more of a consideration if you’re doing little batches. I started out thinking I was going to do little batches too. Haven’t done one yet :lol:

next one due out of the fermenter is going to be my first one into my sparkly new corny keg setup

:cool:
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I upgraded to Cornies in the summer. You will not regret it. Cornies and pressure fermenting are my 2 new “game changers”!
 
Ambivalent Squirrel said:
the bulldog, klarstein, brew monk are all variations on a theme. I reckon this would fit them all
www.angelhomebrew.co.uk

BrewDevil Telescopic Overflow Pipe

BrewDevil Telescopic Overflow Pipe. Fully adjustable giving full control of overflow above grain bed on any grain bill
www.angelhomebrew.co.uk www.angelhomebrew.co.uk

probably going to get one too. To be honest the dead space under the malt pipe is more of a consideration if you’re doing little batches. I started out thinking I was going to do little batches too. Haven’t done one yet :lol:

next one due out of the fermenter is going to be my first one into my sparkly new corny keg setup

:cool:
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Thanks, I’ll take a look. I just want the option of brewing small batches rather than a 40 pint job every time.

By the way, has anyone seen this blokes YouTube channel? He’s brewing all 99 beer styles over 99 weeks:

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheHomebrewChallenge

The bloke himself is quite wet but gives some interesting brewing tips - I think he may have pressure fermented one or two.
 
Tees Exile said:
Thanks, I’ll take a look. I just want the option of brewing small batches rather than a 40 pint job every time.

By the way, has anyone seen this blokes YouTube channel? He’s brewing all 99 beer styles over 99 weeks:

The Homebrew Challenge

The bloke himself is quite wet but gives some interesting brewing tips - I think he may have pressure fermented one or two.
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Nice one. I Hoover all the YouTube homebrew stuff up, will shove it in the playlists. David Heath is ok too. His accent is f***ing horrible mind :lol:
 
Wilfy said:
I’ve not looked into pressure fermenting, what’s the advantages?
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Suppresses esters so you lagers etc can be cleaner even at higher temperatures (although I still fermented my last one at 12C it was probably the crispest one I’ve done).

You can partially carbonate before packaging. 3 hours at 20PSI after I kegged my lager and it was fully carbed and I had my first pint.

You can also have practically oxygen free fermentations which helps a lot for hoppy beers, I believe it keeps the aroma better and for styles like NEIPA that oxidise very easily they are meant to be excellent (I’ll find out when I keg my NEIPA at the weekend).

It’s also meant to speed up fermentation, but I'm yet to see it - my lager was maybe slightly quicker, I only lagered for 2 weeks and it was pretty clear. My NEIPA took 8 days before the krausen subsided and I was able to do the second dry hop, I’m cold crashing now and I’ll be kegging either tomorrow or Saturday so it’ll be 12 or 13 days before kegging which is only a day or 2 quicker than my usual.
Tees Exile said:
he is good but it does sound like he’s telling you off and knows better than absolutely everyone :lol:
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I hear acts like that sometimes as well.
 
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Mickdundee said:
Suppresses esters so you lagers etc can be cleaner even at higher temperatures (although I still fermented my last one at 12C it was probably the crispest one I’ve done).

You can partially carbonate before packaging. 3 hours at 20PSI after I kegged my lager and it was fully carbed and I had my first pint.

You can also have practically oxygen free fermentations which helps a lot for hoppy beers, I believe it keeps the aroma better and for styles like NEIPA that oxidise very easily they are meant to be excellent (I’ll find out when I keg my NEIPA at the weekend).

It’s also meant to speed up fermentation, but I'm yet to see it - my lager was maybe slightly quicker, I only lagered for 2 weeks and it was pretty clear. My NEIPA took 8 days before the krausen subsided and I was able to do the second dry hop, I’m cold crashing now and I’ll be kegging either tomorrow or Saturday so it’ll be 12 or 13 days before kegging which is only a day or 2 quicker than my usual.

I hear acts like that sometimes as well.
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What kit do you use for pressure fermenting? Fermzilla? Or a corny with a spunging valve?
 
Mickdundee said:
Suppresses esters so you lagers etc can be cleaner even at higher temperatures (although I still fermented my last one at 12C it was probably the crispest one I’ve done).

You can partially carbonate before packaging. 3 hours at 20PSI after I kegged my lager and it was fully carbed and I had my first pint.

You can also have practically oxygen free fermentations which helps a lot for hoppy beers, I believe it keeps the aroma better and for styles like NEIPA that oxidise very easily they are meant to be excellent (I’ll find out when I keg my NEIPA at the weekend).

It’s also meant to speed up fermentation, but I'm yet to see it - my lager was maybe slightly quicker, I only lagered for 2 weeks and it was pretty clear. My NEIPA took 8 days before the krausen subsided and I was able to do the second dry hop, I’m cold crashing now and I’ll be kegging either tomorrow or Saturday so it’ll be 12 or 13 days before kegging which is only a day or 2 quicker than my usual.

I hear acts like that sometimes as well.
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Cheers for that, think I’ll do a bit reading about it.
 
Ambivalent Squirrel said:
What kit do you use for pressure fermenting? Fermzilla? Or a corny with a spunging valve?
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I have a gen1 Fermentasaurus. I used it without pressure before I got my cornies but never bothered getting the pressure kit and to be honest I preferred my Spiedel barrel.

I got the pressure kit when I got my cornies and now I love it. Brew2Bottle are getting the Keg King Chubby on their next shipment from Aus so I’m seriously considering upgrading.
 
Mickdundee said:
I have a gen1 Fermentasaurus. I used it without pressure before I got my cornies but never bothered getting the pressure kit and to be honest I preferred my Spiedel barrel.

I got the pressure kit when I got my cornies and now I love it. Brew2Bottle are getting the Keg King Chubby on their next shipment from Aus so I’m seriously considering upgrading.
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Interested in the pressure fermenting. Do you get much shite in the bottom of the corny when you ferment in it?

And do you transfer from one to the other before drinking, or just leave in the primary and draw the first bit off until it’s clear?
 
Farralad said:
Interested in the pressure fermenting. Do you get much shite in the bottom of the corny when you ferment in it?

And do you transfer from one to the other before drinking, or just leave in the primary and draw the first bit off until it’s clear?
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I don’t ferment in the corny. I use a Fermentasaurus conical fermenter then do a closed transfer to corny. The ‘Saurus is see through and has a floating dip tube so I can see what I’m transferring and the clearest beer goes in first.
 
Mickdundee said:
I don’t ferment in the corny. I use a Fermentasaurus conical fermenter then do a closed transfer to corny. The ‘Saurus is see through and has a floating dip tube so I can see what I’m transferring and the clearest beer goes in first.
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I get ya mate. I ordered a spunding kit yesterday for the corny, will give it a bash anyway.
 

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