Homebrewing - Part 3

27 litres? That's an unusual amount. The kits are usually 40 pints (22L) or less IIRC.
That siphon, is it the auto-siphon? The quite large one? That's not for bottling with, it'll splash everywhere and introduce air into the beer. You need a bottling wand ideally, or some ~5mm silicone tubing (or a combination of both, is what I did) connected to the spout on your bottling bucket.

The big autosiphon is to get the beer from the FV to the bottling bucket (where you add your bottling sugar).


There's more than one way to do all of this, of course.

Aye mate its a 40l kit but the amount of hot/cold water it requested added to that.

Read up a bit this morning about bottling bucket etc. Trying not to order any more shit at the minute, was going to usethat siphon into main bucket. Then a big funnel into bottles.
This is going to be a disaster isnt it! :lol:
Some aircon 1/4 inch hose would be ideal but got none at home.
Kit recomends half a spoon of sugar in each bottle mate and demijohn has tap on side. Safe to just tap straight into each bottle you reckon?
 
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Thinking of ordering a kit to make some lager.

Any ideas on starter kits and what I'd need? Any good online tutorials or tips as well please?
 
Aye mate its a 40l kit but the amount of hot/cold water it requested added to that.

Read up a bit this morning about bottling bucket etc. Trying not to order any more shit at the minute, was going to usethat siphon into main bucket. Then a big funnel into bottles.
This is going to be a disaster isnt it! :lol:
Some aircon 1/4 inch hose would be ideal but got none at home.
Kit recomends half a spoon of sugar in each bottle mate and demijohn has tap on side. Safe to just tap straight into each bottle you reckon?
The kit surely didn't have you add that much water. If I remember kits, you add a certain amount of hot water to mix it all up, then you add cold water to the 40 pint mark.
Problem is, if you splosh it now (anything that looks like bubbles), that's air mixing with the beer.
You know how to turn wine to vinegar? You add air and leave it for a bit.

You can skip the bottling bucket step - especially if you don't have one. Yes, you can add the sugar to each bottle. Just find a way fill the bottles without any splashing.

By the way, you're sure the fermentation has finished? You're not just using the time it says on the tin? (because that's a lie).
 
The kit surely didn't have you add that much water. If I remember kits, you add a certain amount of hot water to mix it all up, then you add cold water to the 40 pint mark.
Problem is, if you splosh it now (anything that looks like bubbles), that's air mixing with the beer.
You know how to turn wine to vinegar? You add air and leave it for a bit.

You can skip the bottling bucket step - especially if you don't have one. Yes, you can add the sugar to each bottle. Just find a way fill the bottles without any splashing.

By the way, you're sure the fermentation has finished? You're not just using the time it says on the tin? (because that's a lie).

3.5 boiling n 23 cold mate (litres). The fermenter tap is an inch from the base, hopefully thats so any sedement sits below?

Ive added a day to recomended, bubbles to airlock has ceased.
 
3.5 boiling n 23 cold mate (litres). The fermenter tap is an inch from the base, hopefully thats so any sedement sits below?

Ive added a day to recomended, bubbles to airlock has ceased.
I suspect it meant "make up to 23L". Bubbles to airlock isn't anything to take too much notice of tbh.
 
Well lads very impressed.

46 bottles wilko ipa using normal sugar n cutting a few corners during lockdown.

Added 2-3 days to each stage to be on safe side n bottled about ten a week later due to bottle storage.

Garage is very cold but chilled one even further last night n freezed a half glass.

Cracking head on each glassfull, that goes after 30 seconds but thats not rare with IPA.

Smell/taste is fine, bit like a doombar/old speckled hen.

Its a wilko ipa n was supposed to be 4.5% iirc but first hit felt like nearer 6!:lol:
Mrs poured every drop in last glass by accident n even that tasted fine.

Canny happy. Not something ill likely have time to master so may stick to 2 or3 a year, maybe with proper sugar next time. Was poured straight from vat to bottle, is a wand really necesarry?

Labelled a few for dad/mates

SPUFFS LOCKDOWN IPA.
 
Well lads very impressed.

46 bottles wilko ipa using normal sugar n cutting a few corners during lockdown.

Added 2-3 days to each stage to be on safe side n bottled about ten a week later due to bottle storage.

Garage is very cold but chilled one even further last night n freezed a half glass.

Cracking head on each glassfull, that goes after 30 seconds but thats not rare with IPA.

Smell/taste is fine, bit like a doombar/old speckled hen.

Its a wilko ipa n was supposed to be 4.5% iirc but first hit felt like nearer 6!:lol:
Mrs poured every drop in last glass by accident n even that tasted fine.

Canny happy. Not something ill likely have time to master so may stick to 2 or3 a year, maybe with proper sugar next time. Was poured straight from vat to bottle, is a wand really necesarry?

Labelled a few for dad/mates

SPUFFS LOCKDOWN IPA.
If you're happy, then that's all that matters.
 
Was poured straight from vat to bottle, is a wand really necesarry?
A wand or siphon (even a length of tubing would do) is needed. You need to reduce the amount of oxygen getting into each bottle.

I’ve had 2 batches that oxidised (one was the 2nd ever kit I did back in 2015, the other I cocked up with a new fermenter about a year ago) and they tasted fine at first but as they got older (not significantly older either, like a month in the bottle) they got darker and more bitter and developed a bit of a cardboardy taste.

The second batch was one I brewed for my mate’s stagdo as well with special bottle caps and labels so I was gutted that it had spoiled!
 
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If you're happy, then that's all that matters.

Sound like our lass!;)

@PTR thanks again for the stuff.
A wand or siphon (even a length of tubing would do) is needed. You need to reduce the amount of oxygen getting into each bottle.

I’ve had 2 batches that oxidised (one was the 2nd ever kit I did back in 2015, the other I cocked up with a new fermenter about a year ago) and they tasted fine at first but as they got older (not significantly older either, like a month in the bottle) they got darker and more bitter and developed a bit of a cardboardy taste.

The second batch was one I brewed for my mate’s stagdo as well with special bottle caps and labels so I was gutted that it had spoiled!

Ill get one next time but draining straight in seemed to not introduce much air.
Probs drink it in a fortnight. :lol:
 
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Ill get one next time but draining straight in seemed to not introduce much air.
Probs drink it in a fortnight. :lol:
Bonus of IPA is that you want to drink it when its "young" to preserve the hoppyness. Drinking young doesn't let the beer mature its malt flavours, which you usually need to do - but not so much with IPA. But letting the beer mature is when you'll get the oxidation issues kicking in.

Personally, I could never make a good young beer - it always had an awful homebrew twang. So I would age everything for much longer than most would expect. I'm sure it was a temperature control issue though.
 
Quick few questions if okay:

Going for the Wherry kit @Wilfy mentions upthread, reviews are great.

Trying to stick to order from wilkos...

Whats needed/how to clean fermenter n 46bottles? Il buy their syphon too.

Seems the kit needs no sugar but others recomend it. Thoughts? And is normal okay or brewing?
Folk adding other hopps etc but trying to keep as simple as poss.

Some folk using bottled water. Necesary? Hartlepools is hard/really scaley like.

Thanks again. All good advice. Going to enjoy the fruits of my labour in the hot tub tonight!:lol:
Bonus of IPA is that you want to drink it when its "young" to preserve the hoppyness. Drinking young doesn't let the beer mature its malt flavours, which you usually need to do - but not so much with IPA. But letting the beer mature is when you'll get the oxidation issues kicking in.

Personally, I could never make a good young beer - it always had an awful homebrew twang. So I would age everything for much longer than most would expect. I'm sure it was a temperature control issue though.

A cellar cooler in your garage could sort that!;)
 
I've been watching those Clawhammer brewing videos on YouTube and now all I want to do is home brew DIPAs. Have to resist the urge as we've simply got nowhere to do it in the flat. :lol:
 
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Whats needed/how to clean fermenter n 46bottles? Il buy their syphon too. Wilkos do a powder that needs to be steeped and then rinsed. Starsan is miles better though

Seems the kit needs no sugar but others recomend it. Thoughts? And is normal okay or brewing? Depends on the kit. The Kit is just some malt & hops in liquid form, with a pack of yeast. Don't overthink it.

Folk adding other hopps etc but trying to keep as simple as poss.

Some folk using bottled water. Necesary? Hartlepools is hard/really scaley like. Not at all, certainly not at starter level

A cellar cooler in your garage could sort that!;) - The garage was too cold if anything.
 
Quick few questions if okay:

Going for the Wherry kit @Wilfy mentions upthread, reviews are great.

Trying to stick to order from wilkos...

Whats needed/how to clean fermenter n 46bottles? Il buy their syphon too.

Seems the kit needs no sugar but others recomend it. Thoughts? And is normal okay or brewing?
Folk adding other hopps etc but trying to keep as simple as poss.

Some folk using bottled water. Necesary? Hartlepools is hard/really scaley like.

Thanks again. All good advice. Going to enjoy the fruits of my labour in the hot tub tonight!:lol:


A cellar cooler in your garage could sort that!;)
I use thin bleach for cleaning then use starsan after the bleach has been properly washed off/out of everything.
 
Cheers lads!


Do you add sugar at any point on that one wilfy?Just getting stock in!
Aye, I batch prime with about 90g of sugar dissolves in boiling water and stir it in thoroughly. If you are bottling from the fermenting bucket I would just put a teaspoon of sugar in each bottle and give them a good shake after you’ve capped them.
 
Aye, I batch prime with about 90g of sugar dissolves in boiling water and stir it in thoroughly. If you are bottling from the fermenting bucket I would just put a teaspoon of sugar in each bottle and give them a good shake after you’ve capped them.

Ta mate, normal sugar ok or brewing?
 

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