Home Brew Questions

[nicksonic]

Looks good to me. I'd leave it well alone now. It looks like it's got going at a leisurely pace (not a bad thing, means your temperature's about right) and should happily ferment away now. Once it gets a decent head on it those bits should get absorbed into the main brew.

ta for the reassurance.

i'm already thinking about the next brew, looking forward to making changes to see how they affect the taste. reading back through the thread it seems like reusing the yeast could improve things so i may just do that with another batch of wherry.

Buying beer kits because the name is similar to a record you like possibly isn't the best method tbf.

well, as good as choosing a horse based on it's name, and we all know that sometimes it reaps rich rewards

 

[Voley]

If it's shit beer, I'll have let Neil Young down.

 

[nicksonic]

re switching to another fermentation bin, why would this help the brew? it's just a different container...(?)

 

[Voley]

After the first ferment, you get a big build-up of yeast at the bottom of the bin - the 'yeast cake' - and leaving the beer on this for too long can taint the taste. That's the theory, I think. It's optional, not everyone bothers but mine are nicer when they've had secondary fermentation.

 

[nicksonic]

After the first ferment, you get a big build-up of yeast at the bottom of the bin - the 'yeast cake' - and leaving the beer on this for too long can taint the taste. That's the theory, I think. It's optional, not everyone bothers but mine are nicer when they've had secondary fermentation.

well it sounds sensible enough plus i've got the extra bin so i'll do that. since it's quite heavy i suppose syphoning the beer into the fresh bin is the best method?

 

[Voley]

Yes, just make sure your siphon tube's been sterilised.

 

[nicksonic]

Yes, just make sure your siphon tube's been sterilised.

will do, realised after i'd mixed the brew i hadn't sterilised the spoon. hopefully i haven't impaired the beer...

 

[Voley]

It'll probably be OK. I've forgotten to do the spoon before now.

 

[existentialist]

After the first ferment, you get a big build-up of yeast at the bottom of the bin - the 'yeast cake' - and leaving the beer on this for too long can taint the taste. That's the theory, I think. It's optional, not everyone bothers but mine are nicer when they've had secondary fermentation.

I usually don't bother, because most of my low-gravity non-adjuncted brews seem to ferment out well within the two weeks I consider to be the limit.

The issue with trub/yeast cake is that dead yeast can begin to autolyse (ie, "eat itself"), and this will contribute rather unpleasant "meaty" tones to the beer. The only time that's ever been detectable IME has been when brewing very high-gravity beers (>6%), or beers with loads of adjuncts - spices, herbs, dry-hopping, etc - which often do ferment more slowly. So I generally rack off my Christmas brews, for example, for a secondary fermentation, but don't bother with the session stuff.

It may also make a difference that I bottle most of my production, so it is effectively getting its secondary fermentation in the bottle, although that's not quite the same...

 

[nicksonic]

The issue with trub/yeast cake is that dead yeast can begin to autolyse (ie, "eat itself"), and this will contribute rather unpleasant "meaty" tones to the beer.

how does that square with reusing yeast?

 

[existentialist]

how does that square with reusing yeast?

The yeast at the bottom has fallen there because of a shortage of sugars for it to digest - it's not actually dead, but it is dormant. As I understand it, yeast that is dormant is more likely to autolyse the longer it stays dormant. When you buy yeast, it's been dehydrated or otherwise deactivated, and needs to be rehydrated or reactivated when you want to use it.

I'm not too well up on the details, as my brewing cycle isn't constant, and Mrs E wouldn't be too pleased to have her fridge door full of yeast batches awaiting use, so I do it the lazy way, open a new sachet of Safale each time, and use the trub to wage war on the tide of slugs that threatens to overwhelm the garden every year.

 

[nicksonic]

right, thanks for that explanation. i guess it will depend on when i make my next lot as to whether i reuse the yeast then.

 

[Voley]

Three days since I got the lager on and it's not starting bubbling away yet.
Bit warm for it maybe?
Should I bung some more yeast in?

Ideas anyone?

 

[Voley]

It's doing something as the lid's bulging out a bit, but no bubbles from the airlock. Is that a lager thing? My ales would normally be gurgling away happily by now.

 

[existentialist]

It's doing something as the lid's bulging out a bit, but no bubbles from the airlock. Is that a lager thing? My ales would normally be gurgling away happily by now.

Lager yeasts usually work fine at ale temperatures - it's just that the flavour profile will be different, with not such a "clean" taste.

Check (squeeze the FV gently) that air CAN actually escape through the airlock - if it's somehow got blocked, you could end up with an exploding brew!

It does sound as if it's taken a bit longer than it should, so perhaps adding another batch of yeast would allay your anxieties - you could always try running off a pint of brew and rehydrating/activating the yeast in that (perhaps even keep it a bit warm), then adding it to the main brew once it's started...?

 

[nicksonic]

Check (squeeze the FV gently) that air CAN actually escape through the airlock - if it's somehow got blocked, you could end up with an exploding brew!

it turns out my dad used to do homebrew... apparently he put his first batch in the airing cupboard as he was concerned it wouldn't be warm enough, and yes, it duly exploded

 

[nicksonic]

wherry kit update - i decided not to transfer the brew into another bin for a secondary ferment in the end. i'll do that next time and see if i can discern any difference.

so it's been going since friday may 7th, i have 40 bottles, a bench capper and some caps so i'll be bottling it this weekend

 

[nicksonic]

can anyone recommend somewhere to get self-adhesive labels made...?

cheers!

 

[nicksonic]

right, i'm ready to bottle! the thing is the kit didn't come with any sugar so i assumed you could just use regular granulated. is that right? should i get some actual brewing sugar...?

 

[Stig]

right, i'm ready to bottle! the thing is the kit didn't come with any sugar so i assumed you could just use regular granulated. is that right? should i get some actual brewing sugar...?

Yup, I use either demerera or bog standard white, it doesn't really matter too much. I use about half a teaspoon per normal size beer bottle.

 

[nicksonic]

ok cool thanks, wish me luck!

 

[Stig]

G'luck!

BTW, what are you using to get the beer into the bottles?

I've messed around with all sorts of methods, most resulting in puddles and woe, and ended up with the two quid syphon-and-tap pack from Wilkinsons.

 

[Stig]

can anyone recommend somewhere to get self-adhesive labels made...?

cheers!

I paint mine on with milk. honestly, it doesn't smell AT ALL which was my main worry. I just print on normal paper, cut them out and use a pastry brush.

They stick on fine, and when you've finished they slide straight off the bottles so they're ready to be used again

 

[nicksonic]

BTW, what are you using to get the beer into the bottles?

I've messed around with all sorts of methods, most resulting in puddles and woe, and ended up with the two quid syphon-and-tap pack from Wilkinsons.

the syphon that came with the kit. it's the first time i've done this so it's slightly messy, although i'll improve with practice. the main awkwardness is having to have the fermenting bin in a relatively high place, it makes filling the bottles accurately a bit tricky.

 

[nicksonic]

done it

quite hard work, a certain amount of beer went on the floor but i managed to get 40 pints out of it. will leave it for a couple of weeks before i try any...

 

[nicksonic]

i'll be having the first taste of this tonight -

it's been conditioning for 11 days, should give it longer really but at least i'll be able to compare and contrast against bottles i leave for longer.

 

[nicksonic]

hmmm. it's ok... has a bit of a fruity tang, but it's difficult to say a huge amount since i don't know what wherry's supposed to taste like and whether it's gone wrong at all. it's not awful, put it like that.

some expert feedback would be useful so if anyone fancies picking up a few bottles from the crystal palace area let me know

 

[Addy]

Just put my first ever Turbo Cider brew on ghetto style.
2 x 2l 'westons scrumpy dj's'
2 fingers off a rubber glove
3l of Lidl apple juice
1l of Lidl red grape juice
1 cup of tea
1 tablespoon of brown sugar made in to a syrup
Tesco's bread yeast

1 dj is apple juice / 1/2 cup of tea and sugar syrup with 1/2 tsp of yeast
1 dj is aplle and grape / 1/2 cup of tea and sugar syrup with 1/2 tsp of yeast

2 hrs in and its started to foam

 

[nicksonic]

looks like some serious brewing going on there addy

my wherry is tasting a whole lot better than it did two weeks ago (admittedly it'd only been conditioning for about ten days at that point). still has a slight 'tang' about it but hopefully that should round off in the next week to ten days.

 

[Addy]

hehehe
12 days after throwing together my first 'ghetto brew' I have this...

Chilled a bottle for 90 mins and then opened it with a good pfffttt! when cracking the bottle open, and a llight sparkle with bubbles rising all through the taste session... not fizzy but sparkling as expected (1/2tsp of sugar carbonation seems rignt for my taste)
Poured it in a glass and it was very clear but because I used a bread yeast and I didn't rack the brew off the sediment doesnt stay in the bottle well and comes out with the last bit of brew.

Taste - It is a little sharp on the initial gulp - a bit like biting in to a sharp apple, but its nowhere as dry as I expected it to be and it is quite a pleasant drink. I have definately bought worse in my time.

I'm guessing the ABV on this is around 6%, based on taste and headspace after drinking 1/2 pint.

All in all, I'm more than impressed by it!
This weekend i'll be racking off the 10 litres i have fermenting now in to clean dj's and i'll be putting on another 25 litres in the brew bucket.

Goodbye Scrumpy Jack ---- hello Turbo brews

Whats the Wherry like?
I'm looking at doing an ale soon and want something i'll really like - A honey and hops tasting brew.
The Wherry or NOG seem to be what I want but never tasted either so unsure which 1 to go for.
My fav. brews are:
Tanglefoot
Old Empire
Golden Glory
Cockahoop
etc.
Not realy keen on bitters, but I do like a good golden / pale ale.