Sam Posted November 9, 2012 Report Share Posted November 9, 2012 I'll get ordering this weekend, looking forward to it. If its crap i will give it away! Will prob stick to the beer first and see how I go, but I'm interested in wine. I've got a big family and at Christmas we go through a fair amount of both! So it'll help ease the financial burden. Reckon ill get 80 bottles so I can do 2 batches at once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonlpearce Posted November 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 Was looking for a local brew shop today and found that Wilkinsons sell pretty much everything you could ever need. Great to know if you get caught short on ingredients etc! I picked up a bottle brush for £2! But think I will also want a bottle tree to ease the cleaning process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonlpearce Posted November 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 So today i decided that after cleaning the entire house the time had come to get the beer brewing. Here's all my kit, including the 85 bottles which i am yet to steralise. Steraliser, which takes about 1-2 tea spoon fulls per gallon. I basically filled the fermenting vessel, added the steriliser and chucked everything inside it including the lid. Everything i have read say to keep stuff uber clean so i have tried to do this throughout. Unfortunately i didnt take pics of this but it straight forward enough. After a while soaking i rinsed everything off thoroughly. Next you add 1kg of brewing sugar into the vessel, and add 1ltr of hot water, stir to dissolve. Next up is the contents of the tine/carton. These can be heated in warm water to make it more runny. Pour all of this into the mix and rinse out the inside of the carton with hot water and pour this in also. Give it a good stir make sure there is none of the carton mix left on the bottom of your vessel, then fill with cold water. You need it to be around 22-24 degrees before you can add the yeast and hop extract. This may mean you need to add a bit of warm water as you get close to the required amount. Min was a little warm so i had to wait for it to cool some. Next up was the hop extract which had to be mixed in well, then the yeast. Then you have to give it a good old stir so its evenly mixed into the wort. Again i forgot to take pics here. Once its stirred in put the air lock into the lid with a little water inside and put the lid on the vessel. Store somewhere reasonably warm (22-24 degrees). I put it upstairs, as heat rises, and in the closest room to the boiler so that hopefully it will stay the right temp. It should take around 5-6 days now for the fermenting to finish. You can tell when its done by take a reading with the hydrometer, 2 readings the same 24 hours apart and its done. Next up will be the bottling. Will need to sterilise the bottles and prime with sugar so they carbonate again whilst conditioning. Then its about a 4 week wait for them to clear and be ready for drinking. So roll on christmas, im very much looking forward to tasting my own home brew. Gaz, mb15 and SamN 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry D Posted November 11, 2012 Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 I remember my dad having to break the bathroom door off when we visited my nan's one day because my grandad and his mate had been making some sort of moonshine at his allotment and was passed out on the bathroom floor lol. Let that be a warning to you guys! Ever saw the film Street Trash? That is another warning, stay away from the Viper! B0B 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonlpearce Posted November 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 I did consider making a rum, but think I will try n nail beer first before getting carried away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted November 11, 2012 Report Share Posted November 11, 2012 My dad is involved! Well make a good brew for Christmas hopefully! Looking forward to it. I'll post up pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonlpearce Posted November 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 I went in this morning and took a quick look and the air lock was bubbling away nicely. I got a bit paranoid last night so wrapped up the brew in an old duvet to keep it warm as the heating was off all night and will be all day, seemed to keep it steadily at 22 degrees which is perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamN Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 Good progress! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 Argh! Can't decide on what beer to get. I'm going to get an Ale kit and a Larger kit so I can do 2 batches before Christmas. All of the Ales look very dark and the largers look like Carlsberg! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonlpearce Posted November 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 Yeah im also stuck on what to get next...Typically im not a massive ale drinker but am thinking perhaps i may have to expand my pallet. Im probably also going to pick up a second FV (fermenting vessel) which has a tap. Otherwise i think it could be a little messy come bottling time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 They come with a Syphon, but I suppose it'd be easier. I was going to get a keg set, but figured it won't be easy to carry to the parents at Christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 (edited) Ordered! I went for a Ale and Beer set with the recommended extras/replacements. Now to order ~80 bottles! Any good deals on them? Edited November 12, 2012 by Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonlpearce Posted November 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 Only thing you need now is some bottles. I saw that it came with a syphon but it will be difficult to stop and start that, whilst also trying to get new bottles and not cover the kitchen in beer... I'm thinking we might have to arrange a tasting session in a month or so once the brews are done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 (edited) Si, why clear bottles? Everything I've read says to get brown ones. I imagine ebay is the cheapest for them? Good idea, but where do we meet? We can't exactly stay in a hotel and drink our own beer! (Don't mention camping in winter!) Edited November 12, 2012 by Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonlpearce Posted November 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 (edited) Sam - i was a little behind in my reading and purchased the clear bottles before i found they need to be green/brown. Apparently its something called Skunking which is UV light affecting the beer. So long as i keep them in the dark i should be fine, plus i hear not many people suffer from it anyways. On the plus side i did get 85 bottles for £14 and only had to go 4 miles to get them. Good point on the tasting, perhaps we will have to save it for one of the camping events next year, as a hotel stayover would be a little bit gay . Edited November 12, 2012 by simonlpearce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 Are the bottles used? ebay? etc? Thats a damn good deal! I'm confused with the sugar when bottling and also the bottle topper still. Did you buy those conditioning tabs and do you have a topper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonlpearce Posted November 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 Yeah i picked the bottles up from some students in Birmingham via ebay. They were used but in great condition, and as i will be sterilising them any way i wasn't fussed about them being used. From what i have read there are a couple of ways to prime (carbonate) the beer when bottling. The first is the drops which i think work out expensive considering the alternatives. I have also read that some people are putting 2 per bottle for extra fizz, but dont quote me on that. The second option (which i will use), is a heaped teaspoon of normal cane sugar per 500ml bottle. Might try and figure out a way of keeping the amount consistent so they are all carbonated equally. I haven't got round to this yet though so only time will tell... Have you looked into 'Camden tablets' and 'Finings' yet? The first is to neutralise any chlorine in your water and the second is to add clarity to your beer...I haven't bothered with either for my first brew, but may look into it as things progress... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 Weird putting that much sugar in, after putting sugar in the mix as well. You could use sugar cubes for consistency. Not heard of either, but as I've done my order I'll pass on both for now. I have read using bottled water is much better than tap as well, so may look into that. Although the water around here isn't too hard and taste good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonlpearce Posted November 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 Well at least you now have plenty to read up on Here are a few threads that helped me loads when i was brewing up. http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=4022 http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=21319 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 I'm still lost with the bottle capping! Do I need the tool? After reading those 2 guides, it seems sensible to have a bottle cleaner, bottle tree, spare bucket, bucket with tap etc! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suhail97 Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 Have you thought of any comedy names for your beers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonlpearce Posted November 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 I'm still lost with the bottle capping! Do I need the tool? After reading those 2 guides, it seems sensible to have a bottle cleaner, bottle tree, spare bucket, bucket with tap etc! Nope your kit will come with a capper and caps, its the same one i got. All those other things will definitely aid the bottling and speed you up in getting your next batch up and running, but certainly are not necessary. Have you thought of any comedy names for your beers? My first brew is going to be called Iggle Piddle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 Started on the bottle collection already, 2 so far! Got some family collecting as well. Hopefully I'll just need to buy 40 and we will collect 40 over the next week. Cool, I was worrying I'd not get one, but I suppose I'll have 7 days after making it before I need the topper. Not thought of names, depends if its any good! Probably something like 'golden shower', so I can offer it to people. "Do you want a golden shower?" Etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonlpearce Posted November 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 Haha liking the 'golden shower' idea, might have to pinch that myself one day! Am going to do some more shopping today, here is my list of WTB's.Additional Keg/Barrel with a tapLittle Bottler (This attaches to the tap on your barrel and makes bottling much easier)New Beer Kit - Yet to decide which one...More sugar and spray maltMore steriliserTest Tube thingy - My kit came with a hydrometer but no tube to test it in...Bottle drainer, although these are around £20 so i might just wait and see how i get on without it. Most i think i will buy online, but i will also compare against Wilkos as they are local and its easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 I'm tempted to buy a tap from a shop and just drill my barrel. The shop even sells them like that. As much as I'd love all that, I want to see how it tastes and how long it all takes etc. It might be I do a batch and give up, and I'd rather give up after spending £60 that £160! I do hope it arrives today/tomorrow so I can get it going! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
