Homebrew Beer Howto

Energizeer

Guys,
my beer is ready to bottle but I can't get my hands on crown caps...
is there shops that sell these out there?

oblivious

Grape and grain sells them!

bigears

Conar wrote:

Thanks bigears (wow I feel like noddy)!

I only left them in a warm place for 3 days as per the Grape-n-grain howto guide:
http://www.grapengraindublin.com/beermaking.html

Should I have left it longer?
It has been moved to a cool place (16-18C) for about 3 days now too.
Should I bring it back to a wamr place and shake it around and give it another week or so or would you just leave it to mature at this stage?

Yep, Just move them somewhere warmer for a week or two (you've probably already done that at this stage)

Energizeer

I haven't been able to get my hands on Crown Caps for my beer bottles and my beer should have been bottled about 6 days ago. (according to instructions)
Will my beer go bad if I leave it in the fermenter for the next few days?
The hydrometer is reading "Bottle Time" so I'm a bit worried...

oblivious

Energizeer wrote:

I haven't been able to get my hands on Crown Caps for my beer bottles and my beer should have been bottled about 6 days ago. (according to instructions)
Will my beer go bad if I leave it in the fermenter for the next few days?
The hydrometer is reading "Bottle Time" so I'm a bit worried...

Nope should be fine, many people leave there beer for a number of weeks before bottling, I presume you are only doing a primary fermentation?

The bottling time make on the hydrometer is not always the best way to go as some beers can finish as high as 1.020 and above. A good rule of thumb is to is divide the difference between the original gravity and final gravity by the original gravity and then multiply by 100, if the answer is over or around 75% then you beer finished fermenting and should be safe to bottle.

oblivious

Have you tried this forum? www.irishcraftbeer.com

fro66

I am new to home brewing and have a question. I have all the equioment and i have 2 lager kits (Muntons). I was thinking of using both kits together to make a fuller beer. Is this a good idea? If i do this do i need to add any sugar?

Conar

I just did my first homebrew with a kit and it was Muntons Santas Winter Warmer.
It didn't require any addition other than water and some sugars for priming but I wish I had done something else with it.
It has about as much body as an anorexics support session....:(
I know thats not exactly advice but I thought it worth sharing!

oblivious

Conar wrote:

I just did my first homebrew with a kit and it was Muntons Santas Winter Warmer.
It didn't require any addition other than water and some sugars for priming but I wish I had done something else with it.
It has about as much body as an anorexics support session....:(
I know thats not exactly advice but I thought it worth sharing!

You can steep some crystal malt, around 500g at 50c for 30-40 minutes, this will added body to the beer.

bigears

You can steep some crystal malt, around 500g at 50c for 30-40 minutes, this will added body to the beer.

If you don't have crystal malt or if you're still finding your feet you can use both cans which will give a fuller body - the extra fermentables (sugars) will come from the second can. A lot of people report that the Munton's kit yeast stalls so I would also use both packets of yeast.

guildofevil

I have done up an article designed to give you step by step instructions on making your first beer, using a beer kit. Hopefully, it should answer most of your questions and steer you around the major pitfalls in the brewing process.

Find it here: http://www.irishcraftbeer.com/kithowto.html

Conar

Thanks for the info.
Great guide Guild...

I think next time I will definitely source/add some crystal malt as I don't want to end up with any more of this beer flavoured water ever again!

bigears

Conar,

Bear in mind if you're adding Crystal that it adds sweetness as well as body & colour so you may need to balance that sweetness with some hops.

oblivious

If the kits a winter warmer, it should have a good dose of hops in them

oconn

great link.....you say to use a good quality kit....I have some coopers dark ale and austalian pale ale....will be getting a brewferm abidj kit on monday ..I havnt brewed since october....so looking forward to it...how do these kits rate overall in yer opinions ?

bigears

Coopers kits have a good reputation and would be considered to be among the best outside of the all malt kits. I tried their IPA, Bavarian Lager and Yorkshire Bitter kits. The IPA was the best in my opinion. I haven't used Brewferm so I can't comment on them but I think newkie uses them... Woodfordes and Brupaks kits are both highly regarded all malt kits. Grape n Grain stock some from both ranges and judging by his catalogue I imagine Bob in Glengarriff can get them .

oconn

I'd say Bob could get almost anything. I asked him about the brewferm one before Christmas and he didnt know about them but he had them in the maidstone shop so he brought some over...I collect it monday....its very handy for anyone in cork / waterford area as he will rv with you along route with whaever you want....looking forward to making the coopers...I have some 6 packs of the pale ale and might try a starter from them? would it be ok to do the dark ale started by the pale ale dregs ? or I am best off using kit yeast ?

bigears

As far as I know Coopers use the same yeast for all their beers so a starter made up from their bottles would be suitable. You can always pitch the kit yeast if the cultured yeast doesn't take off.

oconn

Would it be possible to use coopers pale ale stubby bottles to bottle hb ? they appear to be twist off crown caps? with a 2 handle capper would the new crowns be tight enough......I am going to brew the pale ale kit....be nice to out them in real coopers bottles.....

bigears

They should be OK, they're not as strong as the German/British 500ml bottles that are intended for re-use or bottle conditioning but I've heard of people using them without a problem. Just make sure the fermentation is finished before bottling

The only other problem you may have is getting the caps on but you can check the first one to see if you get a good seal.

www.irishcraftbeer.com

guildofevil

Twist off caps do have a dodgy reputation when it comes to reuse, so try capping a couple before bottling day, so you know if they work. That way you can get different ones, if they don't do the job.

Séan

xabimacguinness

Hi everybody:
I´m thinking of starting to brew beer at home. Can anyone recomend a place in Dublin to buy good equipment?

Many thanks in advance,
Xabi

oblivious

Hi xabimacguinness

Grape and grain will supply the basics

http://www.grapengraindublin.com/


You also should check out this forum

http://irishcraftbeer.com/phpBB2/index.php?sid=49c540ebfe76e7d2029c19f787da74a6

Getting started
http://irishcraftbeer.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=3&sid=68451349668f382fc871706d83d1b514

xabimacguinness

oblivious wrote:

Hi xabimacguinness

Grape and grain will supply the basics

http://www.grapengraindublin.com/


You also should check out this forum

http://irishcraftbeer.com/phpBB2/index.php?sid=49c540ebfe76e7d2029c19f787da74a6

Getting started
http://irishcraftbeer.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=3&sid=68451349668f382fc871706d83d1b514

thanks oblivious, that was fast!

xabimacguinness

Hi everybody. I finally bought the basic equipment to start brewing...see what happens...

I have a couple of questions before I start. The fermenter bin does not have a hole for the bung and airlock, is this ok, is it extrictly necessary? What if I don´t use them?

While the mix is fermenting should the lid be fully closed, fully sealed or loosely fitted?

Many thanks in advance for your assistance. Xabi

noby

Xabi,

You'll manage fine without the airlock. Leave the lid loosely fitted. Some people drape a tea towel over the bucket.You want to let the gas escape, but mot to let foreign bodies fall in.

xabimacguinness

thnks Noby, I may try that

Cheers, Xabi

Blisterman

Just ordered a starter kit today, to give it a go.
Decided I'd start with a london style ale, as it's apparently the easiest, and plus, it's my favourite type of beer.

One question. Could I use 2 litre plastic coke bottles for my beer? I've noticed a lot of sites sell 1 litre similar ones.

noby

You could, no problem. You may have to finish the 2 litres after you open it, or it will go flat. I know the carbonation in an ale isn't high anyway, so this may not be an issue for you.

Other than that, save up your empty brown bottles, buy a capper for less than €20, and caps.

hamsterboy

Hey Guys.
Looking to get started brewing, have done wine in the past but never beer.
Would this be an adaquate list of things to purchase as a starter kit or could you recommend any additional items

2 x 5 Gall. Plastic Fermenter
2 x 20 grm. Bubbler Airlock
Twin Lever (Crown) Capper
Syphon Complete
100 Crown Caps
Hydrometer

Cheers (no pun intended )