Where do i start?

emzolita

just got a home-brewing kit, and i don't have a clue where to start.
I have bought champagne yeast, wine yeast and hops. what should i start off with?

and does anyone have any unusual champagne/wine flavour ideas. eg; I had pomegranate champagne before which was nice.

thanks a mill xx Emma

BeerNut

emzolita wrote: »

just got a home-brewing kit

What all have you got?

emzolita

2x 5L Fermentation Bin
Airlock
Bung
Syphon
Thermometer
Hydrometer plus sampling tube
Sterliser
Mixing Spoon

BeerNut

You have the gear to start brewing from kits, though you'll want to think about how you're going to condition and serve: bottles, keg, etc.

Here's an introduction to kit brewing.

evolving_doors

Seems as if everyone starts off on Coopers Canadian Blonde for their first beer kit brew:D
, Ireckon do a few kit brews before doing it from scratch with hops etc...the steps are more basic...

merc230ce

Armelodie wrote: »

Seems as if everyone starts off on Coopers Canadian Blonde for their first beer kit brew:D
, Ireckon do a few kit brews before doing it from scratch with hops etc...the steps are more basic...

I just got my CCB kit delivered today ;-)
And the bloody instruction DVD doesn't work :-( Anyone have a YouTube link to it?

Donny5

merc230ce wrote: »

I just got my CCB kit delivered today ;-)
And the bloody instruction DVD doesn't work :-( Anyone have a YouTube link to it?

This one?

homebrew.ie

hey merc230ce

i think i might have a spare dvd if you would like

merc230ce

homebrew.ie wrote: »

hey merc230ce

i think i might have a spare dvd if you would like

Oh that'd great, thanks!
Cam I collect it somewhere or PM you my address?

merc230ce

OK - First brew is under way!! :-D

As I said, my DVD didn't work so I relied on the inimitable CraigTube for instructions as the ones under the lid of the can are (ahem) succinct.

Possible problems / worries:
Didn't rinse out the fermenter properly after sanitising? (Got a waft of chlorine up out if it when I poured in the hot water)
OG seems low (1.035)
Didn't stir the wort much before pitching the yeast, so I did about 30sec / 1min of stirring 10 mins after pitching.

Apart from that everything went... ok I think. Time will tell!

homebrew.ie

sorry merc230ce

i took one of those rare weekends off if you want to e-mail me your address ill send it on: brewing@homebrew.ie if not im in templemore tipperary

the only one id be really worried about would the not rinsing but dont panic as you say time will tell

cheers
donal

merc230ce

homebrew.ie wrote: »

sorry merc230ce


the only one id be really worried about would the not rinsing but dont panic as you say time will tell

cheers
donal

Thanks Donal, will send email.

Have just checked my brew now (at +66 hrs or thereabouts) and the really furious fermentation I was seeing at about +12 hrs has subsided. The fat collar of foam has died down to just a thin layer. The wort looks lighter in colour, but cloudier. It's still sitting at 24 deg (which surprises me, but that might be the temp of the brew itself bringing it up a couple of degrees from ambient?) I just took a hydrometer reading and it's at about 1.014. So there's definitely progress being made! :-)

The not-rinsing obviously hasn't killed off the fermentation completely (which was my worry) but could it maybe give some dodgy flavour to the beer?

Thanks again!

*Edit: I forgot to adjust the OG for temp - it was actually 1.037

merc230ce

Today I removed the Krausen collar (Day 4) and took another reading : 1.012.

Had a sneaky taste and there's definitely some fruitiness there so maybe the temp was a bit high.

I'd be tempted to give the sediment a bit of a stir tomorrow if things still seem to have slowed down, but maybe I'll be able to convince myself to leave the bloody stuff alone till next week!

Cork Boy

merc230ce wrote: »

maybe I'll be able to convince myself to leave the bloody stuff alone till next week!

I hear ya buddy, I've found myself just staring at mine for an unhealthy amount of time, trying to time the airlock bubbles as if they were contractions! I only 'brewed' on friday night so I'll try to leave it alone till next fri, take a hydrometer reading and if it's at the FG target, I'll throw in my hops and let alone for another week and then on to bottling!

merc230ce

So CorkBoy, did you remove the krausen yet?

I'll be away from tomorrow until at least next Thursday, and possibly until after that weekend, so if I can keep my hands off them tomorrow my little yeasties should have plenty of time to do their thang ;-)

merc230ce

Cork Boy wrote: »

merc230ce wrote: »

maybe I'll be able to convince myself to leave the bloody stuff alone till next week!

I hear ya buddy, I've found myself just staring at mine for an unhealthy amount of time, trying to time the airlock bubbles as if they were contractions! I only 'brewed' on friday night so I'll try to leave it alone till next fri, take a hydrometer reading and if it's at the FG target, I'll throw in my hops and let alone for another week and then on to bottling!

Success! I left it alone, didn't even take a reading ;-) So I'll see how it is in 10 days...

jjanderton

Hi there...

If you stuck or don't know where to start up your brewing then don't try your own because different recipes have their own procedure of brewing. If you try without its procedure than god knows what will you makes..

Regards J

merc230ce

Latest update: 2 wks + 1 day.
SG 1.010 @ 21deg (don't have the converter to hand)
Colour looks good, clarity looks *pretty* good.
The beer is quite 'foamy' in the sample tube, with plenty of bubbles rising. Is this simply due to having been poured in? Or is it an indication that fermentation hasn't finished? Or is it just normal?
Taste test: Not bad, definitely beer - would remind me of Tesco's Biere d'Or or some other cheap lager, but with that definite homebrew 'twang' at the back of it. Will this condition out? Time will tell...

Will check reading again tomorrow. If no change I will probably bottle then (coz SWMBO won't allow it to sit on the draining board any longer I'd say! ;-)

[Edit: After further thought I had a change of mind and decided to move it out to the shed so it can sit for another bit. The top 4'' or so are very clear, and it gets murkier below that. I reckon another week will do it some good, and just hope that the temp fluctuations in the shed won't negate the benefits...]

Donny5

Light carbonation is normal. At this time, if the gravity is steady, I'd bottle. What's the kit and what is the twang you said you got?

merc230ce

Donny5 wrote: »

Light carbonation is normal. At this time, if the gravity is steady, I'd bottle. What's the kit and what is the twang you said you got?

It's a sharp aftertaste, towards the back of the tongue. Definitely brings back memories of ropey brews from student days!

There's quite a bit of crud in the tap itself so could that have an effect on the taste?

Kit is Coopers Canadian Blonde.

Donny5

Ah, I had the same twang with the Canadian Blonde, too, but not with most of the kits, Coopers or otherwise, I've tried. I have to say it's my least favorite kit of the dozen or so I've tried, with the Brewmaster Stout being the best. The blonde has been in for just over four weeks, and it hasn't improved with age.

Edit: Actually, the worst by far was the Coopers Ginger Beer. It was undrinkable!

merc230ce

AAAARRGHHH!! *bangs head off wall*

Fup me I'm a fuppin eejit :-( The whole 'move the beer to the shed' idea wasn't one of my brightest I don't think. Oh... ARSE!

So cross with myself. Too cross (and embarrassed) to elaborate further!

I'll joke about this after I have a few successful brews under my belt, but right now We Are Not Amused >-[

Grrr.

merc230ce

Ok ok ok, I admit it - the above is a classic 'Aaa I've ruined me first brew!' post, and I apologise :-/

Guess what, I now don't think I did. (Phew) It's bloody nerve-racking this brewing lark! I think I'll go lie down for a while...

Gravity down to 1.007 or so, and the nasty aftertaste is gone. (Or nearly gone anyway) I think my baby's gonna be ok :-)

merc230ce

Bottled my first brew this morning. Went more smoothly than I had expected. I used the bleach/vinegar no-rinse recipe I read on here somewhere for the sterilising so hopefully it does its thing.

Got 42 bottles out of it, so I hope it's nice! ;-)

I also ordered the ingredients for my 2nd brew last night, and a crown capper for the bottles I have been diligently collecting over the summer.

Looking forward to it now, I have great hopes for this one!