Help with first home brew.

tommy2bad

Hi,
Just starting out with home brewing beer, I've done cider and wine before so have the basic idea. What I need help with is the particular kit that came with the starter set.
I ordered this starter from homebrew west, http://www.homebrewwest.ie/brewsmarter-premium-starter-beer-kit-without-heating-belt-best-value-2744-p.asp
Being over eager I forgot to change the included kit to a lager and ended up with Mangrove Jacks Pail Ale.
http://www.homebrewwest.ie/mangrove-jacks-traditional-series-pale-ale-18-kg-3930-p.asp
Not complaining, I like pail ale as much as the next man so all's good.
However It's still April and the house is cold, I'm going to need some way of keeping it warm or can I work at 14 to 19c temps?

Also the kit came with 1kg dextrose which is mentioned in the instructions but theirs no mention of what abv to expect. Do I have to work it out from the OG or wait and see what it finishes at?

Carbonation drops recomend 1 drop per 330ml bottle, I have 500ml bottles so 2 drops or just the one? Bag says 2 for a 750.

Any word on what the kit is like?

thanks.

FlipperThePriest

You can pick up a brewing belt on ebay for a tenner. It would probably work well with a blanket over it to boost the temps.

I've a brew on the go at the moment and the house also gets fairly cold at night but I'm not too bothered, maybe I should be. It has generally stayed between 16 and 20.

Brewing with dextrose thins out the beer a bit. You'd be better off using dry malt extract to supplement these kits. but your dextrose will defo get the job done! Those kit and kilos generally start out around 1.040 but there are online calculators if you google and measure the starting and finishing gravity and abv.

1 and 1/2 drops I think for the 500ml bottles, personally I wouldn't use them , have not heard great reports, maybe they're grand I can't say as I've not tried them. You could batch prime the beer in the fermenter a day before bottling. Use the following calculator for that.. http://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/

BeerNut

tommy2bad wrote: »

the house is cold, I'm going to need some way of keeping it warm or can I work at 14 to 19c temps?

14-19 is pretty much ideal. I would not add any extra heat.

tommy2bad

BeerNut wrote: »

14-19 is pretty much ideal. I would not add any extra heat.

Really? I've always seen 20 to 25 quoted. Maybe it's a speed thing, just to have the fermentation done In around a week.
Right it's going in the bucket tomorrow, wish me luck!

BeerNut

tommy2bad wrote: »

I've always seen 20 to 25 quoted.

18 is ideal. Anything over 24 is not advisable.

tommy2bad wrote: »

Maybe it's a speed thing, just to have the fermentation done In around a week.

Speed is never a good thing when it comes to fermentation. Always leave the beer for at least a fortnight.

tommy2bad wrote: »

wish me luck!

Good luck!

Lovely Bloke

Is pail ale brewed in a bucket?

tommy2bad

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

Is pail ale brewed in a bucket?

Or drank from one?

the corpo

Got a kit for my birthday, and every eager to give it a go.

Have two small kids in the house though so location is tricky. Thinking of putting it in a kitchen cupboard, but is it going to be too stinky to not annoy the rest of the household? Only other option would be garage, but it gets *cold* out there

Also, best bet for bottle bargains?

Buona Fortuna

the corpo wrote: »

Got a kit for my birthday, and every eager to give it a go.

Have two small kids in the house though so location is tricky. Thinking of putting it in a kitchen cupboard, but is it going to be too stinky to not annoy the rest of the household? Only other option would be garage, but it gets *cold* out there

Not especially stinky. I have mine in the kitchen and if there is a smell, it's a bit like bread proving and it's not constant.

What type of beer?

Also, best bet for bottle bargains?

Bottle bank or local pubs. Also I've had good results from green plastic fizzy water bottles. They are handy as well being 2 Ltr.

Hingo

+1 to getting bottles from pubs - Bulmers / old style Guinness Pint bottles are great - full 568ml pints and sturdy ol' yokes!

n97 mini

Hingo wrote: »

+1 to getting bottles from pubs - Bulmers / old style Guinness Pint bottles are great - full 568ml pints and sturdy ol' yokes!

A lot of pubs won't give those out as they're returnable. 500ml bottles on the other hand, they can't get rid of.

paddy_o_generic

So let me get this right;

Can I keep my old craft beer bottles (particularly liking what the Dungarvan Brewing Company are doing) and reuse them for my home brew without the fear of explosions in the night?

BeerNut

Yes, as long as you're sure that the main fermentation is finished and you don't over-prime. But any bottle that previously held a carbonated drink is fine for re-use for homebrew, though I'd avoid the screw-off crown cap ones as they don't seal as securely.