http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ Brew UK Forum » Forum: Beer Kits - Recent Posts en Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:34:58 +0000 http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-brewmaster-sparkiling-ale-question#post-30306 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:26:38 +0000 beertaster1 30306@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Ok . Thanks for all the help. Cheer :mrgreen:s </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/tweaked-wherry-looking-dicey#post-30304 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:26:32 +0000 AKMild 30304@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>My fourth kit brew has been a tweaked Wherry, which went into the barrel three weeks ago. I&#39;ve taken a sample at two weeks and (tonight) at three weeks, and what I&#39;m getting does not feel right! After four weeks, my previous brews were all very lively out of the barrel and were nice and clear. Now, I know this has only been in the barrel for three weeks, but it&#39;s flat as a pancake, very cloudy and full of bits. The bits may be bits of hop following the dry hop, so I&#39;m not really worried about them, but the beer does not taste right and although I don&#39;t like fizzy beer, I would have thought that the three weeks it&#39;s been in the barrel would have generated some CO2 (I batch primed it).</p> <p>I&#39;m guessing that the cap may have leaked, which would explain the lack of CO2, but should the beer be so cloudy after three weeks? Can I save it with a CO2 cylinder and/or finings?</p> <p>This was the brew where I had a bit of trouble siphoning (see my previous post), and I&#39;ve had bad feelings about it ever since. Who said you couldn&#39;t go wrong with a Wherry kit? Any advice or helpful remarks much appreciated!</p> <p>Keith </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-brewmaster-sparkiling-ale-question#post-30300 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:40:15 +0000 Mark 30300@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>No you can&#39;t replace a kilo bag of enhancer for the 2.3kg of fermentables you have listed. For a start it will be about 60% abv weaker. I would make it as it&#39;s supposed to be made.<br /> But save the enhancer and buy a single can kit and replace the 1kg of sugar (like for like) with it, then you will have a better bodied and tasting end product. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-brewmaster-sparkiling-ale-question#post-30299 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:31:01 +0000 ihatenissanmicras 30299@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Well you could but its not going to be as designed and a brew enhancer wouldnt even be half the fermentables that its designed to be brewed with.It looks like a pricey kit to brew but cutting corners may ruin it. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-brewmaster-sparkiling-ale-question#post-30297 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:27:56 +0000 beertaster1 30297@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Sorry. It says on the instructions to be brewed with1.5 kg light malt extract 500 g light dry malt and 300g dextrose/sugar. But on the reveiws on the product a guy says he just added 1kg caster sugar instead. And i have 1kg of brew enhancer in the cupboard and was thinking of using that </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-brewmaster-sparkiling-ale-question#post-30294 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:13:21 +0000 Mark 30294@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Can you explain your question again with more info as it appears very vague and confusing &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_confused.gif&quot; title=&quot;:?&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-brewmaster-sparkiling-ale-question#post-30293 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:08:51 +0000 seamus48 30293@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Say again over... &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_question.gif&quot; title=&quot;:?:&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-brewmaster-sparkiling-ale-question#post-30291 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:06:58 +0000 beertaster1 30291@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi everyone</p> <p>was looking for some advice can i use 1 kg of muntons brew enhancer in stead of the following </p> <p>Designed to be brewed with 1.5kg Light Malt Extract, 500g Light Dry Malt and 300g </p> <p>any advice much appriciated &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_biggrin.gif&quot; title=&quot;:D&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/ginger-beer-explosion#post-30210 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:05:26 +0000 skodaboy 30210@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Thanks for that- very helpful indeed. I kept them outside and they were fine. They are nice and fizzy and have only one bottle left now! Spot on. Am brewing some more this weekedn and will definitely take the apple juice tip- the beer was good but I reckon that is the missing ingredient to give it a bit of body. Also got meself a brew belt- a fine addition. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/help-and-advice-please#post-30184 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:42:32 +0000 Leemo 30184@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Thanks, I was asking cause you said you had the coopers kit and watching the video you cant roll it about as it doesnt seal shut as it is the burp system. I can get any number of used beer bottles as the father inlaw goes through alot. </p> <p>I will price up the coopers setup and other setup with two bins. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-30145 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:33:03 +0000 aderuk 30145@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>With out a doubt I will stick with Brewuk from now on,once bitten and all that.Just surprised you have to really hunt around the net to find neg feedback about them.Don&#39;t suppose i will get the chance to leave feedback via there trustpilot system.</p> <p>Quote from there site &quot; Stock on the shelf at the time you place your order is not important to us.&quot; FFS what about the person ordering,must be important to them.</p> <p>I registered again with a new username etc and posted that perhaps it would be better to state which items are in stock and which are expected to be in stock (at a certain date) as this would be helpful when ordering.This question seems to warrant a weeks ban from posting............You could not make it up.. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-30140 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:06:45 +0000 Mark 30140@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Sound good in theory but they probably genuinely do not have it and they will try and fob you off. You will have to try for what they have in stock and a refund of what they don&#39;t have. No good going in mouthing off even though you are entitled to, be nice get what you can and get home and never order there again. That was my approach and it worked. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-30137 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:00:51 +0000 aderuk 30137@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Maybe that&#39;s the answer ,to go down there and take what you have paid for. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-30133 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:54:29 +0000 Mark 30133@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>SEE POST 19</p> <p>5 minute drive from me </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-30129 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:46:29 +0000 aderuk 30129@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p><blockquote>I am not kidding, having witnessed how small the premises are and lack of staff and loads of bins with taps missing and kits with no lids on having no instructions or yeast. All i will say is it is not good for the buyer at all rather than rant on what i really think of this set up witnessed first hand.</blockquote></p> <p>That bad,you have been there?<br /> May go down there next week on my day off if my order gets put back any further.. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-30119 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:24:06 +0000 Mark 30119@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Afraid with this company it&#39;s the old saying<br /> If somethings to good to be true then it usually isn&#39;t.<br /> I am not kidding, having witnessed how small the premises are and lack of staff and loads of bins with taps missing and kits with no lids on having no instructions or yeast. All i will say is it is not good for the buyer at all rather than rant on what i really think of this set up witnessed first hand. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-30113 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:53:30 +0000 aderuk 30113@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p><blockquote>Sam was lyin&#39; in the jungle<br /> Agent orange spread against the sky like marmalade<br /> Hendrix played on some foreign jukebox<br /> They were praying to be saved<br /> Those gooks were fierce and fearless<br /> That&#39;s the price you pay when you invade<br /> Christmas in February</p> <p>LOU REED - XMAS IN FEBRUARY - New York</blockquote></p> <p>Very good.............<br /> Maybe if i send them that and tell them it&#39;s a cryptic clue for them to work out while looking at there empty shelf&#39;s </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-30112 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:38:21 +0000 Sqiffy 30112@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Sam was lyin&#39; in the jungle<br /> Agent orange spread against the sky like marmalade<br /> Hendrix played on some foreign jukebox<br /> They were praying to be saved<br /> Those gooks were fierce and fearless<br /> That&#39;s the price you pay when you invade<br /> Christmas in February</p> <p>LOU REED - XMAS IN FEBRUARY - New York </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/help-and-advice-please#post-30108 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:17:15 +0000 johnh 30108@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>+1 what adderuk says he beat me to the post.. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/help-and-advice-please#post-30107 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:15:51 +0000 johnh 30107@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>yes you prime each bottle with normal sugar or you can buy the carbonation drops that cooper do, or if you want batch prime, which you syphon off to a second fermenter to which you add the amount of sugar sufficient for the amount of beer you have made and it depends what you have made. ale is less than lager etc...i use the plastic 500ml bottles myself and the coopers micro brewery came with 48 bottles as part of the kit. you can buy more if you need. they can be bought in boxes of 24 cheap enough or collect used beer bottles and buy a capper... </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-30106 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:11:00 +0000 aderuk 30106@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Just got the standard reply<br /> &quot;We&#39;re asking all customers to help us, to help you during the busy Christmas period. &quot;</p> <p>Xmas in February &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_lol.gif&quot; title=&quot;:lol:&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/help-and-advice-please#post-30105 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:08:13 +0000 aderuk 30105@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Its worth buying one of the starter kits + an extra Fv with a little bottler set (i&#39;m Know Brewuk will pre drill tap hole for you)which comes with a tap etc.The extra FV can then be used to batch prime which makes things a lot easier when it comes to bottling .Also you can use empty 500ml coke bottles etc</p> <p>Batch priming is basically dissolving around 80g of sugar for ale (120g for lager) in 200ml of boiled hot water<br /> pour in to 2nd empty FV then siphon beer from 1 FV to the 2nd FV then bottle using the little bottler. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/help-and-advice-please#post-30104 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:47:57 +0000 Leemo 30104@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Thanks again sqiffy &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_smile.gif&quot; title=&quot;:-)&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/help-and-advice-please#post-30103 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:38:15 +0000 Sqiffy 30103@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Most of your questions will probably be answered in the articles contained on these pages:</p> <p><a href="http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/forum/faq" rel="nofollow">http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/forum/faq</a></p> <p>We make a lot of woodfordes kits and they are very easy to do. You wil need about 40 500ml bottles to put your beer in. PET bottles are quite cheap but glass is better. We use flip-top bottles but standard bottles and crown caps and capper is also an option. Follow the FAQ articles and you can&#39;t go far wrong (if you do we are always here to help). &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_smile.gif&quot; title=&quot;:)&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/help-and-advice-please#post-30102 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:31:04 +0000 Leemo 30102@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi John I am the same I would much rather bottle as it is easier to drink on the move then lol. How do you prime? Cause the diy kit doesnt seal do you prime each bottle?</p> <p>Sqiffy thanks again thats a great help. Now I just need to put my foot down and buy one!!</p> <p>Im taking a guess your average beer bottle has the same size top as the crowns you buy from brewuk? Dont want to get it all here to then need bottles and pay postage again as it aint cheap. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/help-and-advice-please#post-30100 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:16:24 +0000 johnh 30100@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>hi leemo, i bought the new coopers kit, and i&#39;ve used it 4 times... no problems with it...but the choice is yours...i chose it because i prefer to bottle... </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/help-and-advice-please#post-30099 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:05:44 +0000 Sqiffy 30099@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Any kit that is bottled will require priming.</p> <p>Priming instructions;</p> <p><a href="http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/discussion-for-newb-post-bottling-priming" rel="nofollow">http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/discussion-for-newb-post-bottling-priming</a></p> <p>Kit Brewing:</p> <p><a href="http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/disc-new-brewers-faq-brewing-your-first-beer-kit" rel="nofollow">http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/disc-new-brewers-faq-brewing-your-first-beer-kit</a></p> <p>(Spec link should now work.) </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/help-and-advice-please#post-30098 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:59:31 +0000 Leemo 30098@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi thank for your help.</p> <p>I have been told by a work mate the wherry is very good and a simple one to start with. (wait and see)</p> <p>I watched a video on youtube about the new cooper kit and I wasnt sure because it doesnt seal like a normal f bucket. Does anyone on here use the diy kit?</p> <p>Also when bottling wherry do you need to sugar it? I though I read some were that its a straight to bottle job?? Or am I talking through ma hole lol</p> <p>Couldnt get you spec link to work </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-30097 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:57:35 +0000 Sqiffy 30097@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Yeah, as I said, it will probably take them a while to phone you but I expect they will do eventually. Keep us posted. &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_smile.gif&quot; title=&quot;:)&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-30096 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:54:06 +0000 aderuk 30096@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p><blockquote>just add the first part of the url to the address...</p> <p>Box 1 - &#39;Select a Topic&#39; click on &#39;Dispatch &amp; Delivery&#39; and Box 2 - &#39;Questions for this topic&#39;. will open.<br /> Select &#39;Can I have the in stock items sent now?&#39; and read the &#39;Answer&#39; then send a message on the form box below the &#39;answer&#39; box.</blockquote></p> <p>Thanks just done,hope i start to get somewhere............ </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/help-and-advice-please#post-30095 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:44:45 +0000 Sqiffy 30095@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi Leemo, you can bottle straight from the primary, that&#39;s what I do ( see <a href="http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/discussion-for-newb-post-bottling-priming" rel="nofollow">http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/discussion-for-newb-post-bottling-priming</a> ). Any popular kit will e easy to do and easy to bottle. If you are feeling adventurous you could even try brewing an extract version of Spec Hen ( <a href="http://www.brewuk.co.uk/store/old-speckled-hen-recipe-pack.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.brewuk.co.uk/store/old-speckled-hen-recipe-pack.html</a> ). </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/help-and-advice-please#post-30094 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:27:49 +0000 Leemo 30094@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi everyone</p> <p>Please be gentle with me I&#39;m new.<br /> I have been looking at getting my first full starter kit, i drink most things but prefer a good spec hen, hob gob and the likes. I asked advice at brew uk which set up would be best and because I really want to bottle they advised me to get the coopers kit.</p> <p>I was wondering what everyone else thought, I plan to make more ales like the wherry.<br /> Reading past posts you transfer from first stage to another bucket to then bottle but the coopers kit claims to be an all in one.</p> <p>Any help would be great </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/newbie-question-co2-cartridges#post-30037 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:08:29 +0000 wildbrew 30037@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi chef<br /> yes the 8g cartridge will discharge all at once,when the seal is broken. &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_smile.gif&quot; title=&quot;:-)&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; <br /> I used about 3 or 4 8g cartridges per barrel that had 40 pints in it. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-30031 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:51:48 +0000 Sqiffy 30031@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I gave you the second half of the url;</p> <p>...company.co.uk/shop/catalog/help.php\</p> <p>just add the first part of the url to the address...</p> <p>Box 1 - &#39;Select a Topic&#39; click on &#39;Dispatch &amp; Delivery&#39; and Box 2 - &#39;Questions for this topic&#39;. will open.<br /> Select &#39;Can I have the in stock items sent now?&#39; and read the &#39;Answer&#39; then send a message on the form box below the &#39;answer&#39; box. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-30030 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:39:47 +0000 aderuk 30030@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p><blockquote>In case you haven&#39;t found it in their labyrinthine contacts / questions section under &quot;Dispatch &amp; Delivery&quot; there is a &quot;Can I have the in stock items sent now?&quot; question. If you use that as a basis to contact them via the email form on their web site you may well get a telephone call off them... eventually. Just don&#39;t hold your breath. Once they have made contact with you you may find it easier to get something done about your order. - Good Luck.</blockquote></p> <p>Can&#39;t find that bit the q+a section,maybe it&#39;s been removed.</p> <p><blockquote>might well be sending an email to Miss Anne Robinson on Watchdog / Rouge Traders! </blockquote></p> <p>I have done that,maybe if a few more people sent in emails.</p> <p>My order has now been updated ,with dispatch date now 9th Feb from original date of 21st Jan. Just wish i could find a phone number for them... </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/newbie-question-co2-cartridges#post-30017 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:55:52 +0000 chef 30017@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p><blockquote>Does the whole cartridge discharge once the seal is broken or is there some kind of valve mechanism in the neck?</blockquote><br /> I was wondering this too. I wasn&#39;t sure I&#39;d done it right when I screwed it in and the whole lot seemed to escape! I haven&#39;t used the cartridges since - I just loosen the cap and drink quicker. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/newbie-question-co2-cartridges#post-30012 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:38:59 +0000 wildbrew 30012@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I dont think so,its the 8g cartridges i used before i changed <strong>hambleton bard</strong> gas refill. &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_smile.gif&quot; title=&quot;:-)&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; <br /> if you can get this<strong> hambleton bard gas</strong> in spain you will need a universal cap with a pin valve,or it will not work.<br /> This gas works out a lot cheaper,than the 8g cartridges. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/newbie-question-co2-cartridges#post-30008 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:29:35 +0000 justinjerez 30008@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Thanks wildbrew. I have found a website which will ship the 8g cartridges. </p> <p>I take it the 16g are no good? </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-30004 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:44:49 +0000 Squire 30004@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I&#39;m waiting for an order from &#39;company.co.uk&#39; since October 2011!! Far as I&#39;m concerned that&#39;s £35 down the drain - might well be sending an email to Miss Anne Robinson on Watchdog / Rouge Traders! Found BrewUK - placed an order for an all grain starter kit the other day and guess what??<br /> Had an email earlier saying it on it&#39;s way - way to go BrewUK!! Reccomended 100% to all my brew mates. Can&#39;t wait to brew on the dark side. Sorry for no answer for the original post. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/kit-enhancement-black-ipa#post-29961 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:42:52 +0000 Hamish 29961@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I would think Carafa 3 is the stuff you want. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/newbie-question-co2-cartridges#post-29958 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:56:54 +0000 wildbrew 29958@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi justinjerez<br /> if you go on the net,try home brew shops or wilkinsons they might have a H/B warehouse in spain. &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_cool.gif&quot; title=&quot;8)&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; <br /> that will post 8g cartridges. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/kit-enhancement-black-ipa#post-29952 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:21:49 +0000 Barracuda 29952@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hey all.</p> <p>If I wanted to take an IPA beer kit (For example, Coopers) and steep some malts to make it into a pseudo Black IPA, would you suggest Dark Crystal or Roasted Dark malts to add the colour? </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/newbie-question-co2-cartridges#post-29950 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:30:30 +0000 justinjerez 29950@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hello. I&#39;ve recently started this new and exciting game with a St Peters golden ale kit. </p> <p>I live in a part of Spain where CO2 cartridges seem to be virtually unheard of and I know nothing about them myself, having never used one. </p> <p>I&#39;ve tried all the catering shops (thinking squirty cream canisters and soda streams), but no. The only place with any kind of CO2 cartridge was the bike shop where I bought two cartridges with threaded neck, but these are way bigger than the plastic holder (screws into the barrel top) which came with the kit. They are 16g, and obviously the wrong size.</p> <p>Can I use the 16g cartridges without the holder? Does the whole cartridge discharge once the seal is broken or is there some kind of valve mechanism in the neck? If this is not possible, then I assume the 8g cartridge is the correct size? I can get them ordered if this is the case.</p> <p>Thanks! </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/brew-3-st-peters-golden-ale#post-29942 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:41:49 +0000 saracen 29942@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi Merlin</p> <p>To get it really bright, you&#39;d need to put it in a barrel with about 25 gms of priming sugar, just enough to give it a layer of Co2 for protection, leave it 4 weeks then filter it into another barrel and pressurise it with Co2 bulbs. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/brew-3-st-peters-golden-ale#post-29940 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:43:42 +0000 merlin 29940@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Many thanks to you both grmski/saracen for the fining advice. It&#39;s just that I do like to see a clear/bright pint O bitter and was a little concerned I was&#39;nt going to get that. My Wherry&#39;s have been mmmm 98% clear after 3-4 weeks in the keg but because it as you may say has more body (meatier if you like) it can get away without being bright!? Anyway I can now go ahead tonight with Kegging me Golden Ale with no more additives. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/brew-3-st-peters-golden-ale#post-29939 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:21:34 +0000 grmski 29939@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>This is the issue if all yeast is removed and you rack into a barrel you would then need to either add co2 to carbonate it or add more yeast and sugar to carbonate it. Neither of which are bad but it seems much easier to forget the isinglass leave it all in the FV for a fortnight and then transfer to your barrel and prime as normal.<br /> The only fining I use is irish moss for the last 15 mins of the boil and I (so far) have no issue with cloudy beer. Often I find myself on the end of my missus laughing at me as I hold a nice clear pint upto the light and stare admiringly at it&#39;s browny brilliance. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/brew-3-st-peters-golden-ale#post-29938 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:11:54 +0000 saracen 29938@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I wouldn&#39;t use it. If the isinglass clears everything out of the brew, what will ferment the priming sugar and if there&#39;s enough yeast left for priming, what was the point of using isinglass as you&#39;ll get sediment anyway? If your brewing technique is good, and it really can&#39;t be anything else with a kit, it should drop clear and bright within 3 - 4 weeks without any help. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/brew-3-st-peters-golden-ale#post-29936 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:05:59 +0000 grmski 29936@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I don&#39;t think you need to use Isinglass if your making a kit brew. But if you are going to use it then it goes in post fermentation I would add the priming sugar at least a week after fining it as well. You should try to cool the beer as much as possible before adding it as well to improve the efficacy of the isinglass. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29927 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:02:37 +0000 Sqiffy 29927@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I found the really annoying thing was wanting to get on with a brew but not being able to make a duplicate order with a different company as I couldn&#39;t afford to. I just had to wait it out. I emailed via their web form:</p> <p>...company.co.uk/shop/catalog/help.php\ and left a fairly strong (though polite) message and eventually a girl from their office rang me and we thrashed out a solution (no form of goodwill or compensation was offered on their part).</p> <p>In case you haven&#39;t found it in their labyrinthine contacts / questions section under &quot;Dispatch &amp; Delivery&quot; there is a &quot;Can I have the in stock items sent now?&quot; question. If you use that as a basis to contact them via the email form on their web site you may well get a telephone call off them... eventually. Just don&#39;t hold your breath. Once they have made contact with you you may find it easier to get something done about your order. - Good Luck.</p> <p> &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_smile.gif&quot; title=&quot;:)&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29925 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:32:25 +0000 ihatenissanmicras 29925@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>[quote]</p> <p>I think you could be right there,my problem is I have ordered 10 items and I have no doubt they will eventually arrive but the waiting is annoying as I only ordered items showing instock but for the last month everything has still been showing as instock.<br /> There is a huge post on their forum from one of the mods about delivery times and being polite to them,really dont know how you could be rude unless it was by a written letter as emails are automated replies.I too have thought about driving to them but keep thinking all I will find is empty shelves and as most people use them via the net then empty till as well. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29924 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:18:55 +0000 Sqiffy 29924@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Several of their practices are extremely dubious but I think you will eventually get your order delivered. It seems that the stock control fluctuates so when one part of your order is in stock they will use it to complete someone else&#39;s order if all of your stock is not ready for despatch. That is why items come and go in and out of stock without you receiving your items. The more different items in an order the less chance you have of them all being in stock at the same time. It is extremely frustrating to watch, I know as I too was in your position a year or so back. I won&#39;t bore you all with the details but it was something of a farce. You would think that they would look after customers placing large orders but they seem to be the ones worst affected.</p> <p>I still use them on the odd occasion but I never order more than one item at a time, and then only if I&#39;m in no rush to receive it. BrewUK is light years ahead on customer service, hassel free purchasing and general approachability. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29921 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:56:32 +0000 saracen 29921@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p><blockquote>I was thinking of going down there it&#39;s about 50 miles away from me,not sure if it would be worth it.</blockquote></p> <p>Probably not..... unless there was a lot of you. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29920 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:50:34 +0000 Mark 29920@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Just read ihatenissanmicras tried phoning the number adeuk provided to phone them.</p> <p>I do not know their number BUT the dialing code you have posted on the forum is not the correct code for Southend. It is 01702. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29919 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:37:36 +0000 aderuk 29919@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p><blockquote>Have you had any luck yet?</blockquote></p> <p>Same boat expected dispatch 6th feb (originally 21st Jan),it seems if you log on after midnight your dispatch date moves away another day.I thought things were looking up at one point both my items on the order page showed available,but the 2 days later 1 was back to in transit from main warehouse...And still people keep leaving good reviews,they must have low expectations.</p> <p><blockquote>You could try an approach to their local Trading Standards people. I&#39;m sure they will know of them.</blockquote></p> <p>Maybe an idea ,not sure what they can do though.<br /> I was thinking of going down there it&#39;s about 50 miles away from me,not sure if it would be worth it.</p> <p>Anyway back to original topic left in the FV for about 17 days as after a 10 days it did not look to good and tasted s##t very cloudy,was going to bin it but left it another week and it has cleared and tastes ok.Just put into some 5L water bottles and now in the garage to try and lager for a few weeks,i presume it is cold enough? </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29915 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:33:07 +0000 saracen 29915@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>You could try an approach to their local Trading Standards people. I&#39;m sure they will know of them. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29912 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:13:06 +0000 ihatenissanmicras 29912@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi aderuk,whats this,ask a stupid question day?????? lol<br /> My date has moved to the 6th of feb despite following their protocol and asking for the instock items to be dispatched now via their messaging system.I got a reply saying passed on to the appropriate person but that was on tuesday morning and my account still says nothing has been shipped.<br /> I see they have started another fantastic promotion to fund their bank balance,when did we become money lenders for these people?<br /> I did try the phone number you found but it didnt work,seems they dont have a phone at all.<br /> Have you had any luck yet? </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29911 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:54:20 +0000 aderuk 29911@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p><blockquote>Your post didnt last long on that other forum before it was deleted,I am in the same position to the tune of £240 and starting to pull my hair out lol.</blockquote></p> <p>Have you had any luck yet </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/brew-3-st-peters-golden-ale#post-29890 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:44:59 +0000 merlin 29890@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Enjoyed Wherry 1.. sampling Wherry 2 (kegged 3 weeks ago )which, is more hoppy and too my liking. Another week and I will then slowly reduce the keg level with my son and friends. I have been very impressed with this, can I say, these &#39;&#39;modern kits&#39;&#39;. I&#39;m hoping the Golden Ale is as good, I have a question regarding this kit and it&#39;s need for to look good i.e.&#39;clear &amp; bright&#39; just because it is a lighter ale, more so than Wherry. Is it ok to use Isinglas finings along with the 80gr priming extract as I syphon it into the keg, will it effect/stop the C02 production and conditioning. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/brew-belts-and-temp-control#post-29848 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:52:37 +0000 saracen 29848@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Excellent. Just keep an eye on the cleanliness. They can be a problem. I scrub mine, especially the rubber top, with a nail brush and bleach. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/brew-belts-and-temp-control#post-29837 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:40:59 +0000 Chas 29837@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Thanks, Saracen,</p> <p>My heater has to stand upright, albeit at an angle to get the top below the surface.</p> <p>Calibrated it as you said. </p> <p>Left it off overnight. Temperature only dropped to 18, due to blankets around it. Back up to 20 after on for 10 min. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/more-questions-hydrometer-reading-etc-with-photo#post-29824 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:32:45 +0000 saracen 29824@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Glad to be of help.<br /> If you can, draw off a bottleful in a week or so with a level teaspoon of sugar added and put it away for 3 months. I normally use a wine bottle for this. You&#39;ll be amazed how much it changes. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/more-questions-hydrometer-reading-etc-with-photo#post-29821 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:58:24 +0000 Gazaloid 29821@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Thanks chaps, this has really put my mind at rest. It sounds like I&#39;m okay either way as I was hoping for the Hydro reading to be somewhere between 1012 and 1015 anyway, so good news all round.</p> <p>Saracen - thanks for the detailed response. The reason that I decided to add the beer direct to the keg was because I&#39;d read one of your previous posts &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_cool.gif&quot; title=&quot;8)&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; My research on here also led me to go for the 70g sugar...some posters had debated if 100g was too much and 60g too little...and I thought I&#39;d err on the side of caution given I&#39;ve got the CO2 bulb here. Incidentally, it&#39;s the small metal type complete with plastic holder that I&#39;ve got here.</p> <p>Conditioning wise then, I&#39;m going to leave it where it is until the weekend which will have been around a week, then will move it to the conditioning/serving spot on Friday. I&#39;ve decided I&#39;ll take a quick sample next Monday as that&#39;ll have been 3 weeks since I started the process and I&#39;ll deserve a pint by then! I&#39;m also keen to learn from it, so I&#39;ll be taking random samples weekly to see how it develops - I didn&#39;t bottle this batch unfortunately, but suffice to say I&#39;m hooked and so that&#39;s one for next time.</p> <p>By the way, having trawled the site religiously before kicking off the brew I also came across your recommendation to leave the brew in the FV for a full 14 days before racking, and that&#39;s exactly what I did. Have to say I was surprised how clear the batch was when syphoning it off, think this is the way forward!</p> <p>Cheers,</p> <p>Gareth </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/brew-belts-and-temp-control#post-29808 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:57:10 +0000 saracen 29808@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi Chas.<br /> Yes, the length of the heater is important. It really needs to be upright. One more thing. Best to calibrate the heaters in water first. Fill an FV with water at 20°c and put the heater in. Switch on and adjust the thermostat until it just clicks on, then back it off until it just clicks off. Leave it 24 hours and check the temperature with a thermometer. Adjust the heater stat accordingly. All this is irelevant if you are using an outside temperature controller. Then, you set the heater stat to 26°c so that if the thing goes crazy-ape on you, it won&#39;t get hot enought to kill the yeast or ruin the beer, but it won&#39;t keep shutting down as the warm beer rises past the stat. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/brew-belts-and-temp-control#post-29800 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:29:41 +0000 Chas 29800@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Decided to go for it.</p> <p>Got 2 x 150w heaters on ebay for £15.</p> <p>Now wort is in the garage (+6C) covered in a couple of blankets and sitting at +20C.</p> <p>Power consumption minimal. Power monitor showing 0.1 kwh over 36 hours. ie about 1p worth.</p> <p>Still finalising final feed in arrangement for power lead.</p> <p>Just a note. The heaters I got are quite long and suit my purposes, but any one else going this way needs to ensure that the heater is short enough to be adequately covered.</p> <p>Suggestion much appreciated. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/more-questions-hydrometer-reading-etc-with-photo#post-29786 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:13:17 +0000 saracen 29786@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Well, I would say that reading is 1.013. If each divisdion on your hydro is 2 points, it looks like 1 1/2 divisions below 1.010, which would be 1.013. Before you use the hydro again check it&#39;s reading corrctly. Clean it thoroughly, making sure there&#39;s no greasy deposit on the glass, and put it in water at 20°c and the reading should be 1.000.<br /> We now hve a FAQ section specifically for factual information and basic equipment. If you look here:<br /> <a href="http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/hydrometers" rel="nofollow">http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/hydrometers</a><br /> you&#39;ll see all you will ever want to know about hydrometers.</p> <p>You&#39;ve added the sugar in exactly the same way as I do, and it never lets me down. I think you&#39;re a bit light on sugar. 85 - 100 gms would be better. Less likely to run out.</p> <p>Sealing the cap on the barrel can be a problem. I&#39;ve written a short section on it which is also in the FAQ section:<br /> <a href="http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/new-brewers-post-cleaning-and-sealing-a-barrel-cap?replies=1#post-29785" rel="nofollow">http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/new-brewers-post-cleaning-and-sealing-a-barrel-cap?replies=1#post-29785</a></p> <p>Your conditioning procedure is fine. 10 - 14 days at 20°c then store for 3 - 4 weeks. Pub Cellar temperature is 12° - 14°c, but 10°c will be fine.</p> <p>Co2 cap. Which one is it? The Pin Valve, using the small 8 gm bulbs, or the S30 cap that uses the large Hambleton-Bard cylinder. If it&#39;s the small bulb type, do as explained above. There should be a red plastic bulb holder and these are very prone to failing. I put a jubilee clip around the base of mine to stop it distorting and slipping on the thread so easily. They are the same as the old Sparklets Soda Syphon type of bulb holder. They were made in metal and lasted for ever, so look out for one at a boot sale. If it&#39;s the S30 type, screw the canister on and give a 2 second burst.</p> <p>Everything sounds as though it&#39;s going well, but do have a look through the FAQ section. We&#39;ve put a lot of info in there.</p> <p>A general tip. When you do a brew, get it all in the FV, shut the lid and leave it alone, shut, for 14 days at 20°c. The less you open it, the less chance of an infection getting in. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/more-questions-hydrometer-reading-etc-with-photo#post-29782 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:03:07 +0000 paul 29782@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>HI,</p> <p>Looks like 15 or 16 on the scale to me so that would mean 1015 or 1016. I have not done a St Peters kit before but if it was supposed to have a final gravity of 1012/1014 then you’re not too far out at all. As for the priming sugar I usually dissolve the sugar in a little water and boil in for 5-10 mins just in order to sterilise the liquid then leave it to cool before putting it into the keg and adding the beer. Your method is unlikely to cause any problems though. 10 degrees will be fine for conditioning the beer, I usually leave mine in the garage where it is even cooler and it hasn&#39;t caused any problems so far. When I have used CO2 canisters before I have screwed the cap in until the canister is pierced, all of the CO2 shoots into the keg and any excess escapes away, then I just unscrew it and throw the canister away.</p> <p>Hope this helps, if not imp sure there will be someone on here soon to give more detailed info. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/more-questions-hydrometer-reading-etc-with-photo#post-29781 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:36:16 +0000 Gazaloid 29781@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi all,</p> <p>First and foremost, a big thanks to everyone on the site for passing on the knowledge which has allowed me to brew my first beer. After 14 days of checking up on the FV, I&#39;ve now managed to siphon the brew off to my keg and am really looking forward to tasting it afer accidentally getting a mouthful during the transfer &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_biggrin.gif&quot; title=&quot;:D&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> <p>I&#39;d be really grateful if you could help with a few questions:</p> <p>1. I&#39;ve been reading about hydrometers and although a lot of people are talking about different final readings (e.g. 1012-1014 etc), I was wondering what the reading on this attached pic is - <a href="http://tinypic.com/r/24exdlu/7" rel="nofollow">http://tinypic.com/r/24exdlu/7</a><br /> The reason why I ask is that it looks to me like it&#39;s sitting at around 16 on the scale (10 plus the three gradient markings which I assume are quantities of 2). So how does that reading get translated into the 1012/1014 format? </p> <p>2. Once that&#39;s sorted, I&#39;m curious to understand how does this reading looks for a St Peter&#39;s Ruby Red? </p> <p>3. I added 70g of sugar to the first couple of pints that I transferred to the keg. I literally dropped it into the keg and gave it a good shake and stir - will this affect the CO2 or would it have been better to mix with warm water (as I later discovered on the forum here)?</p> <p>4. I&#39;m leaving it to gas-up at the same temperature as it fermented (between 20-23 degrees) but then plan moving it somewhere cooler to clear and condition. The porch is quite a bit cooler at around 10 degrees - is this too low?</p> <p>5. And finally (sorry!) - I have the injector cap on in case I run out of CO2 but was wondering how to top it up? How long do you let the gas canister sit on top for?? Is it a short burst or does it simply sit in place?</p> <p>So many questions...apologies...but I&#39;m getting excited at the prospect of getting stuck into this! Second kit is being ordered tonight (think I&#39;ll go for the Wherry).</p> <p>Thanks again all.</p> <p>G </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/first-batch#post-29764 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:30:53 +0000 beany151067 29764@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>nath i bottled it i have just got home from work its 1.05am i took a bottle out of the garage it has fizz and is bloody lovely i hope my wine turns out the same.... </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/great-eastern-ale#post-29760 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:57:42 +0000 saracen 29760@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>It probably explains a lot regarding efficiency, kits not reaching their figures and all sorts. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/great-eastern-ale#post-29758 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:44:32 +0000 seamus48 29758@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Yeah, the markings on all our FVs were out. We calibrated &#39;em and marked &#39;em up with a permy pen. It&#39;s worth taking the time to do it. &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_wink.gif&quot; title=&quot;:wink:&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/great-eastern-ale#post-29757 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:37:16 +0000 saracen 29757@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi Simon.</p> <p>1.012 indicates a starting gravity of about 1.045 -1.048, so you might still be OK. Wait until it has been fermenting at 20°c for 14 days and check again.</p> <p>Another thing that has been suggested lately is that the markings on a fermenting vessel can be very suspect. Nath graduated his and found that 23 lts of water only came up to the 21.5 lt mark, so it might be as well to calibrate it. The best way, if you have accurate scales, is to weigh a 2.0 lt container, fill it with water until it weighs 2.0 kg plus the weight of the container, or simply use a &#39;Tare&#39; feature if you have electronic scales. As 1.0 lt of water weighs 1.0 kg, 23.0 kg will be exactly 23 lts. You can mark the FV as you go. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/a-beginners-question-re-leaving-the-beer-in-the-fermenting-bucket#post-29749 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:08:53 +0000 Nath 29749@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Yup, will be fine in the fermentor for a while yet. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/first-batch#post-29747 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:06:03 +0000 Nath 29747@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Good man, did you store the beer in a barrel or bottle? If its in a barrel it wont really get &quot;fizzy&quot; like a lager as the barrel will vent excess pressure. Bottling on the other hand will give you that lager carbonation you want. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/great-eastern-ale#post-29743 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:54:12 +0000 Simple Simon 29743@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hello All,</p> <p>Tested the hydrometer today and all is fine reading 1.000 at room temp. I also tested the beer and got a reading of 1,012. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/first-batch#post-29709 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 01:41:23 +0000 beany151067 29709@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>cheers seamus48 </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/a-beginners-question-re-leaving-the-beer-in-the-fermenting-bucket#post-29702 Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:42:00 +0000 simonb_13 29702@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>+1 on leaving it alone. It&#39;ll be fine for a few weeks. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/a-beginners-question-re-leaving-the-beer-in-the-fermenting-bucket#post-29700 Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:23:23 +0000 robdogs 29700@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I think early next week. I&#39;ve not had a notification to say they&#39;ve been shipped yet (I ordered them off this very site on Friday) but hopefully soon. Thanks for the advice! </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/a-beginners-question-re-leaving-the-beer-in-the-fermenting-bucket#post-29693 Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:12:01 +0000 seamus48 29693@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Leave it, don&#39;t mess with it, wait for the bottles. It&#39;s much safer left alone. When are the bottles due? &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_question.gif&quot; title=&quot;:?:&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/a-beginners-question-re-leaving-the-beer-in-the-fermenting-bucket#post-29689 Sun, 29 Jan 2012 19:56:45 +0000 robdogs 29689@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hello fellow brewers!<br /> I have a question regarding the amount of time I can leave my brew in the fermenting bucket before bottling it. It&#39;s been in for 14 days and I&#39;m just waiting for my bottles to be delivered so I can syphon it all off (I was a bit lax in ordering them). If I leave the beer in the vessel for longer than a fortnight, will it impair the taste? Any advice is very useful.<br /> Cheers!<br /> Anthony </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/first-batch#post-29681 Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:21:07 +0000 seamus48 29681@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Ok, I&#39;ll let ya off then &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_mrgreen.gif&quot; title=&quot;:mrgreen:&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/first-batch#post-29679 Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:19:55 +0000 beany151067 29679@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>could of done more but just finished overtime now got me wine on the go. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/first-batch#post-29678 Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:08:49 +0000 seamus48 29678@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>4 pints of Youngs lager and you&#39;re off to bed. Cheap date or what? &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_mrgreen.gif&quot; title=&quot;:mrgreen:&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> <p>Don&#39;t come supping with me... you might actually die. &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_eek.gif&quot; title=&quot;8O&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/first-batch#post-29677 Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:03:50 +0000 simonb_13 29677@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Leave it few weeks longer and I&#39;m sure the fizz will increase. It&#39; nice to enjoy the fruits of your labours. Ain&#39;t it? </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/first-batch#post-29630 Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:32:39 +0000 beany151067 29630@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>well i have just drunk 4 pints of my first batch of youngs lager a little flat but now i have to find my bed.... </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/nelsons-revenge-too-much-water-1#post-29490 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:21:12 +0000 kilconlea 29490@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Looks like 21.5 or 22 litres to me mate. I&#39;d say you&#39;ll end up with stronger than you&#39;re expecting and only .5 down on the predicted ABV. IMO there&#39;s little point in taking hydro readings on a kit as there&#39;s not much chance of the same gravity reading at the top of the FV as it would be at the bottom. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/nelsons-revenge-too-much-water-1#post-29484 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:55:33 +0000 Sqiffy 29484@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Sterilise a jug or glass and draw a sample. The chances of infecting the batch are pretty slim. If you don&#39;t find out how the brew is doing you can&#39;t fix the problem. &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_smile.gif&quot; title=&quot;:)&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> <p>You&#39;re going to have to add more fermentables to rescue it, you just need to find out roughly how much to add. Take a sample, take a hydrometer reading and give us the figures.</p> <p>Go on fella, bite the bullet. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/nelsons-revenge-too-much-water-1#post-29482 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:29:10 +0000 Chile_uk 29482@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p><img src="http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj625/chile_uk/photo.jpg"></p> <p>Don&#39;t know if the image has come up but as you can see there is no tap to draw a sample from the FV. (Got one but coopers lager is in that one!)</p> <p>I have faith with this brew as i have an airlock on it and i came home to the most wonderous sound of bubbles coming out of it! (first time this has happened, done a wherry in the same FV with no bubbles!)</p> <p>I don&#39;t want to open up the top as it lets all the work gone it to so far. </p> <p>Here&#39;s the water level</p> <p><img src="http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj625/chile_uk/photo-1.jpg"></p> <p>I have faith with this one but don&#39;t know what will happen with the too much water scenario. </p> <p>If i open the top and take out a sample will it infect it? will it let all the gas out?</p> <p>Cheers guys </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/nelsons-revenge-too-much-water-1#post-29480 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:53:59 +0000 kilconlea 29480@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Chile</p> <p>If you added 3.5l water and the malt extract, you would&#39;ve had 5.5l to begin with (as there&#39;s a litre or so in each can), so you probably ended up with 21.5l. You may have the same FV as Nath if the calibration is out by the same.<br /> I don&#39;t know why the kit makers&#39; instructions say make the volume &#39;up to&#39; rather than simply add a fixed amount of water, then the calibration on the FV would be irrelevant. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/nelsons-revenge-too-much-water-1#post-29462 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:43:12 +0000 Nath 29462@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I wouldnt worry too much, the beer will still taste fien, plus fv measurments should be taken with a pinch of salt, they are only a guide.</p> <p>I &quot;calibrated&quot; mine with a litre of room temp water in a bottle (wiegh the bottle, zero it and add excatly 1 kg water as this is excatly 1 litre). Then I poured it in and did my own increments. My FV was 1.5 litres out so 23 litres on mine was actually 21.5!</p> <p>Like the others say if you really want to get up to 5% then add some type of fermentable, I would use malt extract. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/nelsons-revenge-too-much-water-1#post-29460 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:39:47 +0000 saracen 29460@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi Chile</p> <p>It&#39;s not unknown for an FV to have markings that don&#39;t accurately refelect the contents, but 3.5 lts is a bit much. You can&#39;t do much without a hydrometer reading. If you give us a reading the extras to be added can be calculated. If you have added water to 22 lts, you&#39;ll need 250 gms of Pale Dried Malt Extract to get to 5.0% ABV. You can get it from a brew shop and it can be added anywhere over the next 4 or 5 days. To add it, draw beer off into your 4 lt jug, add the Malt Extract slowly while whisking frantically with a balloon whisk.</p> <p>To make 36 pts uses 20.4 lts, so you might be OK. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/nelsons-revenge-too-much-water-1#post-29437 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:39:18 +0000 Sqiffy 29437@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I make Nelson&#39;s Revenge every couple of months and I only top up to the 18.5 litres mark. This always produces a OG of 1050 -1052 which yields the 5% abv as advertised. Do you have a hydrometer? If so take a reading and post it. I think you can save it but it won&#39;t taste the way it should. It will probably still be drinkable. You will probably need to throw in some more fermentables.</p> <p>You beat me to it Steve. &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_smile.gif&quot; title=&quot;:)&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> <p>This thread may be of interest.</p> <p><a href="http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/wherry-abv-issues" rel="nofollow">http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/wherry-abv-issues</a> </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/nelsons-revenge-too-much-water-1#post-29436 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:38:33 +0000 Steve_K 29436@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>You could add more sugar to boost the SG up to the reading stated on the kit which will match the alcohol pretty accurately, but the flavour will be watered down nomatter what. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/nelsons-revenge-too-much-water-1#post-29432 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:21:19 +0000 Chile_uk 29432@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi all, </p> <p>I have just mixed up and put into FV my xmas present of Nelson&#39;s Revenge. I made it up according to instructions but the only part i have got wrong is the amount of water i put in. I measured out the 3.5 litres of boiling water and mixed the malt extract. Then filled up using a 4 litre vessel in these increments 3.5 - 7.5 - 11.5 - 15.5 - 19.5. Then when i looked at the side of the FV, it was near enough to the 23 litre mark! So i didn&#39;t put in the last 1 litre per instructions. Hopefully my FV shows it wrong as i want this one to turn out nice!</p> <p>What will a little but too much water do? is there anyway i can remedy it? i want to get it to 5% then bottle it. Gonna keep it in primary for 10 days then bottle it into 1 litre pets. </p> <p>Any suggestions?</p> <p>Cheers </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/brew-belts-and-temp-control#post-29424 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:42:30 +0000 Chas 29424@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Thanks, Saracen.</p> <p>I might go that way. Currently fermenting at 14 - 15 deg. Still works with Wherry and Coopers brews, but takes a long time.</p> <p>Chas </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29400 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:31:20 +0000 Greg 29400@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>As Nathan points out I think its best to avoid any actual naming or links.</p> <p>Thanks for the positive feedback regarding BrewUK and please let us know if there is anything we can improve on and we&#39;ll do our best to accommodate.</p> <p>Please do this via the <a href="http://www.brewuk.co.uk/store/contacts">contact us pages</a> or give us a call on 01722 410705 rather than on the forum. </p> <p>All feedback gratefully received. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/brew-belts-and-temp-control#post-29343 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:28:56 +0000 saracen 29343@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>No, Chas. I put mine directly into the wort, but there is a sterilisation issue. The way I did it was take the plug off the heater, make a small hole in the FV lid, thread the cable through, re-attach the plug and seal the gap with Blu-Tack. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/brew-belts-and-temp-control#post-29341 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:07:07 +0000 Chas 29341@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Anything wrong with putting the heater directly into the wort, providing it is sterilised ?</p> <p>Suppose air seal will be compromised unless there is a work around ?</p> <p>Chas </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29331 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:57:44 +0000 Goliath 29331@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Sad to hear about this other questionable webstore... I hope everyone has their issues sorted out!</p> <p>I&#39;m actually conditioning a Cooper&#39;s Euro Lager at the moment. I added a lager flavapack and spraymalt, fermented fairly cold for about 3 weeks, stuck it in a sealed barrel and put it in the greenhouse for a month. I then bottled it and it&#39;s been in the bottle for two months so far. I&#39;ll give it another month and then have a taste. It&#39;s my first lager, so have nothing to compare it to, other than my girlfriend&#39;s first attempt at brewing a couple of years ago - same kit, zero knowledge or conditioning time. It was still drinkable! I&#39;m hoping this will at least be lagery. We&#39;ll see &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_smile.gif&quot; title=&quot;:)&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/using-honey-golden-syrup-herbs-with-a-kit-brew#post-29260 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:33:00 +0000 kaptinkurtz 29260@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I tried making this:<br /> [url=http://www.brewuk.co.uk/store/beerkits/muntons-con/muntons-connoisseur-s-wheat-beer-1-8kg.html]null<br /> a couple of times, and having done the spiced honey beer recipe on the site as well, I decided to combine the two for Xmas<br /> Made the kit as per instructions, but added a big muslin &quot;teabag&quot; of dried orange blossom and coriander for the ferment, then gave it a good squeeze before siphoning off into a clean fermenter for bottling. I also substituted some of the sugar for a couple of big jars of decent honey. The end result was lovely, and I&#39;ve got another one on already. Probably used too much sugar, and I think it was a bit stronger than normal, but didn&#39;t ruin it<br /> Nice in Winter, going to be nicer in Summer... </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29221 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:49:13 +0000 saracen 29221@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p><blockquote>you must have the patience and constitution of a saint</blockquote></p> <p>No Seamus....... just dual controls. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29220 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:48:07 +0000 saracen 29220@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>No!! That&#39;s a shame. I expect you&#39;ll miss them. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29218 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:32:07 +0000 aderuk 29218@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Oh dear, seem to have been banned from there online forum now... &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_sad.gif&quot; title=&quot;:(&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29205 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:25:03 +0000 aderuk 29205@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I for one have reported them to watchdog,seems a few others have as well............ </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29179 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:40:36 +0000 seamus48 29179@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Me???? I never said a word..... I <em>might</em> have been thinking rather loudly though... I&#39;ll give ya that much &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_mrgreen.gif&quot; title=&quot;:mrgreen:&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> <p><blockquote>It&#39;s a bit like my old profession of Driving Instruction</blockquote> I take my hat off to ya though... you must have the patience and constitution of a saint... I&#39;d be battering the first noob that tried to kill me &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_mrgreen.gif&quot; title=&quot;:mrgreen:&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29177 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:37:41 +0000 saracen 29177@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>The difference, Nath, is that Brew UK is nade up of, and attracts, people who care about others. Far too many suppliers work on the basis of forget the customer when the money&#39;s in the bank because there will be another mug along in a minute.</p> <p>It&#39;s a bit like my old profession of Driving Instruction. I had the highest pass rate in the area for 6 of the 9 years I was doing it, but I barely made a living. Most instructors work on the &#39;hang it out as long as you can&#39; basis. The trouble is, all pupils think their instructor is fabulous, because they never see anyone else. Put them in a car for an hour with someone who really cares and they all want to know why they have been wasting their money. But..... there&#39;s a ready and ongoing supply of 17 year olds.</p> <p>(Seamus, that&#39;s NOT what I mean.) </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29168 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:16:23 +0000 seamus48 29168@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>+1 &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_mrgreen.gif&quot; title=&quot;:mrgreen:&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29166 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:13:57 +0000 Nath 29166@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi Guys,</p> <p>Ive removed the name &quot;just in case&quot;. But I was in the same boat about 3 years ago, bad service. BrewUK on the other hand..... ROCKS!</p> <p>(and no i&#39;m not on payroll!) </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29164 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:01:04 +0000 saracen 29164@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I deliver to Temple Farm at least twice a week, and I&#39;ve seen the place. Not impressed and I can back up Mark&#39;s view of it. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29160 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:54:44 +0000 Mark 29160@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I have just read all the posts as since the thread started i have not been online.<br /> I used these people once and it was back in July before i came across brewuk. I ordered 6 items off them and it took 3 weeks for me to get my stuff. They had stuff in stock then in transit then kept putting my order back. As i am from Southend i drove down there as my emails were not getting answered and from what i saw it is a right mickey mouse operation, i saw about 50 bins all minus the taps and lots of different kits but only like 2 or 3 of each on shelves, it looks like they take orders and do not have the stock and only saw 3 staff. So i went down and confronted them about the order and was given someone in office to talk to, i was assured all is being sent down from warehouse and it would be despatched on Friday so i replied don&#39;t despatch it as i will personally come down again and get it and when i went back i did get it. It seems they do not like communication with their customers. I have not been back despite having £5 odd off my next order but if i order i want it within 2-3 days not 2-3 weeks. This place is not a good set up and at best would describe it as shoddy. I think customer service is of the most importance and quick delivery rather than discounts and sales gimmicks. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/wherry-still-bubbling-after-14-days#post-29118 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:43:15 +0000 saracen 29118@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Believe me, you gotta go some to screw a Wherry. Next one you make, try dropping the volume to 37 pints. Makes a big difference. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/wherry-still-bubbling-after-14-days#post-29110 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:52:51 +0000 happystamps 29110@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>sorry, my formatting was off :p the readings were 1.030 and 1.010, as far as i can tell. the hydrometers aren&#39;t particularly easy to read, but i&#39;m satisfied that it&#39;s not changed over the last 24 hours. i&#39;ll rack it up this evening with 80grams of sugar in my barrel...<br /> thanks very much! </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/wherry-still-bubbling-after-14-days#post-29109 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:27:08 +0000 saracen 29109@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Barrel it, or bottle it. Add 2 gms of sugar per pint for barreling and 3 gms of sugar per pint for bottling. As long as it&#39;s been at 20°c, or close to it, for 14 days, the fermentation will be finished.</p> <p>All you&#39;re seeing is some Co2 escaping from the trub. If the beer&#39;s clear, the yeast has just about stopped working. You&#39;re hydro readings should be 4 figures: 1.039, etc. Without the 4th figure you can&#39;t tell if the ferment is over or not. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/wherry-still-bubbling-after-14-days#post-29101 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:05:54 +0000 happystamps 29101@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>i forgot to add that when it&#39;s in the sampler jigger when i&#39;m testing the gravity, it&#39;s really looking nice and clear (apart from sediment). i can read the letters on the hydrometer through the beer very clearly. and it smells LOVELY!<br /> just a bit worried that it&#39;s not quite done yet. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/wherry-still-bubbling-after-14-days#post-29100 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:01:27 +0000 happystamps 29100@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi all, I&#39;m a bit new to this so I apologise in advance for the &quot;newb&quot; question, and would like to say thanks for all the info I&#39;ve already had from this forum- reading other people&#39;s posts has helped me quite a bit.<br /> Anyway, I&#39;ve a Wherry kit that&#39;s been in my FV for 14 days now, gravity has been 1.01 for the last 2 days, (started out at 1.03, although that was after adding the yeast). I&#39;m using a &quot;bubbler&quot; style airlock, as the original popped off one day and I couldn&#39;t find the top. It&#39;s still bubbling every half an hour or so, and i&#39;m concerned that it&#39;s not done yet.<br /> I&#39;m just worried that if i barrel it now, I&#39;ll have screwed something up... can anybody help?<br /> Thanks in advance, Simon </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29094 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:43:13 +0000 saracen 29094@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>This all proves that everything on the net is not what it seems.<br /> It&#39;s too easy to hide.<br /> Brew UK is one of the most genuine comapnies I&#39;ve come across. Greg is 100% approachable and accountable. There&#39;s help and advice freely avaialable from all over. Of course, things sometimes (very, very rarely) go wrong. That happens with anyone, but Greg will put it right immediately, no quibbles. I&#39;ve not found that in many other places. Another he does you won&#39;t find elsewhere, he listens, and responds to what we have to say. The only way on the net is find something good, and stick with it. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/a-decent-pilsner-kit#post-29080 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:08:06 +0000 Derek 29080@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>2 years. No-one drinks lager anymore...... </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29079 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:01:42 +0000 aderuk 29079@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p><blockquote>I&#39;m pleased that I found Brewuk and recommend it daily.</blockquote></p> <p>+1 </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29078 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:00:07 +0000 grmski 29078@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Always worth lagering a lager I reckon &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_wink.gif&quot; title=&quot;;)&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> <p>I&#39;ve used that site for browsing but never ordered from them. I never knew they were in Southend I spent my teenage years growing up in Southend too. I think it is fair to discuss the merits of shops be them on line or otherwise. I&#39;m down in Brighton and there is a terrible home brew store that has numerous forum posts across the web with stories of goods never arriving and refunds never being given. Shops should understand that customers will talk especially in a smallish sector like this and that if they rip people off or treat them badly then ultimately it is the store that will suffer.</p> <p>I&#39;m pleased that I found Brewuk and recommend it daily. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29077 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:58:23 +0000 ihatenissanmicras 29077@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I dont think you will be wasting your time but how much difference it will make is the question.<br /> You may as well give it a go as all your other kits are &quot;in transit&quot; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29076 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:54:23 +0000 aderuk 29076@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p><blockquote>Just to keep this slightly on the subject,are you going to lager your European as a experiment?</blockquote></p> <p>There has not been much advice given regarding my original question lol,but yeah going to do it Saturday unless somebody tells me i am wasting my time. &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_biggrin.gif&quot; title=&quot;:D&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29075 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:51:17 +0000 ihatenissanmicras 29075@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Thanks,your a bundle of joy lol<br /> Just to keep this slightly on the subject,are you going to lager your European as a experiment? </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29074 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:50:59 +0000 aderuk 29074@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p><blockquote>I dont know what the implications would be to this forum and myself in the sue culture we live in</blockquote></p> <p>Implications for what, writing about a true honest account of events......... </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29072 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:48:18 +0000 aderuk 29072@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p><blockquote>You forgot to say that refunds take between 5-28 working days according to thier terms</blockquote></p> <p>Thats if you get a refund,some of the things i have now read elsewhere suggest its a 50/50 chance.. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29069 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:45:46 +0000 ihatenissanmicras 29069@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Seems there was a lot of activity while I typed my divvle lol.<br /> Yep,out of stock then in transit,instock and now 4 of the wine kits are in transit again.I made a point of only ordering instock items as I hate waiting for deliveries,I ordered on the 5th of jan.<br /> You forgot to say that refunds take between 5-28 working days according to thier terms </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29068 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:40:50 +0000 aderuk 29068@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p><blockquote>I am going to cancel my order as the dispatch date keeps changing and stuff that has come into stock has gone out of stock yet again without them sending what they had</blockquote><br /> Dont forget to sent your cancellation by recorded delivery </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29065 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:38:23 +0000 kilconlea 29065@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>If only we knew someone from Southend that could steam in and sort em out.<br /> +1 to using BrewUK </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29064 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:37:46 +0000 ihatenissanmicras 29064@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I am not naming as I dont know what the implications would be to this forum and myself in the sue culture we live in but have a search on the net.You will find one of the major? homebrew shops having a newyear sale and rolledback prices,shame they have nothing in stock despite saying it is,crazy terms and conditions and a censored forum so dont tell them off as they will delete you lol.<br /> I am going to cancel my order as the dispatch date keeps changing and stuff that has come into stock has gone out of stock yet again without them sending what they had.This may not be a problem to some as patience is supposed to be the homebrewer best friend but thats when its in a bottle,not supporting someone elses bank balance </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29062 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:30:34 +0000 aderuk 29062@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p><blockquote>Your post didnt last long on that other forum before it was deleted,I am in the same position to the tune of £240 and starting to pull my hair out lol.</blockquote><br /> OMG just noticed this bit ,are yours showing in transit ,out of stock etc.</p> <p>ps will stick with brewuk from now on.. &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_mrgreen.gif&quot; title=&quot;:mrgreen:&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29061 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:30:27 +0000 Mark81 29061@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I use that website to look at reviews of kits as a lot of people seem to post reviews but I only buy from Brew UK </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29057 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:25:28 +0000 aderuk 29057@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Mod please remove if you find this unfair</p> <p>Ok name and shame time (i posted late last night and did not expect it to last long,glad someone seen it though)</p> <p><a href="http://-REMOVED" rel="nofollow">http://-REMOVED</a>!!!</p> <p>Be warned,gosh where do i start.Ordered 2 kits on the 16th Jan both showing as in stock (they were running a promotion)and claiming most orders are dispatched within24-48hrs.After taking payment my order showed 1 item available and 1 in transit from main warehouse (the web site still shows in stock)so i sent them an email ,to which you just get an automated reply that does not answer your query .I also had an estimated dispatch date of 21st Jan,so left it a few days and checked my account again which then showed estimated dispatch 27th Jan and both items were in transit from main warehouse which is a step backwards in there order process .I have sent a number of emails since and all replies are automated telling you the most up to date info can be found by checking your account.<br /> If you want to cancel an order you have to send them a letter by recorded delivery as they have no phone number (i did not realise that when i first ordered)but after a bit of net searching i have found this no <strong>01072618173</strong> not tried calling yet,but god i feel like going down to Southend and having it out with them.So I joined there forum last night and left a post in the RANT section where i asked some calm reasonable questions only for my post to be removed and i cant post anymore.</p> <p>So to sum up items show in stock,out of stock,in transit, available,out of stock then in transit again with dispatch dates constantly moving further away.</p> <p>From what i have read elsewhwere they threaten forums like this with legal action to get posts like this removed,so much for freedom of speech. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29056 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:53:55 +0000 grmski 29056@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Please name and shame, it is for the benefit of the community. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29055 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:51:23 +0000 kilconlea 29055@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>curious now </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-29051 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:33:56 +0000 ihatenissanmicras 29051@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi,sounds like a good plan and would be useful to know if this really makes a difference with kit lagers.I like the European but find it really needs more than 3 months in the bottle before drinking.<br /> Why did you use the Mauribrew yeast instead of the kit yeast supplied,I have read somewhere that Mauribrew supply the yeast that Coopers use in thier kits.<br /> Your post didnt last long on that other forum before it was deleted,I am in the same position to the tune of £240 and starting to pull my hair out lol.<br /> I wish we could warn others but I dont think we can name and shame here.<br /> Cheers Andrew </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/newbie-2#post-28843 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:54:12 +0000 braze 28843@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Thanks for your help fellas, much appreciated. Will let you know how it turns out. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/coopers-european-lager-1#post-28838 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:27:31 +0000 aderuk 28838@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I had one of these in the cupboard from a while ago and as i have nothing on the go i made it up last week,i used mauribrew 497 yeast instead of the yeast that came with the kit and 1kg of brewing sugar.Its now almost ready to batch prime and bottle.Now i got to thinking that when i made the tettnag extract kit after fermentation i split into 4 x 5L and put them in the fridge for 2 weeks (as per instructions) and then batch primed and bottled(great lager kit).<br /> Now my question is ,is it worth spliting and put 2 x 5L in the fridge for 2 weeks (kind of experimental) then batch prime and bottle whats left in the FV.Would i get an improved lager taste or would I be wasting my time ? </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/a-decent-pilsner-kit#post-28729 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:25:08 +0000 seamus48 28729@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>$hit! Bump a thread or WHAT!!! Stand Clear.. Charge to 350... Bzzzzt! Still nothing but a flatline... &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_eek.gif&quot; title=&quot;8O&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/a-decent-pilsner-kit#post-28725 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:20:12 +0000 cellone 28725@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Varnish&#39;s Mod sounds good. Coopers pilsner is a nice beer when done to kit spec. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/wherry-question#post-28630 Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:20:02 +0000 aderuk 28630@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Thanks for that, i have some goldings so was going to try 5-10 grms in the 10L batch and keep the other 10L as is. Sounds interesting though plums and liquorice.<br /> makes sence regarding the single tin and bittering....</p> <p>Thanks </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/wherry-question#post-28623 Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:30:27 +0000 saracen 28623@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Yes, you can split a Wherry quite easily, and 2 x 10 lt batches will give a bit more body and ABV than the original method. Go for it. I suggest dry hopping with a traditional English style hop like Goldings, but you might want some different aroma from it. You could try the tweak someone gave me the other week. Odd, but he assures me it gives a beer like Badger Poacher. Make a Wherry kit to 23 lts, add 2 kg of chopped up, de-stoned plums to the fermenter along with 25 gms of Liquorice (he used Pontefract Cakes), and proceed as per the instructions. I haven&#39;t done it, but the guy is a respected brewer.</p> <p>You use 2 cans of single can kit for one batch, because the bittering element for the whole 23 lts is contained in the single can. It would be twice as bitter as intended. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/wherry-question#post-28617 Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:12:36 +0000 aderuk 28617@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I have some more wherry on order but was wondering as it is a two tin pack are both tins identical, and if they are could i make 10L up in one FV from one tin ,and another 10L from the other tin in another Fv.Only asking as i wanted to dry hop one batch to see if there is much difference.</p> <p>Also while im asking ,say the coopers for example the one tin kits that do 23L ,what would happen if you used two tins for one 23L batch.</p> <p>Thanks </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/hydrometer-reading-too-low#post-28603 Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:04:55 +0000 dht1984 28603@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Thanks for all the replies. Possibly I was getting a bit carried away with the hydrometer. I&#39;ll sit tight for now and see how things turn out! </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/hydrometer-reading-too-low#post-28602 Sun, 22 Jan 2012 14:45:27 +0000 Sqiffy 28602@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Fair enough. I know what you mean.</p> <p>I only took the quote out of context for the cheap laugh...</p> <p><blockquote>&quot;<strong>...the most useless and troublesome tool there is...</strong> My Misses would argue that was a perfect description of me!&quot;</blockquote> </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/hydrometer-reading-too-low#post-28579 Sun, 22 Jan 2012 12:25:20 +0000 saracen 28579@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi Squiffy.</p> <p>That&#39;s a little bit out of context.</p> <p><blockquote><strong>For kit brewing</strong>, they (hydros) are about the most useless and troublesome tool there is.</blockquote></p> <p>As I said;</p> <p><blockquote>If you do the kit right, the starting gravity will be right.</blockquote></p> <p>The important thing for newcomers to this hobby is to make good beer. Failure leads to disappointment and the search for another hobby. Keep it simple to start with. The hydrometer is a useful tool when you move on and want to find out more about the technical side and start formulating your own recipes. You need to check if your predictions are right, but for kit brewing is seems to cause more confusion than enough. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/hydrometer-reading-too-low#post-28574 Sun, 22 Jan 2012 10:34:31 +0000 Mark 28574@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I think hydrometers are good if they are used sparingly, eg - before pitching yeast and after 14 days on bottling/barreling day. Most notably the kits seem to get people obsessed by hydrometer readings when as we know if the lid stays on for 14 days then it will ferment out i find in 7-9 days if kept low end temp. Why do the kits just not say measure at start and then at finish after 14 days and explain that the brew can clear in the final 5 - 7 days.? </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/hydrometer-reading-too-low#post-28568 Sun, 22 Jan 2012 07:37:59 +0000 Sqiffy 28568@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hydrometers, <blockquote>...the most useless and troublesome tool there is.</blockquote> That&#39;s a bit harsh! My Misses would argue that was a perfect description of me! &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_biggrin.gif&quot; title=&quot;:D&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> <p>I must admit I only use a hydrometer when taking final readings. A refractometer with ATC is definitely the thing to use at the start of a brew (but then, let&#39;s face it, they are not high on the shopping list of new brewers). No fiddling around, one only needs a drop of liquid to get an instant accurate reading at any temperature. Great stuff. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/beer-kit-bought-for-dad-am-i-doing-this-right#post-28539 Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:00:26 +0000 ellinoz 28539@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Thank you all! This is extremely helpful. I&#39;ll leave it untouched until the 25th and bottle then. With half a teaspoon of sugar in each bottle - which is a relief because I&#39;m even worse at wielding a saw than I am at brewing beer. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/a-decent-pilsner-kit#post-28520 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:23:17 +0000 Derek 28520@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I have had success with the Muntons Gold Continental Pils. In fact, it&#39;s a belter.<br /> I used Saflager 23 yeast and fermented at 18C for 2 days and then 15C for 10days.<br /> It went through all the documented ester formations, cats piss, vinegar, rotten eggs, bubblegum etc, changing almost on a daily basis. Every time I feared the worst.<br /> Then, bottled it into Coopers 500ml PET, some with carb drops, some with sugar and some with brewing sugar - all with the same results after 4 weeks at under 10C.<br /> No artificial chemically taste, smooth, round, crisp flavour with the perfect soft fizz.<br /> It&#39;s like a speciality lager - it hasn&#39;t got the full flavour of Urquell or Budvar or anything but it&#39;s not far away from Jever or Bitburger ie, much nicer than the Supermarket label &quot;Pils&quot;.<br /> It doesn&#39;t give me a nippy head either. Some of the popular ones like Becks and Stella are hellish in this respect.<br /> After 6 weeks, it hasn&#39;t changed much and I get 1054 or about 5.5% by vol.<br /> Overall strength of flavour could definately be improved with some boiled extras. But as a bread and butter lager for curries and sessions, it&#39;s a treat as it is. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/broke-hydrometer#post-28518 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:15:16 +0000 Mark 28518@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Yep thats all he can do make it bottle it try it and report back to us if it was off or spot on. Simple really &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_smile.gif&quot; title=&quot;:-)&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/broke-hydrometer#post-28517 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:12:20 +0000 saracen 28517@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Quite right, Mark. If it&#39;s contaminated the smell will tell you, which was why I didn&#39;t go into it. On the either hand, a Hydrometer is a scientific instrument, and these are normally assembled in sterile surroundings. Either way, it&#39;s suck it and see. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/hydrometer-reading-too-low#post-28515 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:05:21 +0000 saracen 28515@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi Dht. Welcome to the forum.<br /> I think we answer more questions about hydros than anything else. For kit brewing, they are about the most useless and troublesome tool there is. If you do the kit right, the starting gravity will be right. If it isn&#39;t, there&#39;s not much you can do about it. The more you open the lid of the fermenter, the more chance there is of allowing bacteria to contaminate your beer.</p> <p>Easy rule. Do the kit, shut the lid, leave it shut for 14 days at 20°c, then bottle/barrel. You won&#39;t go wrong.</p> <p>Yes, a hydro is useful if something&#39;s obviously wrong, or if you are making up your own recipes, but for kits, keep it simple. Your readings are almost certainly wrong, either because the hydro is calibrated wrong or you are not reading it correctly. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/broke-hydrometer#post-28511 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 20:55:58 +0000 Mark 28511@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Saracen you are probably correct about no harmful chemicals but the balls would not have been sterilized and i thought the rule was sterilize anything that comes into contact with beer? I assume the hydrometer broke when it was spun to take the reading but when you tip the beer back in vessel then surely you would take the hydrometer out first and realize it was broke. A very strange question this one. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/broke-hydrometer#post-28510 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 20:50:23 +0000 saracen 28510@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>The question is, when did the hydrometer break? Surely if it broke before you tipped it into the FV, the balls would have gone with it.<br /> I&#39;m sure someone will correct me if I&#39;m wrong, but I don&#39;t think there are any harmful chemicals in a hydro. I think it&#39;s calibrated with the little balls. Leave it all in the FV at least 2 weeks untouched to let a good solid sediment form and go from there. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/beer-kit-bought-for-dad-am-i-doing-this-right#post-28509 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 20:48:42 +0000 Mark 28509@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Yes KCL you are spot on there as i did mean that, if i had read what i wrote i would have realised i missed sugar out. ta mate &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_wink.gif&quot; title=&quot;:wink:&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/beer-kit-bought-for-dad-am-i-doing-this-right#post-28508 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 20:46:41 +0000 saracen 28508@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi Ellinoz. Welecome to the forum. Hope all goes well and your Dad is up and running soon.</p> <p>Sounds like good Mark has given you the right advice. Just leave everythig alone until 25th. Made to 35 pints with Brew Enhancer you should be serving up a good brew, but it&#39;s unlikely to get down below 1.012. I don&#39;t know where people get the idea that a beer will go to figures like 1.006. Any beer which goes to 1.006 would only have about 2.5 to 3.0% ABV. At best, you&#39;ll convert 80% of the sugar to alcohol, and if your brew started at 1.048, which it should have done, the lowest it can possibly go is 1.010. Mostly you&#39;ll get 75% conversion, which is exactly 1.012. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/beer-kit-bought-for-dad-am-i-doing-this-right#post-28506 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 20:32:26 +0000 kilconlea 28506@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Mark is spot on with his advice. However you&#39;re probably wondering you&#39;d need to put half a teaspoon in each bottle, which does seem an odd thing to do, he means a half teaspoon of sugar, this will give the beer some fizz when you open the bottle for drinking. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/beer-kit-bought-for-dad-am-i-doing-this-right#post-28498 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:10:25 +0000 Mark 28498@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Firstly the first rule should be once the lid is shut on the fermenting vessel to keep it shut till fermentation finished as everytime you open the lid to measure with hydrometer or take temp with a thermometer you are risking a bacterial infection.<br /> The best thing to do now is keep lid shut and bottle on 25th Jan as this will be 14 days in fermenter and the ideal time to syphon off and the fermentation will be finished and the bear alot clearer. The scuzz you are talking about is made from the ferment when at it&#39;s most fiercest and is normal. Ideally syphon off into another vessel then bottle from that but you can sypon straight into the bottles but risk getting more sediment in the bottles. Normally the rule take hydrometer reading at start and then finish after 14 days keeping the lid on at all time. Oh do not forget to put 1/2 teaspoon in each bottle and put somewhere warm for a week then move somewhere colder for ideally next 3 weeks but you can taste after 2 weeks but obviously the longer it is left then the more it will improve with conditioning. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/beer-kit-bought-for-dad-am-i-doing-this-right#post-28497 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:52:06 +0000 ellinoz 28497@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi all,</p> <p>I bought a beer-brewing kit for my Dad for Christmas. He&#39;s ill and is unfortunately unable to do it himself now, so my uncle started it last week. It&#39;s a Youngs Harvest Bitter kit, and we used Munton&#39;s Enhancer. </p> <p>I know my uncle sterilised everything before he started, and I think he put in the malt syrup stuff (see how technical I am!) and then added the Muntons before topping up with cold water. He didn&#39;t go up to the top of the bin - 35 pints, instead of 40. He then sprinkled the yeast on top - didn&#39;t stir it, left the lid balanced on top, not pressed on, and put it into a cupboard. </p> <p>This is the crucial bit: he then threw the instructions away!</p> <p>So I&#39;m trying to work out what to do from this forum, but would love a bit of advice to make sure I&#39;m doing this right: </p> <p>- The kit was started on 11 Jan. No hydrometer reading was taken!<br /> - I took a reading on 18 Jan (this Weds) and the reading was 1.012. We don&#39;t have a thermometer that will read it (our medical one just screams &#39;Low!&#39; at us, so I know the beer would be suffering from severe hypothermia if it were human...) so I can&#39;t tell if it&#39;s 20C. If necessary I&#39;ll order a thermometer from the internet.<br /> - I took a reading again today and it still says 1.012 so it seems stable. The thing is, I read somewhere that you shouldn&#39;t bottle it until it gets to 1.006, and other advice on the site saying that it never/rarely gets that low. Is it OK to start bottling it now do you think?</p> <p>Finally - there&#39;s some greyish scuzz on the surface of the beer, and a few inches of it around the edge of the bin just above the liquid level too. When I bottle it, do I need to do some sort of filtering to get rid of this or am I OK to just use the hose provided and siphon the booze into the bottles?</p> <p>Sorry for all the questions - we really would like Dad to be able to enjoy a good pint as he&#39;s poorly, but obviously poisoning him is not the desired result!</p> <p>Thanks!<br /> Ellie </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/broke-hydrometer#post-28496 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:43:20 +0000 Mark 28496@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Well it&#39;s done now and the beer is probably contaminated. You have 2 choices ditch it now or ferment as normal and bottle and condition and just hope that all is ok. A longshot i know but worth a try, just hope it works else it&#39;s open and chuck 40 bottles and clean out. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/broke-hydrometer#post-28495 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:20:50 +0000 Spenglatron 28495@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>For other info, this is a Milestone IPA, with an extra 250g of Spraymalt. So should have a decent sediment upon fermentation to hold the balls tight and prevent then being sucked into the siphon. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/broke-hydrometer#post-28494 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:18:50 +0000 Spenglatron 28494@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>All,</p> <p>For some stupid reason I put my sample taken for a hydrometer reading back in th FV. Once sealed up and placed somewhere warm, I then went to clean the bomb site known as a kitchen.</p> <p>The is when I found the hydrometer smashed and my sample pot full of black balls.</p> <p>Not sure if I should ditch the batch and put it down to experience &amp; stupidity, or just leave it a week and bottle it up anyway.</p> <p>Glad for some help.</p> <p>Thanks. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/hydrometer-reading-too-low#post-28491 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:47:06 +0000 Sqiffy 28491@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>HI dht1984,</p> <p>You can check the accuracy of your hydrometer using Distilled Water or Deionized Water (tap water will not do). Both available over the counter from your local chemist shop. Use a trial glass or tall drinking glass, fill to an inch or two from the top and pop the hydrometer in. It is correctly calibrated if it reads 1000 at the specified temperatur for reading. Most UK hydrometers are set at 20 degrees C the figure is usually displayed somewhere on the instrument itself. The temperature of the liquid when testing is very important. More than a degree above the required &#39;true&#39; point and the hydrometer will give higher than true figures while for temperatures bellow that required will result in lower than true figures. If you still can&#39;t find the calibration point on the hydrometer can you post the make and modle and we may be able to turn it up for you.</p> <p>A fluctuation of 4 points in 24 hours is unlikely (though not imposible), it may be worth using a thermometer to test the temperature of your liquids when taking readings. </p> <p>I very much doubt you have anything to worry about as far as the beer is concerned, you just need to get a correct reading to make the abv calculation.</p> <p>Enjoy your brew. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/hydrometer-reading-too-low#post-28490 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:45:27 +0000 Technotrucker 28490@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi dht...what&#39;s the brew?? it seems a big drop over 24hrs..did you get a correct reading??..the hydrometer could be faulty with the temp calibrate..a bit more info may let the guys help you. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/hydrometer-reading-too-low#post-28488 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:15:05 +0000 dht1984 28488@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hello all, I&#39;m new to homebrewing and having a go at a kit bitter (a Christmas present). It&#39;s been fermenting for six days now. I took a hydrometer reading yesterday which came out at 1.007. This seemed to tally with what I&#39;d been led to expect as a final reading and I was all set to bottle tomorrow if the reading stayed constant, but today the reading has dropped to 1.003. This is a bit lower than I was expecting, given the sort of numbers I&#39;ve been reading elsewhere. Is this likely to be a problem? Any ideas as to the cause? To be honest, I&#39;m not entirely sure how accurate the hyrdometer readings are: the hydrometer came in the kit and it doesn&#39;t say what it is calibrated to. I&#39;m assuming it&#39;s 20C. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/newbie-2#post-28470 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:27:55 +0000 saracen 28470@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi Braze.<br /> Nice to meet you.<br /> Wherry is very difficult to screw up, and, as Nath said, time and patience are your best friends in homebrew. The figures you quote above look just right, so wait another week, try it, then another week and try again. You&#39;ll be surprised how much it will change. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/newbie-2#post-28465 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:17:05 +0000 wildbrew 28465@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi braze<br /> welcome,this is a very good forum &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_smile.gif&quot; title=&quot;:-)&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; <br /> and there is always some one ready to help &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_idea.gif&quot; title=&quot;:idea:&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/newbie-2#post-28462 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:09:50 +0000 Timbo77 28462@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>The Wherry is quite a frequent visitor to my FV! &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_wink.gif&quot; title=&quot;;)&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/newbie-2#post-28456 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:14:51 +0000 Nath 28456@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Welcome along mate.</p> <p>The beer will Benefit for an extended period of conditioning. The general rule is a week per .010 drops of gravity so you are looking at 4 weeks in the barrell. Most kits say stuff like &quot; beer in 2 weeks!&quot; and it&#39;s true but if you leave it another 2-3 weeks you can be amazed on what conditioning will do. Whereby isn&#39;t a very bitter pint so leaving it a little lOnger will do it good but obviously still take samples when required!</p> <p>10 days at 20c should mean the beer wa fermented properly but without the hydrometer you won&#39;t be able to tell. If you bought the kit from Brewuk then give Greg an email about the hydrometer and I&#39;m sure he can sort something out for you. </p> <p>Now I&#39;m off for a beer! </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/newbie-2#post-28454 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:42:03 +0000 braze 28454@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi All</p> <p>Wish I&#39;d discovered this forum prior to testing out the Youngs microwbrewery kit that I received for Christmas. I don&#39;t think I&#39;ve gone too far wrong but having read a few posts I think my next attempt will be better. I have just brewed the Woodfords Wherry kit, sadly the hydrometer was smashed when I opened the kit so I wasn&#39;t able to monitor the gravity. I transferred to the barrel after 10 days (guess I should have left it another four). My house is pretty much the same temperature everywhere and I have no outside buildings so the beer stayed at around 20C throughout. I tried the beer last night, it had been in the barrel for 11 days. It was drinkable but very bitter (more than my taste), will this improve if I don&#39;t touch it for another 10 days or so? I added 85g of sugar at barreling.<br /> Any advice greatly appreciated.<br /> Cheers </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/tom-caxton-real-ale-hop-enhancer#post-28414 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:25:54 +0000 jezmondo 28414@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>just done one of these kits,same dark spray malt500g,added all the hop packet,500g of brewers sugar.</p> <p>its going crackers in there 24hours later,3-4 inches of foam on top! </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/first-brew-kit#post-28301 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 23:42:41 +0000 iceman 28301@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Many many years ago it used to spoil it if it was left too long but I guess the yeast and other ingredients are a lot better now. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/panic-panic-heeelp#post-28285 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:50:55 +0000 saracen 28285@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Someone put me on to a barrel tap that doesn&#39;t have the problems, distortion and leaks of the nasty little plastic one that comes with the barrel. This one is 1000% the quality.</p> <p><a href="http://www.brewuk.co.uk/store/wine-fermenter-tap.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.brewuk.co.uk/store/wine-fermenter-tap.html</a></p> <p>I do have my reservations regarding constant removal and re-fitting, because you have no swivel adjustment and you need to do it up mighty tight to get the tap to line up, but I&#39;ve over-pressurised the barrel to test it, and it&#39;s performing great, no leaks anywhere. They&#39;re going in all the barrels now, but I&#39;m going to put the seal in boiling water to soften it a bit and that way I shouldn&#39;t have to wind the tap in so tight. I have visions of the threead coming away after half a dozen goes, but if there are no leaks, why remove it? It can be cleaned just as thoroughly in situ. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/panic-panic-heeelp#post-28269 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:04:20 +0000 Dan2002 28269@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Great, thanks again for your help mate. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/panic-panic-heeelp#post-28267 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:03:02 +0000 Nath 28267@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>All will be fine mate, plus as its only been a little while the yeast wouldnt have started munching so no need for re-priming! </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/first-brew-kit#post-28258 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:41:34 +0000 Nath 28258@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Yup, leave her brewin&#39; pete. like mark says 3 weeks - not a worry! </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/worried-man#post-28257 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:40:44 +0000 Nath 28257@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Glad to be of service - Even gladder (is that a word???) that the beer turned out well.</p> <p>Cheers! </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/great-eastern-ale#post-28252 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:32:08 +0000 Nath 28252@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>May be good to test the hydrometer as well.</p> <p>Clean the hydrometer and only touch the top most part with your fingers (I cleaned mine and it was out by .002 points due to greasy marks)</p> <p>Then get some room temp water and see if the hydrometer reads 1.000, if not then the measurement may have slipped a little. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/panic-panic-heeelp#post-28248 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:19:56 +0000 Dan2002 28248@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Thank you so much, tried tightening with no luck. Just done the tap removal and reseal and looks more encouraging. Hopefully won&#39;t start leaking again when pressure builds!! Any other good tips on post barreling? Will the exposure to air be ok from the reseal. Guessing ok as only been sealed for an hour? Thanks again,</p> <p>Dan </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/panic-panic-heeelp#post-28243 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:03:08 +0000 Nath 28243@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Have you slightly untightened or tightened to see if that works? If not then carefully lie the barrel on its back, take the tap out and re-seat it properly. Should be fine &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_wink.gif&quot; title=&quot;:wink:&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/panic-panic-heeelp#post-28239 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:42:14 +0000 Dan2002 28239@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>OK, just checked gravity in wherry again and it&#39;s ready for barreling. I&#39;ve transferred the brew into my new barrel, vase lined the cap up per instructions and left it in the kitchen with some sugar to prime - the problem is I&#39;m getting drips around the seal of the barrel tap - WHAT DO I DO??? It&#39;s not loads but with pressure likely to build can I leave it or should I take other action - HEEEELLLLLP!!! </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/great-eastern-ale#post-28232 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:25:42 +0000 saracen 28232@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi.<br /> Something&#39;s wrong. If your temperature was low, the reading would be relatively high. If you got 1.032 at, say, 10°c, the corrected reading would be 1.0305, so something has to be wrong.<br /> 3.0 kg of Malt Extract Syrup alone would give 1.039, without the extra stuff they put in it.<br /> Did you stir the mix thoroughly, lifting all the solution from the bottom of the FV to the top several times? It&#39;s all too easy for the heavy malt extract to stay at the bottom when you add the cold water, and this also causes a slow start to the fermentation.<br /> The FG will help us to estimate the Starting Gravity. FG is roughly 4x SG, depending on yeast, so an FG of 1.012 indicates an SG of around 1.045 to 1.050 </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/great-eastern-ale#post-28226 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:52:49 +0000 Simple Simon 28226@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hello all, sorry for the delay and thanks for the comments.</p> <p>I have brewed it with 40 pints in the FV and the OG was 1032. I took the OG reading three times to quantify that the reading was correct. I think the temp of the sample was low as I let it stand to get to room temp and our kitchen can get quite cold at night.</p> <p>Depending on the finished FG I can expect it to be around 2.4 -3 %. I plan to invest in a thermometer </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/great-eastern-ale#post-28198 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:58:32 +0000 saracen 28198@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Yes. Hard to go wrong.<br /> I think KC might be on the right lines in Post 6. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/worried-man#post-28184 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:33:43 +0000 johnwill666 28184@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Barreled the conkerwood on jan 3rd at 1.016 kept it at 20c for 1 week then been down to 12c for another week,tasted today,and i think its going to be good,stong and dark no after taste,thanks for the advice.I have done 3 more brews since this conkerwood,and added a teaspoon of yeast vit to each one at the same time as yeast and had no probs ,works for me ,cheers .I have really found this forum very very helpful,all the answers are here for the finding ,thankyou. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/great-eastern-ale#post-28183 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:31:16 +0000 Mark 28183@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>It all seems a bit hashed what Simon is saying if you know what i mean. This is a 2 can kit i believe and surely it would read more than 1.032 OG unless maybe he has put to much water in the FV. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/great-eastern-ale#post-28178 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:16:00 +0000 saracen 28178@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Let&#39;s hope he&#39;s got the figure wrong and it hits 4.5 </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/great-eastern-ale#post-28173 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:02:31 +0000 Sqiffy 28173@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Let&#39;s hope Simple Simon&#39;s beer hits your figure rather than mine &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_smile.gif&quot; title=&quot;:)&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/great-eastern-ale#post-28171 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:54:53 +0000 saracen 28171@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p><blockquote>do you think kits do not reach the ABV because the supplied yeast is not up to the task or would the liquid yeasts still reach the same ABV?</blockquote></p> <p>I really don&#39;t know, Mark. I suspect it&#39;s to do with the brewing process not being under ideal conditions. Many also think the amount of yeast supplied in a kit is insufficient, and you don&#39;t really know how old it is. It might just be &#39;creative advertising&#39;.</p> <p><blockquote>How did you get 3.2%</blockquote></p> <p>Simon quotes his OG as 1.032 and with 75% attenuation I would expect the FG to be 1.008.<br /> (1032 - 1008) ÷ 7.36 = 3.26% abv </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/first-brew-kit#post-28168 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:36:00 +0000 Mark 28168@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Weird that Pete i am fermenting a Coopers lager right now. On Thursday it will have been in the bin for 14 days. Not decided if i will rack it Thursday or the following Monday when i have loads time to bottle it and at the same time get another brew on. I once left a brew as long as 3 weeks and all was fine. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/great-eastern-ale#post-28162 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:22:54 +0000 kilconlea 28162@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Or is it &quot;more dense&quot;? </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/great-eastern-ale#post-28160 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:21:39 +0000 kilconlea 28160@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I have come to the conclusion that no matter how much you stir with a LME kit, the bottom half is denser than the top, hence the low SG reading. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/first-brew-kit#post-28155 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:12:23 +0000 seamus48 28155@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hi Pete, I wouldn&#39;t touch it for 14 days mate.. just let it do its thing. &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/bb-plugins/default/icon_wink.gif&quot; title=&quot;:wink:&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/first-brew-kit#post-28152 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:06:08 +0000 powertoolpete 28152@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I am half way through making my first lot of beer and I was told that I needed to leave the Coopers Lager in the bucket for 10 days before putting into the keg, I have now found out that most websites tell you leave for 4-6 days. How will this affect my beer? Should I continue or bin it and try again?<br /> Pete </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/great-eastern-ale#post-28146 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:40:12 +0000 Sqiffy 28146@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>How did you get 3.2% Saracen? I would expect a final gravity around 1014 (I guess you expect it to drop further). If it finished at 1014 the beer would only end up at 2.4% abv</p> <p>(OG - FG) ÷ 7.36 = abv %</p> <p>(1035 - 1014) ÷ 7.36 = 2.4% abv </p> <p>This looks like another case of the well documented brewer following the instructions to the letter and the wort not containing enough fermentables.</p> <p>This looks like a previous problem from a few months ago...</p> <p><a href="http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/wherry-abv-issues" rel="nofollow">http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/wherry-abv-issues</a> </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/great-eastern-ale#post-28144 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:32:39 +0000 Mark 28144@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Saracen do you think kits do not reach the ABV because the supplied yeast is not upto the task or would the liquid yeasts still reach the same ABV? </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/great-eastern-ale#post-28143 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:29:24 +0000 Mark 28143@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>I would imagine it is as he said in another thread that Wherry was his first kit. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/great-eastern-ale#post-28142 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:28:37 +0000 saracen 28142@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>OG of Woodfordes Great Eastern should be 1.044 to 1.045.<br /> ABV should end at 4.5%, but kits never reach their stated ABV. You should expect 4.3% ABV for Great Eastern, but 1.032 wil give you 3.2%.<br /> I presume you did brew to 40 pints (23 lts). </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/great-eastern-ale#post-28140 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:21:18 +0000 Sqiffy 28140@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Is this the Woodfordes Great Eastern Ale you are brewing? </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/great-eastern-ale#post-28126 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:05:12 +0000 Simple Simon 28126@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hello all, I would like to say thank you as I had a bit of a problem with getting fermentation to start. A quick trawl through the forum and hey presto problem solved. Fermentation under way thanks to placing the FV next to the radiator and putting a blanket over it has done the trick.<br /> I added three tablespoons of honey to the FV as a bit of an extra taste, however the OG reading was 1032 but I don&#39;t know the temp is this right. I would say it was a low temp as that&#39;s why fermentation didn&#39;t start. Is this OG okay or is it low, which will give me a weak finished beer? </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/milestonedasher-the-flasher#post-28124 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:54:33 +0000 Simple Simon 28124@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Hello all, I have just finished my barrel of Dasher. I added two tablespoons of Golden Syrup to the FV. Two weeks in FV and six weeks in the barrel before I started it on christmas eve. From my calculations it was about 4.3% before it went in the barrel. The wife didn&#39;t enjoy it but I found it okay, she said it was to strong having compared it to the Wherry I did as my first kit with Dasher my second. </p> http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/topic/dark-wherry#post-28012 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:49:33 +0000 Formicidae 28012@http://www.brewuk.co.uk/forum/ <p>Thanks Saracen. I&#39;ll try what you suggest next time I come to post up a pic. </p>