Brew UK Forum | Beer Kits
First beer kit
Started my first beer kit on Thursday. Borrowed my dads 'Boots' fermenting bin (old school!) and started the Woodford Wherry kit, as it seemed to have rave reviews.
As this is my first brew, I have a few questions.
Does it matter at what SG i transfer to bottles? It's around 1020 right now, but I don't know what it started on, Has been fermenting for 4 days, there are still a few bubbles rising up.
Does anyone know what it 'should' start on so i can work out the %?
cheers
Jon
Responses
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Hi Wookie It starts at about 1040 I think but that reading is from a kit I put some more bits in. It should drop to about 1010 and can take well over a week to get there. I have never tried bottleing it
5 gal St Peters Golden Ale as per tin
Youngs Harvest Mild
all a bit moded
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Sounds too soon to me. Leave it until you get the same gravity reading two days running. Last time I did the Wherry kit I left it for 2 weeks without any problems.
Fermenting:
Condtioning:
Drinking: Twibute Clone, PJ Clone
Posted 1 year ago by Moderator
Yep +1 to the guys. Unfortunatly the worst part of brewing is the waiting (second worst part is bottling!)
You dont want to bottle until you have 2-3 days of constant hydrometers readings and even then its really really beneficial to leave the beer in the fv for 2-3+ weeks so the yeast can "gobble" up all the unwanted bits n bobs they produce while turning the wort into beer. You dont need to wait the extra but its worth it.
Plannin'-
Loads a beer after an upgrade!
nathbrew@gmail.com
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Waiting definitely is the worst...
I've also seen it says bottles should be stored somewhere cold. How cold are we talking?
Posted 1 year ago by Moderator
First you store em warm for 2-7 days to carbonate, then move em to a fridge/garage/outside cupboard any where cool really. Ale would be well kept at 13c but whatever - its up to you! Many people just keep em stored indoors and chill when needed.
Plannin'-
Loads a beer after an upgrade!
nathbrew@gmail.com
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Hi Wookie, would definitely wait till no bubbles in airlock and like Nath said about 2-3 days of continuous hydrometer readings. I normally ferment a beer for around 12 - 14 days then bottle / keg, whatever you choose to do, good luck, Wherry is an exceptional beer, you wont be disappointed.
Fermenting - Coopers Canadian Blonde
Conditioning - Coopers Pilsner, Coopers English Bitter
Drinking - None
Posted 1 year ago by Member
As long as you have sterilised everything I cannot offer any advice apart from http://www.brewuk.co.uk/store/little-bottler-complete.html ITS GODS GIFT TO BOTTLERS.
Posted 1 year ago by Moderator
Amen to that one rodders! (or a bottling stick if you want to put it on a tube)
Plannin'-
Loads a beer after an upgrade!
nathbrew@gmail.com
Posted 1 year ago by Member
So I left it in the fermenter 12 days, and have just bottled it into the 1l PET bottles bought from this very site.
Question: I read to put half a teaspoon per half litre... so did 1 teaspoon per half bottle with some hot water to make sure it mixed. Was it pointless mixing with water?
I may have put a little too much sugar in... Are my bottles gonna explode?
Tasted it, bloody marvelous
Posted 1 year ago by Moderator
If its 1/2tsp per half ltr and you did 1 tsp per half bottle then yeah you overdid it a bit as half a 1ltr pet bottle is 1/2 ltr, so 1 tsp per 1ltr bottle is better.
When I bottle I mix the whole lot of sugar needed in a little water, boil it for a bit then add it to a second fv, transfer beer then bottle. Thats batch priming. You needend have mixed yours if going straight to the bottle as the yeast remaining will eat up the sugar but hey, no worries! The sugar liquid is in the bottle and the beers in there sio it will be fine.
You may find the beer overcarbonated but ya never know you may like it better, what ever happens the beer will taste great!
Plannin'-
Loads a beer after an upgrade!
nathbrew@gmail.com
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