Brew UK Forum | Beer Kits
Noobrewer question
I have my first brew on and am almost as impatient as when my wife was pregnant!
I have some questions I wanted asking.
1) Is the hydrometer really necessary, I have used one before, but that was to check the amount of coolant in my car, keeping sterile wasn't an issue. If it is how do you actually use it and when?
2) Is there much advantage of bottles over kegs, how long will the beer last in the keg with the CO2 cannisters?
3) If you do bottle, how long does it last?
4) I was thinking (getting well ahead of myself here) of having two kegs and rotating them as am not keen on a 3-4 week beer hiatus - would this work?
Really aprreciate any answers
Responses
Posted 1 year ago by Moderator
Hello there chum!
1 - Its good to have, especially if you are bottling to make sure its fermented out so your bottles dont explode! Its best practice to have one as you never know if your beer will "stick" (though it shouldnt).
With the hydrometer you take a reading at the beginning before yeast then the reading at the end to make sure fermentation is finished, then you can roughly work out the abv%.
2 - No advantages really - good for lager style beers as bottles tend to be fizzier than kegs. Beer will last for ages and ages and etc etc in bottles and kegs as long as you dont get any air into the keg by tap glugging!
3 - Ages (Years)!
4 - Yes, but get 3. A decent rolling stock of beer is essential! Its horrible waiting for beer to come into fruition!
Hope it helps
Ta,
Nath
Conditionin' - LEB Pale
Conditionin' - Thwaits Nutty Black
Plannin' - A user upper!
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Thanks Nath that is very helpful
Do you return the sample of beer to the fermenting bin after taking the hydrometer reading, or do you sample/chuck it?
Also what do you mean by beer "sticking"?
Thanks again
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Hi Bongo..
Nope don't return your sample into the fermenter. You could potentially introduce an infection to your beer and we don't want that now.
It's a good way as well to sample your beer to see what it tastes like. It'll be a bit green (Not fermented fully) but will give you an idea.
Cheers..
Neil
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Hi Bongo
Nath would be able to answer this much better than me but I always chuck the beer I've used to take the reading, best not to take any chances and even if you have thoroughly sanitized the hydrometer and the flask, you're just introducing another step where infection can creep in. Get yourself a flask/trial jar/whatever it's being called this week for your hydrometer as that way you'll only waste the minimum of beer .. and beer is precious! :o)
Sometimes it is possible for a fermentation to 'stick' or just stop before it is finished. Just one of those things where the yeast decides to take a nap or go and watch the match, or whatever. It can often be roused by a little agitation and it'll kick off again. If you think your fermentation has finished (and it hasn't) you'll rouse the yeast when you bottle .. and if you bottle (or keg) and the ferment continues after ... BANG! Best to take a hydro reading and match it against the estimated reading on your recipe ... or take a reading that's exactly the same for a few days running. To be honest, I often don't bother - sometimes because I don't care about the alcohol content and sometimes because I hate wasting beer, it reduces me to tears. I'm welling up now just thinking about it. Also, I rack to a secondary for at least a week so you get a feel for when fermentation is over, especially if you happen to be unadventurous and use the same yeast in damn near every brew :o)
Sorry to jump in there nath!
(with grateful thanks to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and slightly adapted)
Posted 1 year ago by Moderator
Like tony said! but I always drink the sample cause I hate to waste beer, even if its only a day old and 70ml worth!
Conditionin' - LEB Pale
Conditionin' - Thwaits Nutty Black
Plannin' - A user upper!
Posted 1 year ago by Member
:o)
Talking of which, I've just racked my red grape wine and sampled and it curled my mouth up! I must have got the sugar calculations wrong when I made it ... it's more acidic than one of Jimi Hendrix's parties.
Need to do some research on what to do....
(with grateful thanks to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and slightly adapted)
Posted 1 year ago by Moderator
ZING!
I lol'ed, like it.
Funner than the joke I heard on radio 1:-
I ate 14 yoghurts yesterday.
Wow! How do you feel?
Mullered!
Conditionin' - LEB Pale
Conditionin' - Thwaits Nutty Black
Plannin' - A user upper!
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Thanks guys - looks like an early taste then
only comeback on jimi hendrix and muller yoghurt is to suggest you try eating a sloe berry - i did, only once though
Posted 1 year ago by Member
I did that :o) I was making sloe gin and wondered what they tasted like .. never again!
Here's a joke for you... (especially for the ladies)
What's the difference between PMT and BSE?
One attacks the cow's brain and sends it mental....
.....apparently the other is an agricultural problem.
(with grateful thanks to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and slightly adapted)
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Tony, that is a brilliant joke, to my misses a 10 minutes to get any sense out of me, and me 5 minutes to stop her from beating me for laughing so hard at it.
fabulous.
I am new to brewing - on my third brew but in my experience.
1. I only use the hydrometer to check the recipe level not to check the alcohol level, so thats one reading to check its fermented.
2. I bottle and keg, I bottle so I can take some with me to mates or family, difficult to travel with a keg, I can say the older the bottled beer gets the fizzier i have noticed
3. It want last long in the bottle or keg, you'll be finished it before you know it
4. Got 3 kegs now so that the next brew I drink is fully flavored when I finished the one I am drinking ,rotating three seemed to make sense if you want to maximize the flavor and settle during cold store
Dont chuck it back in drink it.
I got 100ml test vase in my kit that gives you an easy/great hydro reading and its only 100ml. I am sure you can find them in the brew store.
Bloodsmith
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
I taste my brews at all processes, even out of the boiler when they are sweet and very bitter but you can still get a good indication of how things are going. Always bear in mind that this going to change a lot, so don't be disapointed if its not tasting that great rather see the possibilities.
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Taste: One of the top 5 senses :o)
Bloodsmith... here's another joke for you:
A bloke driving home late from the pub, gets pulled over by the old bill.
'have you been drinking sir?'
'why? was i driving badly officer?'
'no sir you were driving splendidly' the constable replied 'it was the ugly fat chick in the back that gave you away.'
*cough*
Fortunately I'm drunk at the moment, I wouldn't dream of posting something like that if I was sober.
(with grateful thanks to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and slightly adapted)
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
That's a good one.
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Well thanks for all the tips (and jokes).
I have just kegged my brew, had a taste yesterday and today and was really impressed so much so that I want to write OMG in a forum for the first time!
slightly overdid the vaseline - but think I have a reasonable seal now - suppose will have to see how it goes. couple more questions though.
- all the yeast formed a sludge at the bottom - is this right, was expecting it to be all at the top!
- when it says keep in a cool dark place after the first 24 - 48 hrs. How cool and how dark should this bee. I have a larder at around 15oC, which has a little window, it isn't in direct sun but it is a bit light.
thanks again
ps my wife is complaining that she is now less important than beer - I tried to break it gently to her but she has no sense of priority it seems
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Hi bongo
No the sludge should be at the bottom so don't worry. If you're doing a primary and secondary fermentation, you can rack it of the vast majority after 4 - 6 days and let it finish fermenting (another week or so) in the secondary. You'll still get some more sludge but much less and makes bottling easier.
Try to keep it as dark as possible but at the least, out of direct sunlight. I've heard that beer will 'skunk' if exposed to direct sunlight (a reaction with light on something in the hops to produce something that smells of skunk). That's why you should keep beer in clear bottles out of all light, although I'm fairly careful and I've never had a problem with it.
Women never understand... it's just one of life's mysteries :o) Maybe Greg could do a brewuk forum tee shirt with a nice logo in the corner and "my wife doesn't understand me" with 'me' crossed out and beer written over the top!
(with grateful thanks to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and slightly adapted)
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
Tony, I like that idea. I'll look into it.
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Excellent Greg .. I'll sign up for one now :o)
Bongo... having just re-read what I wrote, I should say that the skunk smell is the smell of the animal skunk type thingy, not the errrr ummmm ... other stuff type thingy.
Obviously I have no idea what that smells like at all.
(with grateful thanks to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and slightly adapted)
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
It smells just like Amarillo. So a friend of mine told me anyway.
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Hmmm ... I'll be ordering a couple of kilos from you.
I've never used amarillo, what's it best in? (other than a fag paper)
(with grateful thanks to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and slightly adapted)
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