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Wherry First timer
Hello
I just wondered how long it will take before fermentation starts I have had it in the bucket now at 22 for about 8 hrs.
When can I expect the magic to start happening.
thanks for any advice
Responses
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
I would say anytime now. If nothing has happened after 24 hrs then further action may be required.
Welcome to the forum by the way!
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Thanks for the swift reply its bubbling away nicely now so I was wondering on the ideal temperature the wherry packaging states slightly different temperatures to the other info in the pack. At present my room temperature is about 20.
I was thinking if this goes well I would try one of the St peters possibly the IPA
Posted 1 year ago by Member
20*C is fine.
My preference is to ferment at the lower end of the scale as the taste is a bit cleaner.
Posted 1 year ago by Member
The St Peters is very nice!
Happy brewing
Posted 1 year ago by Member
I put it in the barrel today as the hydrometer was reading 1009/1010 I did not take an initial reading do you think I may have left it too long. Stupidly I did not take a reading at the start it had stopped bubbling through the air lock.
And to compound my misery at the time of barreling I realised I did not have regular sugar so I put a mixture of golden granulated and caster sugar to the amounts recomended on the packaging per pint.
On the plus side a had a sniffter from the sample tube and it showed promise, have I totally cocked it up by my sugar mixture
Thanks for all the great advice.
One final thing I struggle to get a constant temp for fermenting what do people recomend
thanks
Jon
Posted 1 year ago by Moderator
Hi LeeEnfield: Don't worry about any of those things you listed.
Sugar is sugar and it all ferments. Brown sugars will change the colour of your brew, but that doesn't matter, and some sugars add a taste of their own. Muscovado, Dark Demerara, etc.
If you are making a kit don't worry about hydrometer readings. The contents of the kit will make it all come right. Just follow the instructions and relax. Hydro readings only allow you to work out ABV, efficiency, etc and all you really want to do is enjoy your beer.
You can't leave it too long in the fermenter (unless you open the lid too many times and let some bacteria in). All yeasts have certain properties and one of them is the 'attenuation'. This is the yeast's ability to turn sugar into alcohol and is quoted as a percentage. If your yeast is 65% attenuative, you will end with a slightly sweet beer. If it's 80%, the same brew would be much drier. How long you leave it in the fermenter won't affect it. In some cases, with more specialist yeasts, you have to leave it in the fermenter a whole lot longer than you did. I always try to leave it in there for about 8 days as it helps to clear the beer and you end up with much less crud in the barrel.
Temperature can be a problem. I wouldn't worry. Unless you are going to go to the expense of building a temp controlled room, just leave it in a living room where there is a radiator to keep the temp reasonably constant. If it drops below about 17c it will still ferment, but it will take longer. The other option is in the airing cupboard, but if it's above 22c, watch out it doesn't go mad and spill all over place.
Wow. Bit of an essay, but I hope it encourages you to relax and enjoy your brewing.
Planning: - To get some more brews on now the weather's a bit cooler
Fermenting: - Ginger Beer experiment
Conditioning: - A normal bitter with Styrians
Drinking: - All of it!!
E-mail: arnyfris@gmail.com
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Thanks Saracen that has put my mind at rest.
Posted 1 year ago by Member
One Final thing this might sound stupid but my barrel did not fill all the way to the top there is a inch and a half spare is this normal.
I did not completely empty the fermenting kit as the last inch was a sludge.
Posted 1 year ago by Member
That sounds good to me you dont want the sludge in your barrel.My mum insisted i put it on her roses not sure if it does anything lol.
Just make sure you put some vaseline on the seal of the screw cap on barrel and dont over tighten it.
Fermenting:Dandelion wine
Conditioning:Fullers pride extract Elderflower wine,Dandelion wine,Ribena wine,summer ale
Drinking: Turbo Cider/summer ale/way to amarillo/funked up wherry
beerlover1983brew@gmail.com
Posted 1 year ago by Moderator
The inch and a half space if perfect for building up the co2 which pressurises your beer, adds carbonation and keeps it safe. All this is the product of you adding that sugar, and it dont matter what sugar you add at this point as its such a small amount it will not affect the taste at all.
Temp control - Room temp will be around 20-22 which is fine, you will get good beer so dont worry.
If youve got it in a standard barrel take beerlovers advice and keep on watching the barrel. If the little feet start lifting its ok, if the bottom starts bulging tweak the band a little to get rid of excess pressure. After 3 days to a week "warm" conditioning move it somewhere cooler (13c id good) where the beer can absorb some of the co2 produced.
All will be fine mate, your doing a grand job.
Plannin'-
Loads a beer after an upgrade!
nathbrew@gmail.com
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