using one can of Wherry etc

Discussion on brewing beer from malt extract, hops, and yeast.
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brewjohn
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using one can of Wherry etc

Post by brewjohn » Fri Nov 26, 2021 3:20 pm

HI all , at the moment I am suffering with a bad back and dont fancy lifting a fermenter with 5 gallon in it !! I have a Wherry to do and am thinking of using just one can and one packet of yeast and making 2 gallon. I intend to let it ferment for a few days in the fermenter and when its settled a bit transfer to 2X one gallon demijohns for the final ferment. Then open and do the same with the second can and end up with 4 gal in 4 demijohns much easier to handle. Has anyone done anything like this before and was there be any problems.I realise it would be a bit stronger than making 5 gals but I could top up the demijohns slightly

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aamcle
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Re: using one can of Wherry etc

Post by aamcle » Fri Nov 26, 2021 5:35 pm

You should be Ok to that without an issue but why transfer from the FV it's going to be a nuisance and only save you a few days?

Your still going to lift a 1/2 batch either way .


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bitter_dave
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Re: using one can of Wherry etc

Post by bitter_dave » Sat Nov 27, 2021 11:01 am

Agree with Aamcle, you could prob do it but seems a bit like a faff. If you’re bottling one option is to just do half batches one at a time, which I think is a potential benefit with woodfordes kits.

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Re: using one can of Wherry etc

Post by MashBag » Sat Nov 27, 2021 7:47 pm

Agree. Just do half a batch in a plastic fermenter and then bottle it and repeat.

What does transferring to the Dj's do for you?

brewjohn
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Re: using one can of Wherry etc

Post by brewjohn » Mon Nov 29, 2021 3:28 pm

I've allways racked into another container and left for a few days before bottling. I like the minimum of yeast in the bottle . This was suggested in the Penguin book of home Brewing by W.H.T. Tayleur I purchased in 1973 ! I ferment in a heated temperature controlled cabinet in the garage I have plenty of headroom for the FV. I put the FV in position empty and can fill it easy in situ . I have a tap fitted so with an attached pipe I can drain off into demijohns the most I have to lift is 1 gallon !

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MashBag
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Re: using one can of Wherry etc

Post by MashBag » Mon Nov 29, 2021 3:47 pm

LOL. Lovely. I think we may have moved on since the Penguin book of home Brewing by W.H.T. Tayleur purchased in 1973. :D :D

TBH, Yeast in the bottle, is more about flocculation of the yeast than racking. SAF-ale SO-4 sets like glue to the bottom of the bottle.

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Re: using one can of Wherry etc

Post by brewjohn » Mon Dec 06, 2021 11:44 am

I allways throw away the packet yeast when doing any kit and use SO4. I notice Wilko are doing Gervin yeast at £2.50 and its a repackaged Nottingham strain. Have used that a few times

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Re: using one can of Wherry etc

Post by bitter_dave » Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:07 pm

I made a Wherry a while back as a quick beer and it turned out pretty good; the yeast seemed pretty decent to me. You got two packets of yeast to go with the two cans of malt extract as well, which I thought was a nice touch as it makes it easy to do a half batch if you want to do this. I dry hooped it a bit and I think this also probably added something (although it has been a long time since I brewed a Wherry kit I think so I have no point of comparison).

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Re: using one can of Wherry etc

Post by MashBag » Tue Dec 07, 2021 12:09 pm

I like the wherry kits, but I can't now drink them since I have gone AG. The have a kit taste - what is that?
Last edited by MashBag on Wed Dec 08, 2021 8:44 am, edited 1 time in total.

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bitter_dave
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Re: using one can of Wherry etc

Post by bitter_dave » Tue Dec 07, 2021 1:53 pm

I didn't notice a significant kit taste so to speak in this one (could be my unsophisticated palate of course!). I tried to make sure I got a kit with a long use by date (a couple of years left) as I think this has something to do with the old homebrew 'twang'? I've done a bit of extract brewing with DME in the past to make beer swiftly and never noticed any twang at all.

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Re: using one can of Wherry etc

Post by MashBag » Wed Dec 08, 2021 8:53 am

Taste is such a difficult thing to write about.
It's not as such a twang. I know what you mean and I agree it's prolly date induced tinny or flinty taste.

What I get, I think, might be a characteristic. Almost a bit hollow in the middle. Nothing to chew on. Some kits I have tasted start well in the mouth, then disappear only to reappear with a good finish. Strange.

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Re: using one can of Wherry etc

Post by bitter_dave » Thu Dec 09, 2021 5:45 pm

I agree that a kit is probably never going to have the depth of flavour of a well made AG beer. I've not done a lot of kits so I can't really generalise (although that's exactly what I just did!). I do find the process of making kits quite appealing at the moment though, and I was quite pleased with how it turned out this time, but I understand that doing this is not for everyone.

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Re: using one can of Wherry etc

Post by MashBag » Fri Dec 10, 2021 11:17 am

If you have the kit, AG brewing doesn't have to be an ominous brew day.

I split it into a few mins over 3 days, and let nature do the heavy lifting.

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