First Attempt - more newbie questions

[cellone]

I'm a bit lazy when it comes to using the hydro. Rarely take an OG and drop a sterile hydrometer in the FV when I think it's near or finished fermenting. I then leave it in until I'm sure.

[SquireKnott]

I bottled up my Wilko Hoppy Copper earlier.

The gob fulls I got siphoning it tasted promising.

Brewed it to 21.5l and put 75g of brewing sugar in to bulk prime.

I put the sugar in part way through siphoning to the second FV, whereas I did it at the end with my first two brews, and it produced a right big frothy head which then went down - will this cause me a problem?

I'm not expecting the quality of Festival Endeavours but hoping it should be a drinkable basic bitter....

And it is.

Not too bad at all and still cloudy.

It produced a really big head aswell - was 75g of brewing sugar too much for a bitter brewed a bit short? (Not that it's a problem).

Chuffed with this. The Simply Lager gets less worse all the time too (or I get more used to it?) all of which means I can make these last nine bottles of Festival Endeavours last a little longer.

[SquireKnott]

I just opened my last bottle of Festival Endeavours.

Emotional. [blub]

I'll be stocking up if they do this again.

I probably haven't even let it get REALLY good.

[cellone]

The last one is always the best. Feel for you bloke.

[mk1paggy]

Hi I have just made the summer stagg festival kit. Follow the instructions to the letter and you should get a very nice pint, I have just cracked open one 5 days early and its very good. A few more weeks and it will be even better. Don't rush it thats my advice. My back room is above the boiler room so is always a contant 23 c . I find the kits tend to ferment slightly quicker though. You can get stick on thermometers for your fermenting bin if you want to keep an eye on the temperature.

[SquireKnott]

I now have a Woodfordes Wherry on (SG 1038) in addition to the Coopers APA with 1kg brew enhancer.

Two FV's on the go at once - you have a lot to answer for

[Manngold]

Good work SK. I hope to get my festival Golden stag on this afternoon if I am lucky. Have you done a Wherry before? I have only done three ale brews, including a Wherry (which was my first), and I have to say it gets better with age. Have about 25 - 30 pints that have been conditioning since April. I am finding it a bit too malty for my tastes though. I prefer the 'craft' type ales. Your APA sounds like it will be right up my street!

[SquireKnott]

Good work SK. I hope to get my festival Golden stag on this afternoon if I am lucky. Have you done a Wherry before? I have only done three ale brews, including a Wherry (which was my first), and I have to say it gets better with age. Have about 25 - 30 pints that have been conditioning since April. I am finding it a bit too malty for my tastes though. I prefer the 'craft' type ales. Your APA sounds like it will be right up my street!

It's my first Wherry.

The golden Stag is good, the second best one I've done, but nowhere near as good as Endeavours.

[SquireKnott]

This is my Wherry which should be ready to bottle about now.



Gravity is in the red 1.010, 1.011?
Every other brew I've done has been in the yellow - is this going to be ok or weak as....?

[Monkeybrew]

1.010 is about right for a Wherry.

It's decent drink after 6-8 weeks, so don't worry about the ABV too much.

Cheers

MB

[SquireKnott]

Wherry bottled.

I had three crown caps left for three bottles after one wouldn't go on.
Pressure!

I get paid tomorrow so have to decide between the Fruit Salad adapted kit my lhbs does or a Festival Razorback IPA. Decisions.

[Manngold]

Razorback! I want to hear a review of it!

[Valleyred72]

I've done a Razorback, as per instructions. Strong, powerful US hop flavour, quite intense, almost spicy, great soft head that lasts all the way to bottom of the glass.

[SquireKnott]

I went with the Fruit Salad - support your local homebrew shop and all that.

It's a Betterbrew IPA kit with 1kg of beer enhancer and a bag of hops that need soaking for 20 minutes then chucking in the FV along with the tea.

Anyway, I forgot to ask which hops were in it when I was in the shop so I've just rang up to find out.

He wouldn't tell me as I "could be anybody"!
WTF?

I'm half hoping it's no good now as I can't go back in there.
It would all be a bit Larry David, for them and me.

People never do cease to amaze you eh?

What is this shadowy world I've got myself involved in?

[cellone]

I went with the Fruit Salad - support your local homebrew shop and all that.

It's a Brewmaker IPA kit with 1kg of beer enhancer and a bag of hops that need soaking for 20 minutes then chucking in the FV along with the tea.

Anyway, I forgot to ask which hops were in it when I was in the shop so I've just rang up to find out.

He wouldn't tell me as I "could be anybody"!
WTF?

I'm half hoping it's no good now as I can't go back in there.
It would all be a bit Larry David, for them and me.

People never do cease to amaze you eh?

What is this shadowy world I've got myself involved in?

Lol, some local homebrew shops don't seem to support them selves.