A couple of complete newbie TC questions

[boosh]

Hi! I am completely new to homebrewing and eager to start, I have decided to start with a cider (following Dreadskin's recipe). Went down to the homebrew shop today and bought a couple of 25 litre fermentation bins. However I want to start small just to make sure what I'm making is drinkable- I was thinking of doing about 10 litres. My first question is, is it ok to use a 25 litre bin to ferment just 10 litres of AJ, or will the air gap above it be a problem?
Secondly, the bins I bought do not have a hole for an airlock, they're literally just bins. If I put the top on them, will the CO2 build up not blast the top off? Do I just need to keep releasing the pressure every now and then?
And thirdly, the bins are going to have to be in my bedroom during fermentation as I'm in student digs, is this safe or should I make sure a window's open all the time because of the CO2?
Thanks for the help!

[trucker5774]

I am starting a TC tomorrow. Mine will be about 14 litres in a 25 litre bin. Once the fermentation starts the space should not be a bid problem. CO2 is heavier than oxygen so should form a blanket over the brew while forcing the oxygen above it. You could make a hole in the lid and fit a grommet and air lock. There will also be no problem with just fitting the lid to keep debris out but don't snap it tightly closed all the way around .....leave about 100mm loose. As for the gas from the brew..............get a grip, you're a student, I'm sure there will be far worse gasses to worry about in your digs
Enjoy....cheers, John

[pauljmuk]

The bin will be fine.

AS for the lid - I find that I do clip mine on all the way around - the lids are not that super tight that they are going to explode. I find the CO2 pushes the lid upwards in the centre, but vents naturally from somewhere around the rim. I'll occasionally push it down whilst lifting the edge to expel excess - and this forms handy check if it is still fermenting (check it the next day, and if the lid has popped up again - all is good!)

Have fun - making TC is the cheapest, easiest form of brewing, and can produce some cracking drink.

[boosh]

Thanks for the responses, guess I was worrying too much! Will start my brew today, fingers crossed I'll have my own Old Rosie in a few weeks!

[Mitchamitri]

Or just bore a little hole in the lid and put a bit of card flat over it.

[DREADSKIN]

as a student you should be going head first for the 25ltr batch. after all, its not like your not going to drink it all, eh?
damn wish i had thought of this all those years ago...

and yes, put the lid on tight. it will swell. when it swells open it, and close it again. and just keep going...

[pauljmuk]

My beers from student days don't bear thinking about.

Take one can of stout mix from Boots. Make up to recipe, but multiply the sugar addition by about 10.

Leave to ferment for weeks and weeks.

Bottle

Rocket fuel, and the worst possible headaches I've ever experienced the next day

[Providence]

This is my first turbo as well.

I've done 'xpers' apple juice, tea and demerara sugar recipe and have asked questions on his thread to which there has been no reply, so I'm trying here! It's getting close to decision time.........

I was wondering if it was possible to do this as a 'perpetual'? If so, at what gravity should I rack it and add apple juice, sugar and tea to the original sediment?

I prefer to drink it sparkling from the bottle. At what FG should I bottle and prime it? I was thinking of priming with demerara sugar. How much demerara should I use per 500ml bottle? OG was 1066.

I hope someone can help with this. Thanks.

[DREADSKIN]

the gravity you rack it off at should be very low if you want it dry (and dry is the safeist due to bottle bombs or fizz going alover the place). so leave it to 1000. then prime with 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of plain white sugar. you can of course pour more apple juice tea, and grated bramleys on to the top of the sludge. the only reason why i dont is because i rack mine off 2-3 time to clear it out. however if you had another bucket or big spring water bottle you could rack to that then wack in more juice.

[Mitchamitri]

100% with dreadskin on this - its not uncommon for "real" cider fermented with champagne yeast to drop below 1000 and its dry as a camels balls.

[Providence]

So OK into bottles at around 1000 with between 1/4 and 1/2 tea spoon of priming sugar per 500ml. Thanks for that.

At what gravity should I rack it if I want the remaining yeast to be alive enough to restart a new brew?

Thanks in advance.

[crafty john]

Hi! I am completely new to homebrewing and eager to start, I have decided to start with a cider (following Dreadskin's recipe). Went down to the homebrew shop today and bought a couple of 25 litre fermentation bins. However I want to start small just to make sure what I'm making is drinkable- I was thinking of doing about 10 litres. My first question is, is it ok to use a 25 litre bin to ferment just 10 litres of AJ, or will the air gap above it be a problem?
Secondly, the bins I bought do not have a hole for an airlock, they're literally just bins. If I put the top on them, will the CO2 build up not blast the top off? Do I just need to keep releasing the pressure every now and then?
And thirdly, the bins are going to have to be in my bedroom during fermentation as I'm in student digs, is this safe or should I make sure a window's open all the time because of the CO2?
Thanks for the help!

is it ok to use a 25 litre bin to ferment just 10 litres of AJ, or will the air gap above it be a problem?

I would do at least 20 litres or you might get oxidisation.

the bins I bought do not have a hole for an airlock, they're literally just bins. If I put the top on them, will the CO2 build up not blast the top off? Do I just need to keep releasing the pressure every now and then?

Just crack off the lid a bit to allow the CO2 to escape.

the bins are going to have to be in my bedroom during fermentation as I'm in student digs, is this safe or should I make sure a window's open all the time because of the CO2?

Dont worry about this it won't cause any problems, the only problem with student digs is that your brew might get drunk well before its conditioned

[DREADSKIN]

it will be fine in the bin as crafty says, remember co2 is heavy and will form a blanket stopping oxygen from reachin the bru. thats why its used to put fires out..

[Mitchamitri]

Doesnt matter how low your g goes - there will always be yeasties to restart unless to campden or pasteurise it.

[Gill]

Hope nobody minds me jumping in with a mild thread-hijacking, but since it's been mentioned that nobody's answering on the other thread, I thought I'd ask here too!

I'm putting on my first TC tonight, as an experiment while I wait for my current brews to condition. I was originally going to use the simplest method possible (apple juice, yeast and time...maybe a little honey as I love it) but then I read the AJ-sweet tea-demerara-yeast recipe and got intrigued. However...

Would that particular recipe work with Munton's Gold yeast? That's all I could pick up yesterday to ferment the TC with, and I don't want to go fooling with the basic recipe if it's going to make my efforts undrinkable.

Thanks for any advice, I'm a total newbie and beg your patience.

Gill x