Newbie questions

[GarethT]

Morning guys

I am a complete n00b at home brewing, and I have some probably stupid questions.

I picked up a starter kit over the weekend and it came with some VWP cleaner/Steriliser.

When cleaning the fermenting bucket, can I use the cleaning solution and deposit all the equipment into the bucket, followed by rinsing them all to remove any residue etc?

Also, can I clean the bucket using the shower head?

The equipment didn't come with a tap for the bucket, should I get one and attach it? I am starting off with some Coopers Lager mix.

I hope my questions aren't too stupid

Thanks

Gareth

[Dominic]

Hi Gareth and welcome. I'm new here too, it's a great forum! Reading up myself I found you could do as you say - soak everything in the tub, slosh it about and leave for 15 minutes. To be on the safe side, bung the shower head in too. Then clean hands and carefully tip out most of the solution then refix the shower head and rinse out a few times.

I fitted taps to my bins but realise now it was a little pointless unless I get some food grade pipe to attach to them. Accepted method is to siphon off the brew from FV to pressure barrel or bottles once first fermenting has ended.

[GarethT]

Thanks for getting back to me

I will be starting the mixing tonight and can honestly say, I am crapping my pants that something is going to go wrong.

But then, I suppose being new to the whole process, I am over complicating everything. Which happens a lot.

Thanks again.

[PhilNotts]

Morning guys

I am a complete n00b at home brewing, and I have some probably stupid questions.

I picked up a starter kit over the weekend and it came with some VWP cleaner/Steriliser.

When cleaning the fermenting bucket, can I use the cleaning solution and deposit all the equipment into the bucket, followed by rinsing them all to remove any residue etc?

Also, can I clean the bucket using the shower head?

The equipment didn't come with a tap for the bucket, should I get one and attach it? I am starting off with some Coopers Lager mix.

I hope my questions aren't too stupid

Thanks

Gareth

That's exactly what i do before i brew. i leave everything in the fv in the solution over night though. i don't put the shower head in the solution though to be honest,probably should along with the washer.

A tap makes things easier but not essential. i have one fv with and one without a tap

[Fil]

if you do fit a tap, i recomend the waterbut hozelock taps, then with some 1/2" foodsafe hose and a hozelock hose connector you can bottle or keg without syphoning. a squirty bottle is useful to squirt cleaner/steriliser and rinse up the tap, then draw the first bit into a trial jar for your hydrometer reading..

carefull tipping willbe needed to get the last bit out, and a little sediment may be disturbed but probably just the same as if u syphoned anyway..

[oldbloke]

When cleaning the fermenting bucket, can I use the cleaning solution and deposit all the equipment into the bucket, followed by rinsing them all to remove any residue etc?

Yeh, but wherever you put stuff down after rinsing needs to be clean too.
No real reason you shouldn't use the showerhead I suppose, seems like overkill though and you'd want to run it a bit to clear anything dodgy that might be in it. A rinse doesn't need power it just needs thoroughness.
A tap is just another thing that needs sanitising and I don't trust my own DIY, so I stick with a syphon

[GarethT]

Thanks for the responses guys.

My lager has been fermenting all week and the the airlock has slowed down considerably.

I opened the lid last night to check it and it had a lager head (not sure how to describe it). Is this normal?

I plan to start bottling on Wednesday after checking the gravity over the next 2 days.

Any advice?

Thanks

[orlando]

Thanks for the responses guys.

My lager has been fermenting all week and the the airlock has slowed down considerably.

I opened the lid last night to check it and it had a lager head (not sure how to describe it). Is this normal?

I plan to start bottling on Wednesday after checking the gravity over the next 2 days.

Any advice?

Thanks

The "lager head" is actually yeast and it suggests you are still fermenting. Get a couple of readings at the same gravity and the brew is probably finished, however, and it's a big however, although the yeast has stopped fermenting it hasn't stopped working. A by product of fermentation is some stuff called diacetyl (a sort of butterscotch flavour) the yeast produces this during fermentation but then once it's finished fermenting it "clears" this up. It is worth leaving it another day or two to ensure that this part of the brew is over. Patience is one of the most important and least observed parts of brewing, I know, I'm terrible at it

[GarethT]

Argh I hate being patient, I want to taste it!!

Thanks for letting me know about that, I will probably hold off until Wednesday as I need to buy some bottles anyway.

I hope it works out, I've never been so paranoid about something :S

[PhilNotts]

Argh I hate being patient, I want to taste it!!

Thanks for letting me know about that, I will probably hold off until Wednesday as I need to buy some bottles anyway.

I hope it works out, I've never been so paranoid about something :S

Take a bucket down to your local pub and ask them to keep bottles for you. they'll do it as it saves them money

[Fil]

visit the local bottle bank.. ours has empty bottles pilled up outside..

patience is key however.. if you crack a bottle a week after bottling it wont taste good, leave it 2 months and it will be nice 4-6 moths and it will be lovely...