Ripped Off

[Bailz]

Hi people just been to barnsley there a guy in the indoor market with a homebrew stall while i was picking his brain he informed me he could have sold me a full starter kit and some coopers brew for under 30 quid when i have just paid 64 online. feel a little deflated now but hay ho not to worry going to start the brew this evening. so wish me luck (my first attempt)

Bailz

[Bailz]

Sorry forgot to say the bloke on market also said to me dont over tighten the lid on the fermenter and dont use the air lock he even said it was fine to lie a tea towel on top of the fermenter and just place the lid on top of the towel........is this right?

Bailz

[Ditch]

Sorry forgot to say the bloke on market also said to me dont over tighten the lid on the fermenter and dont use the air lock he even said it was fine to lie a tea towel on top of the fermenter and just place the lid on top of the towel........is this right?

Bailz; Sit yeself at the right hand of that guy when ever ye can. Pick his brains like a starving vulture. He's been round the block

[vacant]

List what you bought - might not turn out so bad.

E.g. these days you could pay £3.99 for 500g spray malt ... or £3.99 for 1Kg

Now, if I can get everthing for 6 months brewing on one courier charge I might well suck it up and pay more for a few items.

Bottom line, if you're brewing beer you like you're still way ahead on pub prices.

[Bailz]

you know this bloke then ditch? he deffo seemed to know his stuff pal

Bailz

[Cozzyb]

I think Ditch is just referring to the general comments he made.

But although he could of done you a starter kit for £30 it wouldn't of been a coopers one (unless it was dodgy), and you get a lot of stuff in that £60 kit, I would honestly ignore his recommendation on airlocks etc as he might not know about the kit, as coopers new kits have just a lid that lifts up to let out gas, no airlock, so seriously just watch the dvd/read the instructions that come with the kit and follow them. The only thing I would change is to brew the kit that comes with it for 2 weeks instead of one that they say.

edit

I just presumed you got a coopers kit, after re reading this might not be the case, however I can guarentee the £30 kit from him would have been, a coopers tin, a FV and a couple of small equipment things like a sython, stir spoon and airlock. The £60 one will have much more for certain.

[Bailz]

Thanks cozzyb and yes you presumed correctly it is coopers english beer and thanks for the advice this site is great

cheers bailz

[Hippo]

I have been to that indoor market and have to say I was disappointed with the prices. As high as my LHBS darn sarth......

May be he is selling off old stock but who knows.

I still use my LHBS and I have found the online Art of Brewing company to be very quick for delivery and very good on price

that is all

[Bradfordlad]

i just did my first kit and used a towel and loosely fitted the FV lid. All seems ok.

[cellone]

I've never done any thing but leave one section of lid loose, no towels, no airlock and never had a problem.

[Bailz]

but the bucket lid on mine has a hole for the air lock to go in so what should i do?

Bailz

[Ditch]

but the bucket lid on mine has a hole for the air lock to go in so what should i do?

Ignore the hole and carry on. Or, if it makes ye feel better? Plug it with a bit of cotton wool. Pointless. But, a placebo.

Know the man? No mate. Never been near him. But, I recognise his words. He'll have been brewing back in the early seventies. Probably never stopped.

That's why he'd have long since learned that air locks are for wine makers and that naturally evolving fermentational gasses protect the beer in the bucket. Dish cloth's just to keep air born dust and stuff out of the liquid.

People sell air locks, to mugs, these days. Just adding to their sale profit margins. Then, the mugs come here, flapping their lips about how bloody essential their bubblers are Can't lose face by admitting they've been taken, can they? And taken because of their ignorance of the game.

Ask the commercial brewers on here; How many of them ferment in hermetically sealed bins with air locks?

[cbucket]

If I had a fermentation bin with a hole for the airlock, I would buy an airlock and use it.

If I didn't have an airlock I would tape over the hole and leave the top slightly loose at one point.

I find airlocks reassuring. That 'bloob, bloob ...' sound makes you confident that fermentation is going on. You also get nice ester aroma's (bananas mostly).

[sbond10]

I use clean film if it's good for burns then it's good for beer , I don't wrap it manically just loosely like a dish cloth plus if it gets dirty put it in bin. And my Fv has a hole in the lid but it came with a rubber grommet to plug it. I've never used a airlock for either beer or wine

[cellone]

I find airlocks reassuring. That 'bloob, bloob ...' sound makes you confident that fermentation is going on. You also get nice ester aroma's (bananas mostly).

I wish lager smelt abit more like bananas when fermenting , rotten egg is puting it pollitely.