First ever home brew

[Stueeee]

A bloke I used to work with was a really keen (and highly competent) home brewer. I was a dabbler at the time. With his encouragement I bought this book: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brewing-...198694&hash=item54986678b3:g:LCsAAOSw15ZgXNZl
Once I started using a band heater and thermostat for the brewing container, the results were consistent whereas before they had been hit and miss.

 

[Cobbler]

I had that book many years ago, brewed some decent beers from scratch. Long gone, no idea where.

 

[Pete.]

I got some yeast from Wilko and added it. It fizzed a little then stopped. So I warmed the bottle up by putting it in a large saucepan and added some warm tap water. It fizzed gently for half an hour then stopped again. Now it doesn't fizz no matter what.

Whilst I was in Wilko I got their hydrometer. Here's what it's telling me:





I suspect it's saying 'give up, you've killed it'

 

[123hotchef]

looks like there is nothing for the yeast to feed on the SG should be higher for wine it is anyway

 

[Onoff]

For wine making I'd often make a "starter". From memory a jam jar with some orange juice in with the yeast then added. Leave in a warm place. The yeast feeds on the sugar in the juice. When going vigourously, add to the demijon (that itself doesn't want to be too cold). I think it's in the Berry book about making a starter.

I presume you added sugar at the start?

Don't give up on the homebrew!

 

[123hotchef]

For wine making I'd often make a "starter". From memory a jam jar with some orange juice in with the yeast then added. Leave in a warm place. The yeast feeds on the sugar in the juice. When going vigourously, add to the demijon (that itself doesn't want to be too cold). I think it's in the Berry book about making a starter.

Don't give up on the homebrew!

yep same here never had to purchase yeast after the first batch of wine just made a starter from some seiment in a jar with some er think it was malt extract

 

[Onoff]

yep same here never had to purchase yeast after the first batch of wine just made a starter from some seiment in a jar with some er think it was malt extract

Ah! You see I used to purchase specific yeasts. Chardonnay say if making gooseberry, Burgundy if making blackberry, I think I used a Port yeast for the elderberry. Was it Sauternes for raisin.....can't quite remember but you get the gist.

Once upon a time Boots the chemist did a fantastic homebrew range.

Again from memory the Berry book says I think what yeast in the recipes.

 

[daedalusminos]

Whilst I was in Wilko I got their hydrometer. Here's what it's telling me:

Are you sure it's not a low alcohol beer kit

 

[DanZac]

Whilst I was in Wilko I got their hydrometer. Here's what it's telling me

That's done anything it's going to do so there's no point in adding more yeast. The problem you've got is you don't know what the SG was to start with so you've no idea if it's fermented anything.

It looks a bit thin, but your best bet is to transfer it to a clean and steralised jar, put it in a cool place for a few days and see if it clears a bit more, then bottle with 1/2 tea spoon of sugar per pint and see what happens.

It will either be horrible and end up down the drain or it will be ok.
Nothing much to loose.

 

[Onoff]

@Pete. How are off for demijons? I MIGHT have some spare but no guarantees.

 

[Pete.]

I'm OK, thanks for offering. As I said in the opening post this isn't a new venture for me I am just brewing up a kit that my daughter bought for me at Christmas. If its a failure the local tap room is only a few minutes walk away

 

[Onoff]

If its a failure the local tap room is only a few minutes walk away

My kind of Plan B!

 

[Pete.]

Right so I bottled this up last thursday evening and I've been worried ever since about the bottles going pop. I gingerly cracked one open on Sunday afternoon to see what pressure it had in it - and it fizzed up like a volcano. Had no choice but to drink it

In fairness, it didn't drink too bad, had a very light taste but I don't think it had a lot of alcohol content.

All I'm worried about is the other 5 bottles bursting. What can I do to mitigat this? Is it acceptable to quickly let some gas out a bit at a time to keep the pressure down?

 

[DanZac]

All I'm worried about is the other 5 bottles bursting. What can I do to mitigat this? Is it acceptable to quickly let some gas out a bit at a time to keep the pressure down?

Assuming they're screw tops so you can re-seal them that's what I'd do. Just crack them a bit and let a bit of pressure out slowly like you would when opening a pop bottle. Don't let too much out though or you'll end up with flat dishwater.

It's surprising how much pressure a bottle can hold before they burst. Ive only had one bottle break over the years and I've made some right fizzy brews, the one that did let go went on a really hot day when the sun had been on it for a while.

Putting them somewhere cold might help as I believe a cold liquid can absorb more CO2?

 

[daedalusminos]

Might be a good idea to let some gas out - I use crown tops and usually get a satisfying fzzz with white vapour on opening....certainly no volcanoes!

If you added no more than 4.5g/l (I usually put a teaspoon per 660ml bottle) sugar then it should be OK but your hydrometer reading was a little on the high side.

I do store the bottles in a plastic storage box for the first week in case anything goes off.

 

[Onoff]

Fizz is good but not too much. The bottle of choice here was always Corona & R Whites Lemonade with the screw caps. Always a pang of doubt as they were returnable for a few pence. Trouble is, once opened it was quite a lot for a 12 year old to drink...

Then it was Newcastle Brown Ale bottles re capped with new crown corks.

 

[the snooper]

Most kits make 40 pints so you need a large fermenting vessel, then you add sugar to the mix and yeast when it's at around 70 degrees, it usually ferments for 6 days ish, then you prime your bottles with a teaspoon of sugar, cap it and wait for at least a further 2 weeks for secondary fermentation, longer is better for taste

 

[gaz1]

we used to buy grolsh bottles years ago that had a certain top on them

 

[the snooper]

we used to buy grolsh bottles years ago that had a certain top on them

Great for homebrew, you can buy those toggle top bottles to use but they're not cheap

 

[Pete.]

The wire toggle bottles is what I have. I find they are very difficult to get the stopper back on when they start to volcano