# Help Me Refine My Procedure



## BennyBrewster (27/11/05)

Hey Guy, 

I have been brewing using ESB 3kg extract kits for the last few months now and I just finished put down my 5th batch today. :chug: 

I have been trying to incorperate as much advice from different sources in order to improve my brewing process (I have been lurking around this forum for sometime now  ) Though any advice as to how to further improve my procedure would be much appriciated. :beerbang: 

As it stands my process is as follows.

*1.* The day before the brewing all equipment is cleaned and soaked for 15 minutes in a diluted non sented bleach solution and then rinsed several times and dried in the sun.

*2.* On brewing day all equipment is sanatized using a spray bottle with a 10% acid solution from Country Brewer (cant remember the exact name, apparently its non rinse). I then let the solution drip/run off the equipment before I commence.

*3.* Sanatise the esb 3kg can with spray bottle and let it sit on some hot water to so it is easier to pour.

*4.* rehydrate yeast. Pitch yeast (Safale) into 500mls of warm water in a glass and cover wth cling wrap. Gently shake to wet the yeast.

*5.* Pour contents of can into fermenter followed by 2 litres of boiling water.

*6.* Stir contents of fermenter to mix up the malt extract and water

*7.* Pour 2 litres of water that has been in the fridge over night and stir in. (helps to keep final wort temp down around 23c for pitching yeast)

*8.* Using 2 litre Jug I pour in the remain amount of water to make up 22 litres. This water is poured from a meter or so above the fermenter in order to aerate as much a possible via spashing.

*9.* Stir wort with a platic spoon for a minute to further aerate wort. Being very careful not to get my hand in the wort !  

*10.* Take a sample from fermenter tap into a glass and check the temp. (usually 22c - 23c). Check Gravity using the same sample.

*11.* If temp is between 20c - 25c pitch yeast from rehydration glass and slea up the fermenter.

*12.* Fill air lock with sanitizer solution.

I have been fermenting in a temp range os 19c to 22c give or take a little. Oh and all the water I use is straight out of the tap and not boiled.


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## dickTed (27/11/05)

Sounds like beer you're makin.


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## dickTed (27/11/05)

Actually, you sound rather obsessive - compulsive or somethin.
Are you sure you're alright to be drinking?


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## Wortgames (27/11/05)

Sounds fine to me BB, but if you're bothered about the amount of work involved you could skip the initial bleach / rinse /dry and spray steps, and as long as your gear is clean, replace it with a 30min soak in iodophor immediately before use.

You could put a splash of bleach in the hot water you soak the can in, so it will soften and sanitise in the same step.

Obviously make sure the glass you use for rehydrating the yeast is sanitised, but it sounds like you are well on top of that.

I wouldn't necessarily add the chilled water so early, I'd prefer to mix the extract with hot and then tap water, and add the chilled water before pitching if necessary.

This is assuming your tap water is good - if you're in Adelaide or Newcastle you might want to change your process


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## peas_and_corn (27/11/05)

I live in Adelaide, and while I used tap water initially, my current batch is using BiLo mineral water... considering a pura tap to save money in that regard (however, it only adds about $6 to the cost)


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## Uncle Fester (28/11/05)

Sort of on-topic....

When making a kit brew, I have discarded the long plastic spoon that came with my kit, and have replaced it with a cheap food whisk. The whisk seems to mix the contents much more efficiently, and really aerates the brew nicely. Is this deemed to be a safe practice?

I have found the supplied plastic spoon/ladle to be if much of much greater threat value in the discipline of the kids! :blink:


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## yard glass (28/11/05)

peas_and_korn said:


> I live in Adelaide, and while I used tap water initially, my current batch is using BiLo mineral water... considering a pura tap to save money in that regard (however, it only adds about $6 to the cost)
> [post="93713"][/post]​



g'day all,

here's a tip to get filtered water cheap, I can't take credit for it though.

you need a 10lt bucket, (cheap as), Brita Filter Cartridge, ($10).

Grab your Drill and Hole Saw, make a hole slightly smaller than diameter of the cartridge, shove the filter in and away you go.

I filter mine straight into 20lt food grade jerries and into the fridge.

cheers
yardglass


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## Lindsay Dive (28/11/05)

One thing that I can't stress too much to the new brewer is the fact that you MUST remove the fermenter tap and clean the thread of the fermenter and the tap thouroughly before reassembling. The nasties just love this area!! Use Iodophor and leave it damp.


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## Wortgames (28/11/05)

mandrakar said:


> I have discarded the long plastic spoon that came with my kit, and have replaced it with a cheap food whisk. The whisk seems to mix the contents much more efficiently, and really aerates the brew nicely. Is this deemed to be a safe practice?



My only concern would be sanitising - a whisk can have a lot of little nooks (and probably a few crannies) where sticky wort can lurk, and soaking in sanitiser may not get into them all. If you are able to clean it well enough after use and you're confident there is nothing dripping out of the handle in use you should be OK.

Boiling it before use might be a good idea.


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## sosman (28/11/05)

Lindsay Dive said:


> One thing that I can't stress too much to the new brewer is the fact that you MUST remove the fermenter tap and clean the thread of the fermenter and the tap thouroughly before reassembling. The nasties just love this area!! Use Iodophor and leave it damp.
> [post="93754"][/post]​


But if you forget you might be ok - I have pulled my tap out of the fermenter once for a clean in 30 brews. I do flush, wash and sanitise the tap but I can still see a brown stain in there. If you follow my advice on this and get an infection, don't come crying to me.


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## bindi (28/11/05)

sosman said:


> Lindsay Dive said:
> 
> 
> > One thing that I can't stress too much to the new brewer is the fact that you MUST remove the fermenter tap and clean the thread of the fermenter and the tap thouroughly before reassembling. The nasties just love this area!! Use Iodophor and leave it damp.
> ...



I have a sealed jar full of sanitser with spare taps in it, I wash each tap after use and rotate it with one in the jar and use a toothbrush [not your old one <_< ] to scrub the hole. Read this on this forum over a year ago and it works, didn't bother then and I was lucky.


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## BennyBrewster (28/11/05)

Wortgames said:


> I wouldn't necessarily add the chilled water so early, I'd prefer to mix the extract with hot and then tap water, and add the chilled water before pitching if necessary.
> 
> [post="93705"][/post]​



I aggree with you here as it is easier to mix in the extract when the water is warmer. However the jug that I use to pure in the water happens to be the same one I use to chill the cold water in the fridge 

Cheers for the replies fellas :beer:


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## DrewCarey82 (28/11/05)

You cant really stuff up too much with a 3kg ESB kit (did one on the w/end myself) just make sure everythings clean and the temps right and nevilles your uncle!


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## Gough (28/11/05)

Wortgames said:


> This is assuming your tap water is good - if you're in Adelaide or Newcastle you might want to change your process
> [post="93705"][/post]​



Process sounds fine BB. 

What's wrong with Newcastle's water wortgames??  Is there something I should know? :lol: Does it explain the extra head I seem to be growing? h34r: Some more advice please...

Shawn.


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## Steve (28/11/05)

Nothing wrong with your procedure Benny. You dont need number 7 though.
Cheers
Steve


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## Wortgames (28/11/05)

Gough said:


> What's wrong with Newcastle's water wortgames??  Is there something I should know? :lol: Does it explain the extra head I seem to be growing? h34r: Some more advice please...



Hi Shawn, I've only been there 3 or 4 times but all I can taste is bleach in the town water, I got a crook gut every time (my guess is that it was the bleach trying to sanitise my stomach).

Maybe it has changed, the last time I was up there would have been about 4 years ago, and I'm talking about the city water - I don't know if there's much regional or seasonal variation, but I was quite taken aback with it - it was like swimming pool water!

I know it sounds like I'm being a bit precious, but from what I tasted I wouldn't like to use it for brewing without some treatment. :blink:


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## Gough (28/11/05)

Fair enough mate  I don't notice it to the same degree and brew with it all the time without apparent injury to the beer. It is quite soft and compared to other town waters I've had actually smells/tastes less of chlorine etc to me, but then I would no doubt be used to it. 

Shawn.


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## Borret (28/11/05)

Newcastle water is IMHO pretty good. From what I have tasted of melbourne water ( in the last 12 months) newcastles in general is as good/better. (I'm not having a go here either, that's honest). However everynow and again they do give it a spike of clorine when there is an bloom in the resevoir (so I'm told by they that work there). Then you can definately smell it in the shower and taste it. Hasn't happened for a while though. 

All that said you do get used to your own water and my folks always complain about the smell of our water when they stay.... but they be on tankwater so anything smells funny.
Taree water.... now that's just plain grotty. Must try it to believe it.

Borret


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## MHB (28/11/05)

Re Point 8
Tap water is aerated by the supplier, you dont have to bother trying to aerate it further.
I think just get it in and get the lid on ASAP, avoids increasing the risk of infection.

Good Brewing 
MHB


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## barls (28/11/05)

Borret said:


> All that said you do get used to your own water and my folks always complain about the smell of our water when they stay.... but they be on tankwater so anything smells funny.
> Taree water.... now that's just plain grotty. Must try it to believe it.
> 
> Borret
> [post="93825"][/post]​


can and have i grew up on that water and it hasnt affected me one bit
* twitches uncontollably*
actually when i was there for a couple of months last year i got the olds a tap mounted filter cause it was that bad


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## Trent (28/11/05)

Gotta agree with Borret and Barls
Havent tried the water in Taree per se, but living in forster, I am pretty sure that the water comes from the same mudpit. It is so close to undrinkable, I have drunk tap water in thrid world countries that taste better, and when I rinse out my fermenter, it looks like there is still some beer in there it is that yellow (only in the tap that isnt used every day). I have one of those undersink double ceramic filter thingies, they recommend it is cleaned every 2 - 3 months, we get 2 weeks out of it, one if I am brewing. Newcastle water tastes like store bought stuff after living up here! The ocean and lakes are clear as anywhere up here, so I am buggered if I know why the water tastes so bad.
Back on thread, it sounds like you have everything pretty well pinned. What sort of yeast comes with the ESB kits? I havent tried one, but maybe you should also look into trying liquid yeast, IMO it is a big step forward in beer quality. And do you rack, or just bottle straight from the primary?
All the best
Trent


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## Fingerlickin_B (28/11/05)

Trent said:


> What sort of yeast comes with the ESB kits?



Saf dried  

PZ.


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## BennyBrewster (28/11/05)

Trent said:


> Back on thread, it sounds like you have everything pretty well pinned. What sort of yeast comes with the ESB kits? I havent tried one, but maybe you should also look into trying liquid yeast, IMO it is a big step forward in beer quality. And do you rack, or just bottle straight from the primary?
> All the best
> Trent
> [post="93894"][/post]​



Yep the ESB kits come with saf dried yeast, and I will be looking into liquid yeast in the near future. Perhaps when I am familiar enough with the taste of my beer to notice the difference.

As for racking, I keg and atm I tend to rack from the primary into a keg after 7 days. The beer sits at 20c in the kegs for 2 to 4 weeks depending on fridge room. I then put the keg in the fridge for 2 days to clear and force carbonate, then serve.


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## BennyBrewster (28/11/05)

MHB said:


> Re Point 8
> Tap water is aerated by the supplier, you dont have to bother trying to aerate it further.
> I think just get it in and get the lid on ASAP, avoids increasing the risk of infection.
> 
> ...



Interesting point, Cheers for the info MHB :beerbang:


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## uncleBez (9/4/10)

yard glass said:


> g'day all,
> 
> here's a tip to get filtered water cheap, I can't take credit for it though.
> 
> ...


 
ok. I keep seeing this tip floating around the internet. So I used to sell water filtration products. Try this. Add some food dye to your water and run that through your brita bucket filter. You should notice that the filtered water will be extactly the same color as the unfiltered water. Now.. It is the case the food dye particles are very very small. However I would strongly recommend the use of a solid block carbon filter (you will need pressure to get the water through this, and there are ways to rig this with a bike pump). rather than the activated carbon filter of the brita filter. But if you find your bucket filters are providing great beer, well then I guess its good enough..


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## kbe (9/4/10)

uncleBez said:


> ok. I keep seeing this tip floating around the internet. So I used to sell water filtration products. Try this. Add some food dye to your water and run that through your brita bucket filter. You should notice that the filtered water will be extactly the same color as the unfiltered water. Now.. It is the case the food dye particles are very very small. However I would strongly recommend the use of a solid block carbon filter (you will need pressure to get the water through this, and there are ways to rig this with a bike pump). rather than the activated carbon filter of the brita filter. But if you find your bucket filters are providing great beer, well then I guess its good enough..


 OK, would you mind elaborating a bit on this. Are you saying that the Brita filters are crap or what, because the way I see it is that the water would look the same colour. A liquid is a liquid. If you used to sell the things then maybe you could advise people on what is the best setup if we want to filter our water. I know I want to as my pipes are crap and I am looking at getting a caravan filter instead of a full blown house system. 
That last sentence is just one that is all smugness, as the taste of beer is best left to the individual.


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## glaab (9/4/10)

I rehydrate dry yeast in 10 times its weight of pre-boiled water. 10 times is what Fermentis recommend, I'm sure there was a reason for that but I canna remembr.


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