Bottling Q's And Using Cheap Kits

[Strange Dog]

Hi,

I finally bottled my first brew just a moment ago and I have some basic questions.

i) Was I supposed to stir the fermenter contents (the "wort"?) prior to bottling to get yeast all through it? I didnt do this.
ii) Should I have stopped bottling when the level in the fermenter dropped below the tap? I actually ended up tilting the fermenter so that I could get every last drop, though I put the last few bottles on a different shelf so I would know why they taste bad (assuming they do).

Also, I will be starting my second brew next weekend. I went to the homebrew shop and they were trying to sell me a $40 can. No doubt this would be better than the coopers lager kit I just made (and I intend to eventually move up to the better ingredients) but at this point in my homebrew career my primary goal is to save money, not create award winning beer. So, assuming that I do stick with the cheaper cans from BigW for a while is there anything I can do to improve the results without adding significantly to the cost? I think I will be sticking with lagers for a while to capitalise on canberras winter temperatures (my house is around 10-12 degrees). So assuming I buy a can of coopers lager, can anyone recommend a yeast I can get from the homebrew shop that will give better results than the yeast provided in the kit? Should I also look into better quality sugar than the coopers brew enhancer or whatever its called? Please keep it simple, I am still figuring out how all this works.

 

[Salt]

Hey mate, welcome to the forum and congrats on bottling your first Brew...exciting times ahead.

To answer your first two questions;

i) No. You dont want to disturb what is known as the trub. Provided you have let your brew ferment out (ensure you take starting and finishing gravity samples) Constant FG readings over 2 to 3 days will tell you when to bottle. By then the yeasties have fallen out and its ready to bottle. Leaving the trub undisturbed will help in the clarity of your Beer.
ii) I try and get as much Beer into bottles I can, but again as stated above, dont disturb the Trub. You may find the bottom liquid gets a bit cloudy. I would stop then. By using gelatine or other finning agents you can get a nice clear Beer and a fairly solid trub that will hold on the bottom of your fermenter.

Best thing to do would be to stick with the Coopers Kits for your first few brews until you get the process down, add some Dry Malt (or Liquid) extract and a better yeast. Ask at your LHBS as they will be able to point you in the right direction. I make Ales and stick with US-05 or S-04 packets.

Once you get familiar with brewing and your process, you could look at Steeping Grains and adding different Hop additions.

Have a look at the Recipe DB under Kits and you'll find some examples or look at a site such as the Coopers one for recipes...Just dont follow the instructions on the cans!

Happy Brewing

 

[bignath]

Yep, pretty much what salt said.

The only thing i'd really add considering your getting your brewing legs, is that i'm not sure if you know that most of the cans you'll buy contain ale yeasts instead of lager yeasts (sometimes a combination of both)...

That generic, green and white label coopers lager doesn't come with a lager yeast so i wouldn't be fermenting it at 10-12. Try 16-18 instead.

As salt said, even better would be bypass the kit yeast anyway. Can definitely recommend US05. It's the red packet that your LHBS should stock. It's a great yeast, very neutral flavourwise, doesn't really rob malt flavour, or hop flavour. Lets everything shine equally pretty much. Other yeasts can favour it's balance towards hops or malt being the dominant flavour.

Congrats on getting the first one out the way. Now, on with the second and welcome to AHB mate.

Nath

 

[Strange Dog]

OK so the next brew will be a can of Coopers lager, a box of "Brew Enhancer" and a packet of US05 in place of the yeast provided with the can. Will US05 ferment at 10 degrees? Or should I just bite the bullet and get myself a heat belt ? How adjustable are heat belts anyway?

 

[Pennywise]

US-05 will go to sleep that low, why not get a Lager yeast? S-23 or S-189 (same brand as US-05, Fermentis) would be my suggestions for a start, as the couple of times I've used these it's come out quite well, and will ferment happily at 10c. I'd use 2 packs though because it will ferment quite a bit slower & you really want to get the fermentation kicked off ASAP

 

[DU99]

Try the canadian blonde with BE1..makes a nice brew..lager yeasts will go down that low something like SAFLAGER S-23

 

[emnpaul]

Try the canadian blonde with BE1..makes a nice brew..lager yeasts will go down that low something like SAFLAGER S-23

I agree the Coopers Canadian is a good kit. Not sure about the S-23 in your second brew though. It can be a bit sulphury during fermentation and needs a decent "rest" to be at it's best, which could be a bit of a step up. For mine, the S-189 would be a better option, but get 2 packs as this will help kick off your fermentation at the lower temperatures you describe. Just be sure to give it plenty of time to finish the job. That is, I wouldn't bother taking gravity samples until at least week three.

The Coopers Canadian kit + 1Kg of light dry malt and 2 sachets of S-189 will give you some good drinking.

Even better with a tea bag of hops if you are up for it..?

 

[ekul]

If my ambient temp was 10C i'd be making lagers all the time. S189 is a great yeast that drops bright and ferments clean.

Congrats on doing your first kit. When i was bottling i would try get every last drop, the last two tallies might take a little longer to come clean but with enough time they will, they def won't taste like shit though.

 

[witty]

hey fella,

i myself am a 'new' brewer - so by far NOT an expert.

i have found out that the more you read the better - and dont be afraid to make mistakes and some shit brews.
i have done the bog stock can stuff, with the 'coopers brew enhancer' and the dextrose and all of the rest of the stuff from the stupid-market. It works, but it will turn out like a cheap night at the pros. Basically, you get what you pay for. (from what i have found)

ALTHOUGH, unlike a cheap night at the pros, it can get better with time. (i have a batch that is 8weeks in the bottle and is still improving)

Hops do make a big difference. I have just bottled a "brew craft James Squire amber ale K&K ($50odd)" and i wanted to start drinking it while it was in the fermenter. so i have noticed big differences for a few extra bucks.

Read books, read sites, make some mistakes and have a crack. One of the books that i read kept saying - if it looks like beer, smells like beer...it probably is beer... and if it doesn't look or smell like beer - go have a beer and come back in a few days.

 

[ekul]

Lol- great analogy, even down to slight twang... h34r: