Brewn00b From Canberra

[Gord0]

Hi Brewcrew,

Just bottled my 1st batch of Brigalow homebrew lager I got from Aldi.

About to get a Coopers Stout on the way then am going to try a Honey Ale after that.

Suspect I'll be sick of washing bottles soon and have a fridge lined up for some kegs.

my 1st q - I waited until bottling to mix in the dissolved packet of finings with the main brew as opposed to at 3/4 completion (1030 sg - i think!).

Wil this make any difference to taste ?

my 2nd q - I just used tap water for the 23L brew. Considered using a (slow) water filter to remove a very slight fluoride taste in our water. worth the effort you reckon ??

cheers ! :beer:

 

[DJR]

Welcome gord0.

Won't make a difference when you use the finings, you'll find they're a bit pointless anyway, all it does is make the yeast clump together into bigger clumps in you beer Try another batch without them, you'll find after a week or two in bottles most brews will go crystal clear anyway, as long as you are using a decent yeast.

More important than filtering the water in your first brews is the other stuff - Sanitation, ingredients, yeast choice, fermentation temperature, procedure. Get all those nailed and then worry about changing your water. As far as i know Canberra has very soft water perfect for brewing without much adjustment.

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

I use Canberra tap water...it's great :super:

PZ.

 

[Gord0]

I use Canberra tap water...it's great :super:

PZ.

Cool - ta I agree just wondered if it would make the brew even better but the slow rate of the filter means it would takes ages to fill 23L !!

 

[Gord0]

Welcome gord0.

Won't make a difference when you use the finings, you'll find they're a bit pointless anyway, all it does is make the yeast clump together into bigger clumps in you beer Try another batch without them, you'll find after a week or two in bottles most brews will go crystal clear anyway, as long as you are using a decent yeast.

More important than filtering the water in your first brews is the other stuff - Sanitation, ingredients, yeast choice, fermentation temperature, procedure. Get all those nailed and then worry about changing your water. As far as i know Canberra has very soft water perfect for brewing without much adjustment.

Beaut, thanks DJR.

On the yeast I hadn't bought any for my 2nd brew yet as I had some fresh baker's yeast for the bread machine. At the risk of being flamed for not searching (which I'll do now....) is it ok to use in place of brewer's yeast or are they two totally different animals ??

oh and the 1st one might be bit funky anyway as the temp (taken outside the fermenter but inside the fridge) went from 16C to 35C until I stabilised it at 25C with some heat from a light globe. :blink:

TIA

 

[Steve]

I use Canberra tap water...it's great :super:

PZ.

Cool - ta I agree just wondered if it would make the brew even better but the slow rate of the filter means it would takes ages to fill 23L !!

Gordo - just filler er up from the tap....as fast as you can to aerate the wort. The yeast needs lots of oxygen in the wort to get going. Dont worry about filtering your water just yet. Havent used finings so cant comment.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

I've never used finnings either...maybe the fact it's made from fish scales is what put me off :blink:

PZ.

 

[DJR]

Finings are usually gelatin guys which is made from beef skin...

Not sure about the Baker's yeast, same organism, probably a bit funky flavoured though. You'd be better off using the kit yeast.

If you can go to the brewshop, get yourself some S-04, US56, or read up on reculturing Cooper's yeast. All of these yeasts are nice and clean.

25C ferments won't taste that good, ignore the kit directions and ferment all your ales at about 16-18C.

Read this post: http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...p?showtopic=570

 

[Whistlingjack]

Gord0, don't use baker's yeast! :excl:

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

Finings are usually gelatin guys which is made from beef skin...

Gelatin is made from hooves if cow, scales if fish

PZ.

 

[DJR]

Finings are usually gelatin guys which is made from beef skin...

Gelatin is made from hooves if cow, scales if fish

PZ.

Davis Gelatin reckons beef skin, but now we're getting OT

I don't add finings anyway, just a bit of gelatin in CCing if it's a cloudy brew, Polyclar is better though. Now we're really OT

 

[Gord0]

Finings are usually gelatin guys which is made from beef skin...

Not sure about the Baker's yeast, same organism, probably a bit funky flavoured though. You'd be better off using the kit yeast.

If you can go to the brewshop, get yourself some S-04, US56, or read up on reculturing Cooper's yeast. All of these yeasts are nice and clean.

25C ferments won't taste that good, ignore the kit directions and ferment all your ales at about 16-18C.

Read this post: http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...p?showtopic=570

stinky instructions :angry: will run the stout at 16-18 (why the big descrepency with the temp range ?) is that for Queensland only or something (being a Brigalow kit). thanks !

got the hint - no bakers yeast and give finings a miss...regardless whether bovine or finned variety

Pretty sure the coopers can comes with a pack of good stuff in the lid anyway so no probs there.

got a bunch of single use plastic caps inc with the kit I wasn't going to use. anyone had any sucess with these ?

 

[PostModern]

Pretty sure the coopers can comes with a pack of good stuff in the lid anyway so no probs there.

Coopers kits come with dehydrated mud in the yeast sachet. It's the strain that supposedly works well in the mid 20's. Use it in your bread machine or pizza dough and buy one of the yeasts DJR recommended above. Alternatively brew with it, but keep it under 20, then on your next batch try a different yeast and taste the difference.

 

[Gord0]

Pretty sure the coopers can comes with a pack of good stuff in the lid anyway so no probs there.

Coopers kits come with dehydrated mud in the yeast sachet. It's the strain that supposedly works well in the mid 20's. Use it in your bread machine or pizza dough and buy one of the yeasts DJR recommended above. Alternatively brew with it, but keep it under 20, then on your next batch try a different yeast and taste the difference.

THAT good ?? <erk> Ok point taken will get thee to our local (5 mins away) brewshop - Butts'n brew and grab some real stuff http://www.morgansbrewing.com.au/retailers...p?retailerID=42

Have heard only good things of these guys - any other locals had experience with them ?

 

[DJR]

Cooper's kit yeast < Cooper's recultured from a bottle. Different strains.

Most kits in Oz ship with Mauri 514, which is a neutral ale yeast, but you can do so much better.

B'n'B Kaleen seems to be pretty well regarded with the Canberra guys.

 

[Steve]

Pretty sure the coopers can comes with a pack of good stuff in the lid anyway so no probs there.

Coopers kits come with dehydrated mud in the yeast sachet. It's the strain that supposedly works well in the mid 20's. Use it in your bread machine or pizza dough and buy one of the yeasts DJR recommended above. Alternatively brew with it, but keep it under 20, then on your next batch try a different yeast and taste the difference.

THAT good ?? <erk> Ok point taken will get thee to our local (5 mins away) brewshop - Butts'n brew and grab some real stuff http://www.morgansbrewing.com.au/retailers...p?retailerID=42

Have heard only good things of these guys - any other locals had experience with them ?

The pic is of Brew Your Own at Home in Kambah....not Butts n brew. BYOAH is my local. Best brew shop in town. :beer:
Cheers
Steve

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

B'n'B Kaleen seems to be pretty well regarded with the Canberra guys.

Click here for a story about BnB: Linky linky

I live in Holt, but travel all the way to Kambah and see Colin when I want yeast...or anything else besides a tin of goo for that matter...often buy my goo there too :beerbang:

PZ.