Complete Newbie with some easy questions

[panzerd18]

That taps threaded? This is the coopers snap lock tap

2014-08-08-00-54-34--228456717.jpeg

The image you posted is my tap. The black one I posted was just to show the style of tap with the flip lever.

What would be the reason for the leak originating from the nozzle itself?

 

[calobes]

Unless its actually broken internally, there could be some gunk in there holding it open slightly? When you finish this brew, pull it apart and make sure its all ok. It comes apart into two parts im pretty sure.

 

[calobes]

If it starts to leak again maybe try flushing a bit of wort through it, not alot, just enough to clear any debris.

 

[panzerd18]

It actually was fine at first. Only after I opened the tap to fill my hydrometer tube did it start leaking.

 

[burrster]

HI Panzerd. I've made a few light beers out of the Coopers Cerveza kit. I used the kit, Steeped 400g carapils grain, and then added what evers hops I wanted at the time. If you learn about steeping grain and doing hops additions you can quickly get some good flavours without adding to much fermentables. As a starter you could try the kit, 300g of maltodextrin as suggested by antiphile, and 25g hops addition in a small boil for say 5 minutes.( you could try citra, cascade, amarillo, galaxy, the list goes on....) You wont regret the extra effort of steeping grains and adding hops.

 

[panzerd18]

Thanks burrster. Will try next time. I have no idea what the Coopers Original Lager will taste like, so its a little bland I can add more next time.

I am getting a bit worried as I can't see any foaming in the fermenter. The temperature has come down lower now at 14C degrees. Ambient temperature is still at 10.

 

[Beertard]

Smear a tiny bit of olive oil on the rubber tap parts before you push it in next time.
or food grade grease if you want to get some.
edit, as I see you've been told already.
It shouldn't leak through the mechanism if the rubber parts are sealing.

 

[panzerd18]

Smear a tiny bit of olive oil on the rubber tap parts before you push it in next time.
or food grade grease if you want to get some.

Hi, its not actually leaking from the fit between the rubber seals and the fermenter. It was leaking directly from the nozzle itself. However after around 30mins it stopped for some reason.

 

[panzerd18]

Great success I can see bubbles raising to the surface. Not much, but I can see them faintly if I look closely.


Another question is, how do I accurately read the stick on LCD thermometer? There seems to be a few colours that light up.

 

[ManVsBeer]

Great success I can see bubbles raising to the surface. Not much, but I can see them faintly if I look closely.


Another question is, how do I accurately read the stick on LCD thermometer? There seems to be a few colours that light up.

With every stick on thermometer I've used, green represents the temperature. If it's not green, the temp is between the blue and brown marked numbers. Clear as mud?

 

[wereprawn]

Those stick on thermometers can be quite inaccurate. After buying a sugar thermometer for about $15 bucks from a kitchen ware shop, and calibrating , I found the stick on to be about 4 c out. A huge amount in brewing.

 

[Turnloose]

Hi Panzerd,

I'm new here! But I've been lurking a long time.

Seems as if most of your questions have been answered.

- For sweetness, body & mouth feel you could also use a lactose sugar - it's unfermentable. Another alternate in future would be to do a mini mash/partial mash just in a pot and use some liquid malt extract. This would yield maltier flavors and depending on which malt you use and how you use it you can wind up with a low level of fermentable sugars (higher mash temp for body and higher FG).

- I've never used one of the coopers kits you've got. Liquorcraft in Richmond/Oakliegh sell full beginners kits for around $110. Grain and Grape in Yarraville are around the same price. IMO from reading the coopers kit the quality of the kit from those two retailers is pretty good. Another alternate is an Ale Pail. RC Model in Clayton South are getting into homebrewing supplies (from RC Hobbies to brewing?!). They have Ale pail kits down there and will do you a good price if you ask for it (25L pail kit for $30-40, pail w/ tap + lid for $15-20)

- Cleaning/Sanitizing. I'd simply recommend Star-San for this. Grain and Grape in Yarraville sell 1L for $40. You use 1.5ml/L of water. This stuff is great. For actual cleaning a bit of scrubbing power never hurt anyone

- Temperature. I'd recommend picking up a heat pad if you want to produce ales. Lager yeasts ferment at lower temperatures and produce clean beers with little yeast character. Ale yeasts ferment at higher temperatures and produce beers with yeast character (fruitiness ect.). It really depends on what you want.

Hope all of this helps. If you ever want to get into AG or partial mash, I'd always recommend G&G for supplies.

 

[panzerd18]

With every stick on thermometer I've used, green represents the temperature. If it's not green, the temp is between the blue and brown marked numbers. Clear as mud?

Thanks very much. Its sitting green on 10 degrees C now. Thats Melbourne temperatures for you!

Those stick on thermometers can be quite inaccurate. After buying a sugar thermometer for about $15 bucks from a kitchen ware shop, and calibrating , I found the stick on to be about 4 c out. A huge amount in brewing.

How would I continuously measure the temperature in the fermenter?

Hi Panzerd,

I'm new here! But I've been lurking a long time.

Seems as if most of your questions have been answered.

- For sweetness, body & mouth feel you could also use a lactose sugar - it's unfermentable. Another alternate in future would be to do a mini mash/partial mash just in a pot and use some liquid malt extract. This would yield maltier flavors and depending on which malt you use and how you use it you can wind up with a low level of fermentable sugars (higher mash temp for body and higher FG).

- I've never used one of the coopers kits you've got. Liquorcraft in Richmond/Oakliegh sell full beginners kits for around $110. Grain and Grape in Yarraville are around the same price. IMO from reading the coopers kit the quality of the kit from those two retailers is pretty good. Another alternate is an Ale Pail. RC Model in Clayton South are getting into homebrewing supplies (from RC Hobbies to brewing?!). They have Ale pail kits down there and will do you a good price if you ask for it (25L pail kit for $30-40, pail w/ tap + lid for $15-20)

- Cleaning/Sanitizing. I'd simply recommend Star-San for this. Grain and Grape in Yarraville sell 1L for $40. You use 1.5ml/L of water. This stuff is great. For actual cleaning a bit of scrubbing power never hurt anyone

- Temperature. I'd recommend picking up a heat pad if you want to produce ales. Lager yeasts ferment at lower temperatures and produce clean beers with little yeast character. Ale yeasts ferment at higher temperatures and produce beers with yeast character (fruitiness ect.). It really depends on what you want.

Hope all of this helps. If you ever want to get into AG or partial mash, I'd always recommend G&G for supplies.

Thanks for your advice. I think I have been hit by the brew bug as I have spent the last few days watching all sorts of videos and reading up on different techniques. Then looking at homebrew stores at all the expensive equipment.

I think I won't jump in too soon with expensive equipment, but do a few more kit beers, with additions such as dry hopping or grain steeping first. If it turns out nicely I will consider looking into boiling malt and adding wort and then even mashing grains.

 

[wereprawn]

How would I continuously measure the temperature in the fermenter?




You can use wet suit material or bubble wrap and tape the probe of the thermometer horizontally to the fermenter. Although the digital ones with the temp probe on the end of a wire would suit better for that. My point was more that trusting the stick on's may not be the best idea when a fairly cheap alternative is available.(and you will need to use it every time you brew)

 

[Blind Dog]

Turnloose's advice is all good, just remember never to scrub plastic, it will scratch making homes for bacteria. For cleaning, PBW is good but not cheap, the un scented napisan and knock offs are good and what I and lots of others here use to soak crap off.

 

[Turnloose]

It quickly goes from hobby to obsession!

Have a read of John Palmers "How to Brew" http://www.howtobrew.com/ and also get yourself a copy of Charlie Papazian's "The Complete Joy of Homebrewing". Both are really great guides for taking you from extract to AG.

I don't think you need to spend a fortune on equipment. I BIAB with a 45L electric urn from eBay, cost me $120. The boil is a little sluggish but sacrifices are made at that price.

I think you're definitely going the right way about it. Before you know it you'll live and breathe brewing!

Turnloose's advice is all good, just remember never to scrub plastic, it will scratch making homes for bacteria. For cleaning, PBW is good but not cheap, the un scented napisan and knock offs are good and what I and lots of others here use to soak crap off.

Totally agree with Blind Dog as well. I use a basic cleaning product with a soft sponge to clean my fermenters and follow it up with starsan.

 

[panzerd18]

Thanks for that I will remember not scratch the plastic. Some Star San arrived today. Thanks for the advice on that, it seems like the best home brewing sanitiser out there.

I have had to take the heat belt out and fit it to my fermenter as it was starting to go under 10 c degrees. Melbourne weather has been constantly at around 10c but now is 8c. I am disappointed that my temperature controller that I pug the heat belt into is calibrated wrong. It is reading a full 4c degrees higher than the stick on thermometer and my house thermometer. I will just had to adjust accordingly.


Looking at more temperature gear on ebay, you can buy simple LCD thermometers for around $5 including shipping. They come with a temperature probe. Also there are more expensive Type K thermocouple thermometers for around $30 which look good. They are still only accurate to +- 2 degrees from 0-20 degrees however, but should be in practice a lot more accurate I would hope.

 

[panzerd18]

People seem to talk a lot about the STC-1000 temp controller.

Seems pretty cheap. How does it work?


This is what I purchased for my Keg King heating belt.

 

[Turnloose]

People seem to talk a lot about the STC-1000 temp controller.

Seems pretty cheap. How does it work?

This video will show you how to wire and use the STC-1000.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30TvX1Zz1-Y

I just picked up two from eBay for 16 each - although I'm going to pop one on a fermenting fridge when I finally get it.

Are you using a lager strain or ale in the end?

This Melbourne weather is freezing at the moment! My fermenters are wrapped in a doona for a double bed, keeps them stable at 20C for about 36 hours, then I pop on the heat pads for a couple of hours and wrap them up again.

 

[panzerd18]

Well it looks as if my first batch may be down the drain.

So sad.

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/51830-infection-photo-thread/page-26#entry1209509