First Fresh Wort Kit

[Beer]

I have just recieved a freshwort kit, and would like some advice on the best methods for brewing these.

The ingredients I was given are:

Fresh Wort Kit "Lager"

Morgans Lager Yeast (came with kit)

Saflager S-23 Dried Lager Yeast

Morgans Finishing Hops "Hallertau"


Now I am going to use the Saflager yeast, as I was told this is much better yeast.

What I need to know is the best method to prepare all these ingredients to make a great beer, and the method of brewing (temp, gravs, time etc).

Being still a newbie to HB I would appreciate the help.

Cheers,

Beer :chug:

 

[Samwise Gamgee]

Ideally for a Lager (when using a lager yeast) you would want to ferment around 10-12C.

I'm not an expert on diacetyl and diacetyl rest, but i think you wanna raise the temp up to 20C for about 2-3days towards the end of primary fermentation before racking to secondary.

Lager's generally take longer to ferment because of the lower fermenting temps but im not sure of the time period, maybe 10-14 days?

hope this helps

EDIT: Have a search for "diacetyl" and you'll find the appropriate info about how to deal with it properly. While you're at it, have a search about lagering and lager fermenting temps, will have more reliable info that what i've just supplied

 

[OCC]

i'm in the same boat beer,i just put on a esb largar fresh wort.
bought it straight from esb at peakhurst and mel gave me a white labs yeast to use.
put it on last thursday and it has been bubbling away nicely at 20c,will be putting another one on the same yeast cake when this one is finished.
i to would like to know if there are any better ways of brewing the fresh wort kits.... occ

 

[T.D.]

I have done this one before. I used saflager, fermented it in an ice bath (never went below 15degC though), and from memory I added the maximum recommended amount of extra water. If I did it again I would add a little less water. I think I added 5 litres, so maybe try 3.

What equipment do you have? Temp-controlled fridge by any chance? Pitch the yeast sachet at ambient temperature and give it around 12 hours to get cracking, then, if possible, ferment it at around 12 degrees until you get to around 1.020. Then do a diacetyl rest (let it sit in ambient temps again for around 48 hours) and then rack to secondary and add the hops (I would dry hop unless you want to do a proper boil). Lager at around 3-4deg for up to 4 weeks. That should produce a pretty smart beer I reckon.

 

[Steve]

Beer
If you dont have temp control to do the lager at lager temps (12 deg) just try Safale SO4 instead and brew at ales temps (18 deg). Still produces a nice drop.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Beer]

T.D -

Well unfortunatly I dont have a temp controlled fridge as such. I have my beer fridge in the garage, which could be used, as the house fridge can hold my beers for a while.
I will have to check what temp range my fridge goes from.

A little confused on the dry hop/ boil, the bag the HBS guy gave me was an infusion bag.

OCC -

We will have to share notes on these, as I was tempted to get the white labs yeast, but decided on the HBS recommendation of the Saflager. Be interested to see the difference.

Sam -

Thanks for tip.. will do a search now.

All I gotta figure out is how to keep the temp down for the lager if my fridge doesn't have the range... How did you do the ice bath T.D??

 

[OCC]

hey beer, what brand of fresh wort are ya using.

 

[Steve]

Beer
The infusion bags (t/bags) are simple. Read the instructions on the pack. Place bag in a mug of boiling water for approx 10-15 mins and then throw the tea and the bag in the fermenter after you've finished filling the fermenter. Job done.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Steve]

also beer - if you want a good cheap digital thermometer to see the temp of your beer fridge go to the auto section in K'mart. They are black, about 100mm long and have a name something like "S-type" or something. They are only $14.99. Thermometer sits on top of fridge and the probe goes in the fridge. This will give you an indication of how cold your fridge really is.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Beer]

OCC -

Its the ESB one.

Steve -

Thx for tip on the Safale, but I really wanna try for a lager yeast.. good experience for me

So I just use the bag as normal in the first ferment? or put it in when I rack?

And thx for the tip on the thermo, will duck down to k-mart and check them out.


Cheers,

Beer

 

[Steve]

i put it in first ferment - good luck

 

[T.D.]

I have used saflager before at ale temps and it doesn't seem to produce any off-flavours, as is sometimes the case with other yeasts. In my opinion, the flavour simply approaches that of an ale when it is fermented at higher temps. So don't worry too much about keeping it at the perfect temp - but if you can manage something between 10 and 15 degrees you will get a more "lager"-like beer.

 

[Beer]

Ok, have just put it down, heres what I did:

Sterilise, sterilise, sterilise.. I am a fanatic
Poured the wort kit into carboy
added 4 litres of spring water
checked SG: 1.036 (doesn't seem high enough.. but oh well)
put hops in boiled water for 10 mins and then added.
Cooled fermenter down with ice to about 20c (not sure if my stick on thermo is working right or not its old)
sprinkled the yeast over the top.
Sealed..

Have a large esky, so have stood it on end, and put carboy in it, with a few ice bricks.
Temp in esky currently at 8c but this is rising with inclusion of the fermenter.. will keep ice bricks rotating to try to maintain around 10-12 deg as advised.

Now to wait...1 and a bit weeks I assume from reading, then I will give it a rest for 2 days, then stick it back in esky at 12c for another few days, then rack and put it in the fridge (temp of fridge about 2 deg) for another week or so.

I will add to this thread regulary to give you my progress.

 

[T.D.]

That setup looks great Beer - will also work well for insulating your brews in winter and summer against the extreme temperatures.

I just tried a pilsner I have lagering (pff, not really lagering - its sitting at 12degC!) that I made with saflager. I have a little wine fridge that I bought at Big W that I use for lagers. The only problem is the lowest setting gives me about 12degC which is great for fermentation but not ideal for lagering. The other problem is that it struggles to compete with the exothermic nature of the vigorous primary fermentation. For this brew I let the yeast kick in before I put it in the fridge and it struggled to get it down much lower than 19-20 degrees. Pretty disappointing really - next time I will stick it in the fridge right away and let it cool down while the yeast gets going so hopefully the fridge will get a bit of a head start! Anyway, the reason I bring this up, is because upon tasting the beer from secondary this afternoon, the flavour was very lager-like. I was quite amazed actually, since the bulk of fermentation (except probably 1.025 onwards to terminal gravity) was done at 19-20degC, and lagering is being done at 12deg. I am literally 10 degrees over the ideal temps on both counts! Anyway, I am quite amazed at how few fruity, estery flavours there are. In fact I would say, there are really none. Strange but true. And there's just a hint of that lager sulfur aroma too (which I don't actually mind that much). Anyway, I just thought I'd let you know that it might be difficult to keep the temp down to 8-10 degrees during primary fermentation, but also not to be too concerned because hopefully, as I found out, it will still taste very much like a lager. I guess just try and make it as cold as possible and see how it goes. :beer:

 

[Bazza]

Ok, have just put it down, heres what I did:

Sterilise, sterilise, sterilise.. I am a fanatic
Poured the wort kit into carboy
added 4 litres of spring water
checked SG: 1.036 (doesn't seem high enough.. but oh well)
put hops in boiled water for 10 mins and then added.
Cooled fermenter down with ice to about 20c (not sure if my stick on thermo is working right or not its old)
sprinkled the yeast over the top.
Sealed..

Have a large esky, so have stood it on end, and put carboy in it, with a few ice bricks.
Temp in esky currently at 8c but this is rising with inclusion of the fermenter.. will keep ice bricks rotating to try to maintain around 10-12 deg as advised.

Now to wait...1 and a bit weeks I assume from reading, then I will give it a rest for 2 days, then stick it back in esky at 12c for another few days, then rack and put it in the fridge (temp of fridge about 2 deg) for another week or so.

I will add to this thread regulary to give you my progress.

[post="83699"][/post]​

Beer
rehydrate your yeast in cool boiled water (about 15 mins) - it will help the yeast get to work quickly
Bazza

 

[OCC]

all good with the sg beer, mine started out the same 1036 and i thought the same thing, so with 2 of them doin it it must be alright.
now close the esky lid and stop staring at the wort it's not gunna brew any faster!!!!!!

 

[Beer]

all good with the sg beer, mine started out the same 1036 and i thought the same thing, so with 2 of them doin it it must be alright.
now close the esky lid and stop staring at the wort it's not gunna brew any faster!!!!!!

[post="83737"][/post]​

yeh i can't stop looking at it.. haha

Checked the temp this morning and its sitting at a happy 12-13 deg, so am happy with that.

I think I have the bug now though, as I wanna start another brew (a partial ale) already ... just hope my credit card is up to the challenge of all the equipment I plan to get soon

 

[Steve]

Nice one Beer! Thats the go :beerbang:
Cheers
Steve

 

[Beer]

Ok an update...

I had the temp of the lager at about 12-14.. it fluctuated a bit.

I took a grav reading today, as the airlock had stopped bubbly and it was at 1.008

Now I may be wrong but after only around 7 days, i thought this would only be about 1.015-1.020...

So anyway I have put it down for a rest now for the next 3 days, then will rack and CC at 2 deg.

I will take a photo of the wort and post it up, cause it still looks foamy, even though it has dropped below kraus line.

 

[Weizguy]

Done well, Beer!

I have brewed a couple of those ESB Fresh Wort Lager/ Pils.

Have used Wyeast Bohemian lager, and it works well at 12-ish Celsius.

Now I may be wrong but after only around 7 days, I thought this would only be about 1.015-1.020...

You'll be surprised how well yeast works when yeast cell numbers are sufficient

In regard to previous comments about brewing lager at warm temps, Chris White of Whitelabs sez that if you have to brew a lager at higher temp, U should still use a lager yeast.

Seth out

P.S. Have a Czech pils (with Weyermann Bohemian pils malt - decocted and all) lagering at 0 C in my fridge. 2 more weeks and I'll bottle it. First attempt at this style.