First time brewing need help

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Read your hydrometer in tap water @ 20C. Any offset from 1.000 is your error margin for future readings. My Coopers hydro was out by 0.02, reading 0.998.
 
Read your hydrometer in tap water @ 20C. Any offset from 1.000 is your error margin for future readings. My Coopers hydro was out by 0.02, reading 0.998.
Thanks Maves, I will do that.
 
I now have 3 Cooper's plastic hydrometers that I keep in the drawer for emergencies only. The thing to look for is when the gravity stops dropping. If you get the same reading for 24 hours, or even wait 48 hours, it is done. I recently made the Beermakers Old that was meant to get down to 1.010. It stopped at 1.016 and stayed there for nearly 1 week, which was a waste of fermenter fridge time and potentially damaging to the beer. 5 batches of the same beer since then have repeatedly gone to 1.016 / 1.017 so I bottle it when I get a stable reading for 2 days. I find it usually takes 5 - 7 days depending upon which kit it is. Simply saying leave it for 2 weeks and then bottle is a mug's approach.

There is no point in "lagering" kit Cooper's Lager (maybe the Thomas Cooper series Crown Lager) as it is not a lager.
 
What's the best way to get all of the brew extract out of the tin? I have tried filling it with hot water multiple times but it just seems to froth up and I feel that I'm not getting it all out. What do you guy's do?
 
What's the best way to get all of the brew extract out of the tin? I have tried filling it with hot water multiple times but it just seems to froth up and I feel that I'm not getting it all out. What do you guy's do?
Submerge the unopened tin in hot water for 15min or so, it will be more liquid and you'll get more out. Empty it into the fermenter then top up with hot water, stir and pour.
 
Submerge the unopened tin in hot water for 15min or so, it will be more liquid and you'll get more out. Empty it into the fermenter then top up with hot water, stir and pour.
Thanks once again for the help Drubbing, much appreciated. Cheers Mate.
 
What's the best way to get all of the brew extract out of the tin? I have tried filling it with hot water multiple times but it just seems to froth up and I feel that I'm not getting it all out. What do you guy's do?
As @Drubbing said, submerge in got water before opening.
When you open it, keep the lid nearby. Once you've poured all of it in, fill the can about 1/3 with boiling water. Place the lid back on top and leave for a few minutes before tipping that in too. This will help get all of the last bits out and the can will be pretty clean.
 
As @Drubbing said, submerge in got water before opening.
When you open it, keep the lid nearby. Once you've poured all of it in, fill the can about 1/3 with boiling water. Place the lid back on top and leave for a few minutes before tipping that in too. This will help get all of the last bits out and the can will be pretty clean.
I forgot to add - use an oven glove or tea towel. The can will be really hot to touch!
Of course it will be hot, but some people (me) forget that.
 
I forgot to add - use an oven glove or tea towel. The can will be really hot to touch!
Of course it will be hot, but some people (me) forget that.
Will do Naboo, I'm stupid enough to have not thought of that. Cheers.
 
What does everyone do with there bottles after you have emptied them? Do you clean them straight away or just rinse them with hot water until it's time to make another brew and then clean and sanitise them? I know this may sound like a stupid question but I'm trying to learn as much as I can.
 
I've only ever bottled in 16 years of brewing. The only bottles I use are Coopers longnecks. Once empty I simply swirl a little cold tap water to rinse it, and repeat that 3 or 4 times. Then simply drain it upside down. I store them in a crate, on their sides.
Before use I swirl a little Brewman sanitiser solution to coat the entire inside of the bottle, drain it, fill and cap.
No need for hot water etc. Never had an infection nor a bottle bomb doing this.
 
I've only ever bottled in 16 years of brewing. The only bottles I use are Coopers longnecks. Once empty I simply swirl a little cold tap water to rinse it, and repeat that 3 or 4 times. Then simply drain it upside down. I store them in a crate, on their sides.
Before use I swirl a little Brewman sanitiser solution to coat the entire inside of the bottle, drain it, fill and cap.
No need for hot water etc. Never had an infection nor a bottle bomb doing
 
I've only ever bottled in 16 years of brewing. The only bottles I use are Coopers longnecks. Once empty I simply swirl a little cold tap water to rinse it, and repeat that 3 or 4 times. Then simply drain it upside down. I store them in a crate, on their sides.
Before use I swirl a little Brewman sanitiser solution to coat the entire inside of the bottle, drain it, fill and cap.
No need for hot water etc. Never had an infection nor a bottle bomb doing this.
Thanks philrob, I may have get myself a bottle tree so I can drain them as I live in a small cabin and dont have much bench space. Cheers.
 
I do it at the start of my bottling session. When drained I prime them all, then fill, then cap.
Thanks mate, just wasn't sure if you had to wait for them to dry before bottling. Cheers.
 
I do it at the start of my bottling session. When drained I prime them all, then fill, then cap.
Does it matter if they are not fully dry (using no rinse sanitiser) when you bottle your brew?
 
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