Heading In the right direction?

[Major Arcana]

Howdy everyone,

This is my first post on this great forum i must say it has been very informative.

Im sure most of you are tired of seeing the new brewers FAQs etc but after reading through through all the FAQs thread i was just wondering if you can let me know im heading in the right direction? I purchased a Brewcraft kit a couple of weeks ago, and read up a bit before i did my first brew last thursday, it was a basic beercraft lager, i followed the directions etc and it said it needed to be consistant at a temperature between like 18 -25 degrees. It currently sits stable at 20 degrees, my question is i thought lagers were meant to be fermented at a colder temperature? Will this batch be okay you think or should i turf it? Also the airlock is not bubbling away but there is brown scummy ring happening in the fermentor so i assume is still working. Would love to hear your thoughts fellas.

Cheers,

 

[Mattrox]

The kit probably comes with an ale yeast. 20 deg might be slightly warm but you'll make beer. Drink it, refine your methods and enjoy the improving tastes of your homebrews.

 

[zarniwoop]

I'm not very familiar with the kit side of things but I believe that a lot of kit lagers often use ale yeast which is normally fermented at the higher temperature range so it should be fine. I'm sure someone with more knowledge of this kit will be able to confirm if this is correct. As time goes by you'll probably want to start using a temperature controlled fridge as horrible things happen to the flavour at higher temperatures.

The lack of bubbles probably doesn't mean very much, you may have a small leak in the fermenter which means gas is escaping elsewhere, the ring of brown stuff you mention is probably the remains of the krausen from the fermentation, if it's been fermenting since last thursday the krausen has probably already dropped so it sounds about right. The only real way to tell is to take a gravity reading, you'll need a hydrometer if you don't already have one.

Grab yourself a copy of John Palmers "How to Brew" (also available on his website for free), it gave me a great start in brewing.


Cheers

Zarniwoop

 

[Major Arcana]

Thanks Heaps fellas, i do have the hydrometer so will check the gravity reading soon, i will have look at trying to keep a consistent lower temperature this seems to definitely be the way to go!

Cheers,

 

[TheWiggman]

No reason whatsoever to turf it. A stable 20°C is better than most brewers' first crack so consider it a job well done.

Keep it simple to start with - the most important next step is using the hydrometer as zarniwoop says. Take a reading after a week and assuming you did everything right, the gravity should be low (check the kit instructions for an estimate). If you take the same reading over 3 days and it's in the 1.010 region, you're good to bottle. If not reply back and you'll get some advice on what to do next.
The airlock is a good indicator of activity when it's working, but just because it's not bubbling doesn't mean it's not working.

For now keep the lid on, wait it out, get those bottles cleaned and sanitised and get ready to wait at least 2 weeks for them to carbonate.
And then : :chug:

 

[Major Arcana]

No reason whatsoever to turf it. A stable 20°C is better than most brewers' first crack so consider it a job well done.

Keep it simple to start with - the most important next step is using the hydrometer as zarniwoop says. Take a reading after a week and assuming you did everything right, the gravity should be low (check the kit instructions for an estimate). If you take the same reading over 3 days and it's in the 1.010 region, you're good to bottle. If not reply back and you'll get some advice on what to do next.
The airlock is a good indicator of activity when it's working, but just because it's not bubbling doesn't mean it's not working.

For now keep the lid on, wait it out, get those bottles cleaned and sanitised and get ready to wait at least 2 weeks for them to carbonate.
And then : :chug:

Sounds good im gonna check out my first reading probably about Sunday so approximitely 10 days of fermenting and see where i am at.

cheers,

 

[Droopy Brew]

MAte if the krausen has dropped out after 7 days take a reading now then another at 10 days. Every chance it will be done and wont have moved so you can bottle at 10 days if you like.
Of course a good ingredient of beer is time so if you are patient it wont hurt to leave it on the yeast for 14 days even if fermentation has stopped. This will allow the yeast to clean up some of the proteins which may cause off flavours- aldehydes etc. and result in a better beer.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

I'm not very familiar with the kit side of things but I believe that a lot of kit lagers often use ale yeast

Some of the Coopers kits use a mix of ale & lager yeast in the packet. Cant remember which one.

But the majority are ale yeasts

 

[indica86]

Original Series:- Ac

International Series:-
Australian Pale Ale - Ac+L
Mexican Cerveza - Ac+L
European Lager - L
Canadian Blonde - Ac
English Bitter - Ac

Thomas Coopers Selection:-
Wheat - A
IPA - Ac
Irish Stout - A
Pilsener - L
Australian Bitter - Ac+L
Heritage Lager - Ac+L
Sparkling Ale - Ac+L
Traditional Draught - Ac+L

Note:
Ac = Coopers ale yeast (our own strain, not the same as the yeast in our commercial ales, developed in-house and propagated under contract).

A = ale yeast and L = lager yeast (these strains are commercially available dry yeast and their details are held in confidence).

 

[Major Arcana]

Thanks, for the advice fellas, i will be doing my first hydrometer test this weekend and will check it out to see if it is stable the next few consecutive days. Will inform as to how it went!

cheers! :icon_cheers:

 

[Nullnvoid]

I got a brewcraft kit for Christmas. It came with exactly the same kit in it. If it's the same one that is. You haven't done anything different to what I did and mine turned out fine.

Not saying it's right but the beer I ended up with was drinkable.....very drinkable

 

[Major Arcana]

I got a brewcraft kit for Christmas. It came with exactly the same kit in it. If it's the same one that is. You haven't done anything different to what I did and mine turned out fine.

Not saying it's right but the beer I ended up with was drinkable.....very drinkable

Nullnvoid, very comforting to know that mate thaks for the reply, how long did you leave it fermenting for may i ask? :huh:

 

[Nullnvoid]

It was in the fermenter for 14 days and then I left it in the bottle for 4 weeks before I started drinking. The package says 3 weeks but I left it 4.

 

[Major Arcana]

It was in the fermenter for 14 days and then I left it in the bottle for 4 weeks before I started drinking. The package says 3 weeks but I left it 4.

Ahh even better exactly what i intend to do, cheers for the info will let you know she goes! :icon_cheers:

 

[Nullnvoid]

And then once you have bottled that, stick another one in and get another batch going. I tried a pale ale after that draught and it tasted even better and then the third kit tasted better again.

But the first was good and a relief of was drinkable . SHMBO even enjoyed it

 

[Major Arcana]

And then once you have bottled that, stick another one in and get another batch going. I tried a pale ale after that draught and it tasted even better and then the third kit tasted better again.

But the first was good and a relief of was drinkable . SHMBO even enjoyed it

Haa mate im getting bloody excited now, the second batch i have is a Black Rock Pilsener, hopefully she goes well, are you familiar with this one? Also did you use the 1kg of dextrose for all of your batches?

cheers, :icon_cheers:

 

[pilgrimspiss]

Not sure about others, but I used to put 1 kg of Dextrose or brown sugar in all my kit beers!! And sometimes some extra Dry Malt Extract (500g) for more body on heavier styled beers or dried wheat malt (500g) for more head / retension.

You can just pour it in once you've mixed your kit up in the fermentor, mix it into a boil, put it in then add your water or add it after a few days fermentation.

Experimentation is awesome!!

Cheers
Matty.

 

[Major Arcana]

Not sure about others, but I used to put 1 kg of Dextrose or brown sugar in all my kit beers!! And sometimes some extra Dry Malt Extract (500g) for more body on heavier styled beers or dried wheat malt (500g) for more head / retension.

You can just pour it in once you've mixed your kit up in the fermentor, mix it into a boil, put it in then add your water or add it after a few days fermentation.

Experimentation is awesome!!

Cheers
Matty.

Hi Matty,
cheers for that, so just confirming you added 500g of DME instead of the kg of Dextrose? Or did you use the kilo of dextrose and also the DME? Sorry hell newbie here eh! cheers.

 

[brzt6060]

I wouldn't use just 500g of DME.
I would use one of the following combinations or something similar:
500g DME & 500g Dextrose
1kg DME and 200g to 500g dextrose
1kg dextrose and 200g to 500g DME.
I think you get the point.
Play around, experiment and most importantly have fun and don't stress.

 

[brzt6060]

. sorry double post... Stupid phone / phone operator...