Hello to all here

[manticle]

As per Kev: If you're going to be in it for the long haul and have the space; fridge + temp controller is the best, easiest method, especially in that region.

 

[Croc_TFNQ]

Hi manticle and QldKev

Yes here average temp is around 28_30 and in the afternoon 32 is common for a couple of hours night time 25 is now average. Ok so the water tub may help cool I will try next brew to late for this one.
Thanks for your assistance
Cheers Croc

 

[Kingy]

Fermentation temperature control is the first thing you should spend money on in my opinion after the starter kit if not before. For less than a 100 bux for a 2nd hand fridge and controller with a probe that sits in the wort the benefits are second to none. And peace of mind that its sitting on the right temp everytime no matter where you are.

 

[Croc_TFNQ]

Well guess it's time to bottle it and see what there is 6 days since I brewed it, taste from SG samples is excellent alcohol % I would say is not going to be there at all.
Last Thursday SG 1.012
Friday SG 1.011
Saturday SG 1.011
Sunday did not do sample as it had come back to life with activite in airlock.
Monday no more airlock activity SG 1.008

So tomorrow is 7 days if SG is the same or very very near and no airlock activity in the bottles it goes :unsure: :unsure:

 

[manticle]

If it went to 1008 in 2 days from 1011, leave it a bit longer. If it's still fermenting when you bottle it will create gas that will make your bottles blow up. No harm will come from leaving until you know it's ready.

 

[Screwtop]

Slow down FFS. Give it two weeks in the fermenter.

Brew Well and Cheers,

Screwy

 

[Croc_TFNQ]

:unsure: oh ok manticle and Screwy as I said I am on my L plates here not even P plates yet. That is why I put the post today hoping someone may either put me straight and say happy bottling or hang on a minute stupid your still rushing this thing. All I have to go on is what the brew shop guys have told me ( I know they dont brew the stuff they are just there to sell it) which is what I am fast finding out from you brewers here :beerbang: and I sincerely thank you. I still have a lot of bubbles under the lid so I spose my common sense should tell me something is still happening in there. Duh :huh:

Ok leave it leave it leave it.

Thank you once again.

 

[Doug the Drinker]

Hi are there any brewers from the tropical areas of Australia here ? as I am informed it makes a difference how to brew a good ginger beer.
I am brand new to this forum, and brand new to home brewing, except for a seriously failed attempt way back in the late 1970's that kept me away from any home brew until this present time.
Now, as such an uninformed novice, I would like to pose some questions if you have the patientce. As I now want to start brewing an Alcoholic Ginger Beer along the lines of Matso's in Broome WA. Even a bit more alcohol content but not to ridiculous levels
I was all set to start, so I went to my local Home Brewing outlet for advice and get a grip on the start up needs and equipment.
I had it in my mind to start the brew from making a root ginger plant (bug) and letting it do its thing with loving care on the bench top, then transfering to a fermenter untill it was ready to bottle.
I was strongly advised this was NOT the way to go in the Tropical Climate of Cairns Nth Queensaland to use the guys words "it will taste like sh*t" because there is to much wild yeast floating around here because of the climate, his advice was use a canned premix Ginger Beer and add more ginger root if I wanted more Ginger taste.
Also on the subject of sugars I was going to use raw sugar again the advice was no.
Any thoughts on this please ?

I would welcome any good relevent advice please

Thank you.

Hi Croc,

Unfortunately I no longer live in the tropics, but I have had some experience in brewing ginger beer in tropical conditions.

I once got about 10 kg of fresh ginger very cheap and started up the ginger beer "bug". The bug is of course a yeast culture.

I used the bug to brew up about six dozen bottles of non-alcoholic ginger beer for the kids. Then I thought why not add in more sugar and ginger and let it go for a week or so and make some alcoholic ginger beer for the big kids..

It worked a treat.

 

[Screwtop]

:unsure: oh ok manticle and Screwy as I said I am on my L plates here not even P plates yet. That is why I put the post today hoping someone may either put me straight and say happy bottling or hang on a minute stupid your still rushing this thing. All I have to go on is what the brew shop guys have told me ( I know they dont brew the stuff they are just there to sell it) which is what I am fast finding out from you brewers here :beerbang: and I sincerely thank you. I still have a lot of bubbles under the lid so I spose my common sense should tell me something is still happening in there. Duh :huh:

Ok leave it leave it leave it.

Thank you once again.

It's tough being a newbie brewer, when you're new to the hobby it's hard to resist checking on your ferment frequently. As fermentation slows down it's more important to leave it alone and keep the lid on the fermenter. The cloud of CO2 which has formed above the fermenting liquid in your fermenter actually protects it from nasties. No bubbling of liquid in your airlock is not a reliable indication at any time. Plastic fermenters and seals are renowned for leaking gas. Take a gravity reading before pitching yeast (OG - or Original Gravity reading) then by taking progressive SG readings you have a true indication of the progress of your fermentation. If the gravity reading is the same as one taken 5 days previously then it's done. Using a Refractometer (eBay) requires only a couple of drops of liquid and is a more convenient way of testing gravity, not requiring 100ml for the test sample.

Screwy

 

[manticle]

^Although if you use a refractometer after fermentation has commenced, don't forget to correct the reading for the presence of alcohol.

 

[Croc_TFNQ]

Yes well you see I did not take a Gravity reading when I put the brew down :-( why ? because no one told me to. Not even the instructions on the kit and that is what I followed to the letter. I did find out later from an English web site "quick guide How to use a Hydrometer".
I am learning thanks to you people here. Next time or maybe the time after I will get it all together. Thanks again for all your advice.

 

[Croc_TFNQ]

SG 1.001 Day 8
I will leave it alone :lol: until after Easter "if I can" then do another reading . Cheers to all who have given me good advice and a safe great Easter to you all .

 

[Screwtop]

^Although if you use a refractometer after fermentation has commenced, don't forget to correct the reading for the presence of alcohol.

Thanks manticle, I slipped up there, very very important to remember to correct refractometer readings once fermentation begins.

http://www.nationalhomebrew.com.au/beer/brewing-equipment-pots-and-hardware/other-refractometer-portable-with-atc


Screwy

 

[Croc_TFNQ]

Hi all

Well it's been 13days since I put my GB in the FV and I am still getting differant SG readings last Wednesday 1st April was 1.001 today Mon 6th April is 1.000 should I bottle it ? :unsure: I was hoping to get the 5day apart exact same SG reading as advised is .001 close enough ? :chug: sample is good just not carbonated of course.

 

[manticle]

If it's moving, leave it. Even when it's finished, a few extra days can benefit the brew.
Get a second fermenter so you can be patient with the first.

 

[Croc_TFNQ]

manticle

Are you standing behind me I was thinking exactly that this morning when I took the reading :lol: go and get another fermenter dumbo your going to need it :huh: thanks for the reply.

Croc

 

[Croc_TFNQ]

Yes I think I have reached the holey grail two days reading 909 if it is 909 again tomorrow I will bottle it :chug: Now an opinion from the brew Gods here should I go with a kit again or try something like Dr Smurto recipe
20L batch

1.25 kg ginger (0.75kg fresh and 0.5kg that has been stored in the fridge for >2 months)
2.5 kg raw sugar
1 cinnamon stick
6 cloves (the spice, not garlic.....)
2 lemons
Champagne yeast

Puree the ginger, skin and all. Chop lemon roughly. Boil everything for 30 mins to 1 hour. Cool. Top up to 20L in fermenter. Pitch yeast (and some nutrient if you have some on hand).

Finishes close to 1.000.

Boiling all of the lemon can lead to an astringency due to the pith. I havent found this to be the case but it could be hiding under all that ginger. The fresh ginger provides the aroma, the older stuff gives you an almighty ginger bite.

(have tried a combo of LDME/crystal malt and sugar, it depends on your taste - this turns out very dry. The ladies mix it with lemonade to sweeten it up)

Just what is LDME/crystal malt ? and just add a bit more of everything for 25litre ? :unsure:

Thanks for all your help.

 

[manticle]

LDME is light, dried malt extract (light/pale in colour). Crystal malt is a type of malted barley that you crack, steep in hot water for 30-60 mins (or soak cold overnight) then drain the liquid into a pot. Discard the grain, boil the liquid.

Can buy crystal malt at many homebrew shops or order online and it makes a good addition to kit beers to give them a lift.

 

[Croc_TFNQ]

manticle
again thank you for explanation so I assume that Dr Smurto is using this LDME/crystal malt purely for taste ? or is it helpful for a good brew ?
Ok things I did wrong first time.
1
#1 impatience
#2 I did not do a SG reading at the start ? now I assume you do this after it is all mixed and in the FV then take a sampple to get the SG then this gives a baseline to work on.

Questions ? I see here some adding extra yeast and a yeast enhancer. Is that good or bad.
Sugar or dextrose in the main mix or a mix of both or stick wth the dextrose ?

AND LEAVE IT ALONE UNTIL I GET A CONSTANT STABLE READING

I am a happy camper that it is ready to bottle I hope.

 

[manticle]

It's flavour and body mostly but also overall balance.
A kit ginger beer will usually have additives, including artificial sweeteners.
Straight up water, ginger and sugar will ferment right out and be bone dry. The ldme and crystal combat that by adding body and residual sweetness.

Malt is what beer is usually made from and the main, fermentable sugar it provides is maltose. Dextrose will ferment right out (think dry and thin) malt and some other 'sugars' will not. Use a blend or balance to get the result you want. For most kit beers I reckon kit + malt (75%) + dextrose (25%) should see you right but experiment to find your preference. Different styles are better with more or less of either as well. Dex is better than table sugar if large amounts are used. For smaller amounts and for bottle priming, table sugar is generally fine.

Everything you do/add can affect the final result. Using different yeast can help. Different yeast strains provide different flavours (often in a major way) but also amount and health of yeast will change a beer significantly. Kit yeasts are ok and will do the job but usually they are around half the amount by weight you really should use and being under the lid in the heat, etc is not good for it. Yeast should be refrigerated. $5 for a well stored, larger amount of yeast is a good investment.
You can make booze very easily. It's a bit more work to make good booze but well worth the time and effort.