New to Brewing

[Nullnvoid]

G'day,

So after getting a kit from my better half (well she has to be as she bought be a home brew kit), I finally got around to getting the brew started. Have spent since christmas reading and looking and reading and watching videos and more reading. It's amazing to be excited and nervous about the outcome, but it's all good fun so I don't care.

The kit came from Brewcraft and have just used what came with the kit. So included was:

Beermakers Draught
Yeast Y08613
Malt Booster 15

Hopefully as I learn I will be able to mix things around and learn a bit but wanted to start easy.

Was thinking about joining a club at some stage, there is one close by in Ferntree Gully.

Anyway, now the wait begins!

Thanks,
Russell

 

[law-of-ohms]

Welcome, im in your area, and thinking of joining a brew club too. Dies anyone know if there is a list of them and their locations?

 

[BottloBill]

Welcome guys! Just check under meet ups and brew clubs here on the forum for something in your area.

 

[recharge]

Good luck with your first brew.

Rich

 

[recharge]

Good luck with your first brew.

Rich

 

[manticle]

The brewclub in ferntree gully is Melbourne Brewers. They meet last wednesday of each month although there won't be a meeting until Feb (I think) due to Christmas break.

There is a list of active clubs in the club section on the forum.

 

[Scooby Tha Newbie]

Welcome to this great hobby. Enjoy

 

[Nullnvoid]

Thanks guys!

Melbourne brewers was the club I was looking at. It's the closest one to Cockatoo where I am. I figured they would be not having a meeting in January. My 4x4 clubs have January off too. I'll look into it some more and by February will probably be ready.

 

[Nullnvoid]

I need a bit of advice. I have left my brew for a week and a half now and have now started taking readings as it has stopped bubbling out of the air lock. I have been recording the temps for the last week and a half and it's been around the 19 mark, except for the last couple of days where it has slowly gone up to about 24.

I'm having trouble reading the gauge. Here is a picture:



So if I am reading it right, when I first got it going it read 1.44. The reading tonight was 1.12. Does this sound right? Am I reading it right?

It looked like beer, it certainly tasted like beer, so I am pretty happy so far. Am hoping to bottle it on the weekend if the readings stay the same for the next two days.

 

[Scooby Tha Newbie]

Yep sounds good. Two maybe three days at that temp should insure the same readings,and that ferment has stoped.

 

[MCHammo]

Nearly right. Those readings would be 1.044 and 1.012. You could be forgiven for making that mistake, though (notice the red marking, 1.000 - you're reading off the two least significant figures of the measurement)

 

[Scooby Tha Newbie]

Yep what he said.

 

[Nullnvoid]

Thanks MCHammo, that is where I was going wrong with the reading. That's a bit confusing!

But thanks, at least it know I'm on the right track.

 

[fuseo]

Gyday from a fellow 'noob'!

I found leaving my fermentation process for basically 6 weeks really made a difference in the flavour of my beer. I am currently drinking the cerveza kit from coopers and loving it. Its a really refreshing full flavour so I like that.

Readings before bottling in my experience have stayed pretty consistent. Take it out at 1010 and you should be schweet!

 

[Spiesy]

Gyday from a fellow 'noob'!

I found leaving my fermentation process for basically 6 weeks really made a difference in the flavour of my beer. I am currently drinking the cerveza kit from coopers and loving it. Its a really refreshing full flavour so I like that.

Readings before bottling in my experience have stayed pretty consistent. Take it out at 1010 and you should be schweet!

Lagers require a longer fermentation due to the required colder fermentation temps and an added, long "lagering" period.

 

[Grainer]

welcome

 

[burrster]

Happy bottling! then the waiting game begins!

 

[Nullnvoid]

Thanks everyone! Been at 1.012 for the last three days so I think it's all good. Washed all my bottles this morning so tomorrow will be bottling day!

Then I think I'll get another one on some time soon. I was thinking a pale ale of some sort, something that will go well in summer (or at least the end of it). But something still relatively easy for a beginner.

 

[Nullnvoid]

I bottled my brew on the weekend and now I have another silly question as the result of my partner. When filling the bottles I was being a little haphazard with the amounts. I thought thought they were all pretty close, or close enough. Then in comes the better half and asks if it affects the carbonation drops if they are not the right amount in the bottle

So how full do you fill them if it matters? And how do you work this out?

After she came to "help" I got a measuring jug and filled that up to 375ml, poured it into a bottle and used that as my datum. She wanted me to use a measuring jug for each of the 60 bottles.

Thought I would get the collectives thoughts.

Thanks

 

[yum beer]

If you are using a bottling 'wand', just fill the bottle to the top, when you take the wand out it will leave the right amount of headroom in the bottle.