Second Brew

[jhay]

Now that the first brew is bottled I've purchased Morgans Australian Bitter with booster(250g corn syrup,250g light malt and 500g dextrose) for the second brew.Question is whether I use the yeast that came with the Morgans (recommended temp 25')or use Safale US 05 (of which I have a supply).I want to try to keep temp at 20-22'.Or is there some other recommended yeast I should use.

 

[wbosher]

I never had any issues with the kit yeast, having said that if you've got 05 I'd probably use that. You want to keep the temp close to 18-20 if you can, no matter what ale yeast you're using. Forget about the instructions on the kit.

The range for 05 is 15-25 I believe, but you want to keep away from the extremes. Be ready for one hell of a krausen buildup with 05, scared the **** out of me the first time I used it. :lol:

 

[carniebrew]

Definitely try the US-05, around the 18 degree mark if you can. Also, curiously considering wbosher's post, I've never had US-05 go nuts on me....usually forms a quiet little krausen within 12-24 hours and never exceeds much more than a couple of cm. My current brew, an amber ale, has us-05, is on day 4 of fermentation and is as calm as usual for me. Even with 25 litres in a 30 litre FV. I assumed it was because I have it at 18 degrees.

Whereas my first brew, which I did with the coopers kit yeast (23 litres in the 30l FV), climbed out of the airlock within 24 hours...it was fermented around 21/22 degrees (before I had a brewfridge)

 

[wbosher]

Definitely try the US-05, around the 18 degree mark if you can. Also, curiously considering wbosher's post, I've never had US-05 go nuts on me....usually forms a quiet little krausen within 12-24 hours and never exceeds much more than a couple of cm. My current brew, an amber ale, has us-05, is on day 4 of fermentation and is as calm as usual for me. Even with 25 litres in a 30 litre FV. I assumed it was because I have it at 18 degrees.

Whereas my first brew, which I did with the coopers kit yeast (23 litres in the 30l FV), climbed out of the airlock within 24 hours...it was fermented around 21/22 degrees (before I had a brewfridge)

My krausen with 05 is usually only about an inch or so (usually less), once went almost double that, but compared with kit yeast it was huge, at least in my experience. The largest krausen I ever got with kit yeast was about 5mm.

 

[carniebrew]

If you reckon 1 inch is one hell of a krausen buildup, I urge you to brew a Thomas Coopers Wheat beer with the kit yeast. 7 litres of head space and it climbed out the airlock...thankfully only about half filled the cavity in my FV's lid. Very thankful for the design of those things....

I think I have a photo....but cannot for the life of me see how to upload photo's in this new format. I may have to hand back my IT nerd badge.

 

[wbosher]

I only meant it would possibly freak someone out if they were used to a couple of mm of foam on top, it certainly did to me the first time. It was about 2 or 3 inches, not much in the grand scheme of things, but massive compared to what I was used to.

 

[jhay]

Its now 13 days since I've put this brew down .Used US05 yeast and kept it at a constant temp of 18.5' in the fridge with STC 1000 control.The SG reading for the past three days has been at 0.0110 . I decided after three readings it must be done so I went ahead and sanitised 30 clean bottles.Upon pulling the fermenter from the fridge it started to bubble quite crazily ,so its now back in the fridge and I'll take another reading tomorrow.Problem is I've only got 4 bottles of the original brew left .Typical first brewer; drink rather than age!

 

[rick1111082]

hi jhay, I'm no expert mate but if I lift a fermenter there will always be bubbles coming out the air lock. even if I put slight pressure on the fermenter.

 

[citizensnips]

Yeah mate as soon as you touch it it will generally let out a few. If your hydrometer is consistent over 3 days or so just bottle it.

 

[mosto]

As stated above, the airlock will bubble when you move the fermenter at all, as there is a build up of CO2 in the head space. 1.010 for three days would be fine to bottle IMO, but good work for erring on the side of caution. As always, trust your hydrometer, not your airlock.

 

[carniebrew]

Agreed....one of my early brews started re-bubbling after moving the fermenter. Freaked me out but the FG never changed...if your beer is at the expected FG and stays there for a few days then bottle it when you're ready.

 

[Bludger]

Fermenters flex when you move them you will always get bubbles, or a suck back through the airlock (is there a technical word for that?). Also if you move it out of a fridge and let it sit for a while, the brew and air in the headspace will warm up and expand, also pushing gas through the airlock.
As others said, trust the hydrometer.

 

[jhay]

OK I said I would be a little more patient with this brew but as I have hade no beer at home for a fortnight I cracked one of the bottles after 12 days.
Very bitter and as I used Morgans Bitter plus Goldings tea bag hops maybe I should have gone without the hops.
Great head ,however much better after the first brew and after cleaning the glasses.
Generally satisfied but does the bitterness get better if I give it a bit more time?Certainly the first brew definitely got better with a bit more time.
Also noticed when doing the third brew I've been short changing myself by 2 litres.Bit more alcohol I suppose.
Bottled the third brew today(Little Creatures Pale Ale)
Next project is Coopers Kit Irish Red Ale.First time of mixing extract with kit.Question should I add Kent Goldings Pellets and how much?
Ingredients in the Kit are as follows;
1. 1.7kg Australian Pale Ale beer kit

2. 500g Coopers Light Dry Malt

3. 100g Crystal Malt

4. 50g Roasted Barley

5. Yeast under the lid or an ale yeast of your choice
I will be using Safale US 05 yeast and Barley and Cystal have to be cracked.Coopers suggest 2 litres of boiling water and then removed from the heat and steeped for an hour.Any suggestions if hops to be included at what time?It will ferment in a controlled fridge at at 18.5".
By the way it was Coopers who suggested Kent Goldings or Fuggles Hops.

 

[carniebrew]

It's interesting to see Coopers suggesting you steep grain in boiling water that's just been taken off the heat. I thought it was a no-no to steep spec grain above 70C due to bitter tannins extraction or some such.

You could separately boil up 4 litres of water with the 500gm of light DME in it, and once boiling add maybe 20 grams of EKG to boil for 30 minutes...that could get you around 6 or 7 more IBU. Even add some more late in the boil if you want extra hop aroma.

It won't be particularly Irish with US-05 though (i'm sure it'll still be good). Perhaps a Danstar Windsor yeast instead?

 

[jhay]

Thanks Carniebrew.Coopers include an Brewcaft English ale yeast with the kit.Probavbly better to use that?

 

[bradsbrew]

It's interesting to see Coopers suggesting you steep grain in boiling water that's just been taken off the heat.

Not as interesting as their ferment temp suggestions.

 

[GuyQLD]

Not as interesting as their ferment temp suggestions.

:icon_offtopic: And don't even get Yob started on their starters.

 

[jhay]

You have me confused now or I didn't explain it properly.Below are the instructions from Coopers.

1. Crack the grains, add to 2 litres of water at the boil, remove from
the heat and steep for 60 mins.

2. Cool the liquid by placing the pan in a bath of cold water.

3. Add to the fermenting vessel by pouring through a sieve or grain bag.

4. Mix the other ingredients, top up to the 20 litre mark then sprinkle the
yeast over the brew surface.

5. Try to ferment in the range 18°C – 20°C if possible.

 

[bum]

jhay, Brad is suggesting that Coopers have a history of not presenting the best advice that exists.

 

[carniebrew]

Thanks Carniebrew.Coopers include an Brewcaft English ale yeast with the kit.Probavbly better to use that?

Yes, if it comes with an English Ale yeast then you may as well use it. I just saw you said above you'd be using US-05?