The Home Brew Thread

Food&Fish · **Posted:** Wed May 26, 2010 7:56 pm

Be careful not to scrub the fementer with a scour pad this leaves scratchers that harbour bacteria

dufflight · **Posted:** Wed May 26, 2010 8:23 pm

Thats what I like about sprits. 12hr yeast and then into the still. Just remember to water the stuff down. The base comes out at 60% :cheers:

Big_Dave · **Posted:** Wed May 26, 2010 9:17 pm

oldute wrote:

This time I have used a beer belt around it to hopefully maintain an even temperature while fermenting, dont know what the temperature is but it doesnt feel overly warm.
My first 2 brews were good, then had 3 shit ones in a row. After you invest time waiting for it to gas up its dissapointing when it doesnt work. Hope this one works.

Temperature is Crucial, you need to get a thermometer.

Lagers - 12 to 18C
Ales - 22 - 28C
(These are wt I brew around with great results, other people may work on other temps)

If its too cold the yeast will go dormant, too warm and the yeast will die! Do not exceed 32C, I have brewed at 30C but a lot of weird flavours were released - banana flavours of all things!

What are your ingredients?

Himzo · **Posted:** Thu May 27, 2010 7:22 am

Big_Dave wrote:

oldute wrote:

This time I have used a beer belt around it to hopefully maintain an even temperature while fermenting, dont know what the temperature is but it doesnt feel overly warm.
My first 2 brews were good, then had 3 shit ones in a row. After you invest time waiting for it to gas up its dissapointing when it doesnt work. Hope this one works.

Temperature is Crucial, you need to get a thermometer.

Lagers - 12 to 18C
Ales - 22 - 28C
(These are wt I brew around with great results, other people may work on other temps)

If its too cold the yeast will go dormant, too warm and the yeast will die! Do not exceed 32C, I have brewed at 30C but a lot of weird flavours were released - banana flavours of all things!

What are your ingredients?

What he said...

Just as a ref, I ferment my lagers @ no more than 15°C and my Ales @ no more than 20°C .

H.

Axl · **Posted:** Thu May 27, 2010 7:56 am

Himzo wrote:

Big_Dave wrote:

oldute wrote:

This time I have used a beer belt around it to hopefully maintain an even temperature while fermenting, dont know what the temperature is but it doesnt feel overly warm.
My first 2 brews were good, then had 3 shit ones in a row. After you invest time waiting for it to gas up its dissapointing when it doesnt work. Hope this one works.

Temperature is Crucial, you need to get a thermometer.

Lagers - 12 to 18C
Ales - 22 - 28C
(These are wt I brew around with great results, other people may work on other temps)

If its too cold the yeast will go dormant, too warm and the yeast will die! Do not exceed 32C, I have brewed at 30C but a lot of weird flavours were released - banana flavours of all things!

What are your ingredients?

What he said...

Just as a ref, I ferment my lagers @ no more than 15°C and my Ales @ no more than 20°C .

H.

I normally don't set the fridge over 22 deg, but the heat generated by fermentation normally keeps it a degree or two above this during the initial start up

oldute · **Posted:** Thu May 27, 2010 10:09 am

The temperature bar used to work and I think I was brewing at around 25, 26. Didnt know you could brew that low, ie 18.
Another thing is I used to leave it for a week before bottling.Should I try less time?

Big_Dave · **Posted:** Thu May 27, 2010 12:26 pm

oldute wrote:

The temperature bar used to work and I think I was brewing at around 25, 26. Didnt know you could brew that low, ie 18.
Another thing is I used to leave it for a week before bottling.Should I try less time?

That temp is fine for Ales and Stouts, Lagers & Pilseners will suffer though!

It should be fine to leave it for a week as long as your fermentor is properly sealed and air cant get in, but the best thing really is to get yourself a hydrometer, make sure fermentation has ceased and then bottle your beer. Dont rely on the Airlock bubbling to tell you when your beer is ready either, any slight leak and it will stop bubbling. I dont even use a lid with an airlock anymore, I just use a sheet of Glad Wrap with an elastic band, that way I can see inside there too.

Axl · **Posted:** Thu May 27, 2010 3:31 pm

"Hydrometers only make you worry"
I read that on a home brew forum somewhere

I normally leave mine ferment out for two weeks before bottling. that way I am pretty sure that it has done it's job without having to open it up and possibly introduce contamination, The only time I have had a brew fail during fermentation was a Scrumpy cidre I brewed out in the open during the hottest Oct we had in a long time, it turned out like vinegar

luckilt it was for Jaymie and I had plenty of beer left

When I worked at the (now extinct) Brew By U in T'ville, we always kept the brews for 10days min in the fermentation room (preset at 21 deg no matter what) except for the stronger (above 5 %) which sat for 17 days

Himzo · **Posted:** Thu May 27, 2010 4:11 pm

I leave mine at ferment temps for 10 days plus (depending on the yeast strain), then I will drop the temperature down to 4°C and leave it for a week or two so that most of the yeast in suspension drops out. In the past I bottled at this stage, however these days I keg all of my beer.

I don't use a hydrometer, I use a refractometer which I have calibrated against a hydrometer for fermenting wort (less waste), and only when I'm interested in knowing what my final gravity is. As I make up my own recipes, I have a rough idea of what my alcohol level should be and sometimes use the refractometer to confirm it (not always).

H.

Axl · **Posted:** Thu May 27, 2010 7:54 pm

I just use a Jaymie guage to see how strong the brews are. If it is above 7% she dances on tables, If it is above 8% she knocks them over

Food&Fish · **Posted:** Thu May 27, 2010 8:58 pm

Axl wrote:

I just use a Jaymie guage to see how strong the brews are. If it is above 7% she dances on tables, If it is above 8% she knocks them over

And at what strength does she start and strip :joy:

Axl · **Posted:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:33 pm

I haven't been able to make one strong enough yet

chillidude · **Posted:** Wed Jun 02, 2010 11:03 am

Food&Fish wrote:

Axl wrote:

I just use a Jaymie guage to see how strong the brews are. If it is above 7% she dances on tables, If it is above 8% she knocks them over

And at what strength does she start and strip :joy:

Don't know how either of you got away with those :shock:

Is Jaymie alright ?

Axl · **Posted:** Wed Jun 02, 2010 11:19 am

chillidude wrote:

Food&Fish wrote:

Axl wrote:

I just use a Jaymie guage to see how strong the brews are. If it is above 7% she dances on tables, If it is above 8% she knocks them over

And at what strength does she start and strip :joy:

Don't know how either of you got away with those :shock:

Is Jaymie alright ?

Allright? She's FANTASTIC!!!

chillidude · **Posted:** Wed Jun 02, 2010 1:17 pm

nice one Axl !

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