Home brew results.

[Kippo]

Just cracked one of me first home brews open (Coopers lager). Wasn't to bad. Nice and refreshing maybe a little too fruity but we all learn from our mistakes. Just chucked a Coopers Bitter into the fermenter and am looking forward to trying it out.

If ya want, let us know what your homebrews are like and what your favorite brew is (that you have brewed).

[JaCk_SpArRoW]

Thanks for those results Kippo...sounds like the next one you do will be 4 times better!
I have just got hold of all the stuff for racking & also bought a 1.7kg tin of Coopers Candian Blonde to do my Strawberry Blonde, so will post the results as I get them!
Happy Brewing mate!

[Kippo]

Yeh mate thanks i am really getting into it now. Only 21degs down where i am today so not to bad to start. Got some ice bricks priming in the freezer for the next few days coz it is heating up. Just one question....the wort temp was about 29-30degs when i pitched the yeast (safale). I figured i would pitch it at this temp as waiting too long may infect the brew. The temp is declining a bit and in a few hours would be down at 23degs.....did i pitch the yeast at a too high temp>?


Cheers mate.

[JaCk_SpArRoW]

From what I've read, you want to try & pitch the yeast around 20*C but if you can get the temp of your wort down as quickly as you can without shocking the yeast etc you should be ok...maybe stick the fermenter in a bath with cold water & some ice...just an idea...Im sure there will be others you will elaborate on this for you!...still learning myself!
Did the yeast that you used have a pitching temperature range on it?

[JaCk_SpArRoW]

I found a little snippet of info for ya Kippo....

Use very hot/boiling water to dissolve the sugars and extract - 2 L should be enough.

Add water at a temperature of 15-20°C and your final temperature will be about right

Normal cold tap water addition to a final volume of 23 L gives a final temperature of 22-24°C, which is ideal.

You need to determine what the conditions are in your home (and water temperature may change significantly between summer and winter).

Initially you may wish to fill to a few litres short of 23 L, check the temperature and add cold or hot water accordingly up to 23 L.

[Kippo]

Yeh thanks for that mate, i will chuck it in a bath.

Cheers

[Kippo]

I have a feeling that my thermometer is a little dodgy...its only 21degs here now and i made sure that the water was as cold as possible when i added it into the fermenter. Even when i just put it in the bath, which bloody cold water the temp was still showing 28-30degs.

It may be a case of the temp on the outside of the fermenter is hotter than the actual brew. Well i hope so anyway.

[tyrone]

what temp is the water out of the tap?

[JaCk_SpArRoW]

I have a feeling that my thermometer is a little dodgy...

A temperature-indicating strip on the outside of the fermenter is very helpful (but note that it may read 1-2°C lower than the fermenting beer).

[Kippo]

hmmm....well i will just have to see how this one turns out....may just be me...got a thermometer sitting on top of the fermenter that says 23degs, so i don't know which one is lying.

[JaCk_SpArRoW]

Have you got the thermo strip on the fermenter or just the one on top Kippo?

[Kippo]

I just put a bit of cold tap water onto a thermometer that i have and it read a temp of 20degs. I may have made a mistake when cleaning the fermenter as i left it outside to drain yesterday in 40deg heat. Do u think that may have affected the thermometre strip on the fermenter?

Whats really got me thinking is that i did a test on a 36deg day by adding 2L boiling and 21L cold water into the fermenter and it read a temp of 26degs then.

[Kippo]

I have both on....The strip is sitting about half way up and the other one is on top.

[JaCk_SpArRoW]

I just put a bit of cold tap water onto a thermometer that i have and it read a temp of 20degs. I may have made a mistake when cleaning the fermenter as i left it outside to drain yesterday in 40deg heat. Do u think that may have affected the thermometre strip on the fermenter?

Whats really got me thinking is that i did a test on a 36deg day by adding 2L boiling and 21L cold water into the fermenter and it read a temp of 26degs then.

It may not have affected the thermometer, althought they can be a little temperamental at times...I would think that your fermenter has retained some of the heat from being outside!

[Kippo]

So would u say that i have probs or can i sleep?

[JaCk_SpArRoW]

I would say that things are ok for now Kippo so dont stress too much...check again in another few hours & see what the temp is...I assume you're brewing at Ale temps?
If the temp is way out, keep it as close to the recommended brewing temp for now & go get another strip thermometer just to be on the safe side!

[Kippo]

Yeh brewing at ale temps, so looking for a temp range of 18 to 20 at best...but wouldnt be too pissed if it got up to 22. Yeh i wont worry too much about it right atm, as i am pretty possitive that the actual brew is cooler than the plastic fermenter (esspecially after leaving it out in the sun on a 40deg day yesty).

Thanks for the advice mate.

Kippo.

[JaCk_SpArRoW]

No probs mate, anytime!...good luck with it & dont forget to post results!

[wiggins]

If you are a bit suspect about brewing temps then just wet a towel and wrap that around youre fermenter,it works a treat for me,keeping my brews at 24 degrees ,even on a 40 degree day.Just remember to re soak every 3 hours and it should be fine.

[Iron-Haggis]

To keep my brew cool on hot days. I wrap a wet towel around my fermenter. Then beforehand I freeze a block of salt water and leave it on top of the fermenter. The ice block thaws and the cold water soaks into the towel and the brew stays at a cooler temperature for longer.