I am currently brewing my second batch - the first was a Tooheys Special Draught which came with my kit and is in the secondary fermenting (in bottles) stage....
I visited a homebrew store in North Sydney where I work and asked for a Boags Premium Recipe and am currently brewing the following:
Kit: Morgan's Blue Mountain Lager
Yeast: Kit Yeast
Malt / Sugar: Booster Pack (500g Dextrose/ 250g light malt/ 250g Maltodextrin)
Hops: Morgan's Finishing Hops
My confusion lies around the fact that it states to ferment between 22C and 30C on the can, however after much time spent reading posts on this site it appears that "lagers" should be brewed at say 16C to 18C and wondered what I should do in future.
Also, when I have bottled and left the bottles upright at room temp for 5 to 7 days, is it then ok to store them in our "beer" fridge (which has a warmest temp of 8C) or should they go in a dark cupboard at a higher temp. (is it ok to store them horizontally after carbonation or is upright always better).
One last thing, on the Morgans Lager it said to stir in the yeast not just sprinkle on top. Does this have any adverse affect on the beer?
I apologise if these questions have been answered but after searching long and hard I couldn't find answers to my exact questions.
Thanks for any help!
Cheers,
hadders
Please help a confused new homebrewer!!
Re: Please help a confused new homebrewer!!
Sounds like it's an ale yeast. I'd ferment it as close to 18°C as possible, but up to 22°C is fine. 30°C is just stupid, and will taste crap.hadders wrote:My confusion lies around the fact that it states to ferment between 22C and 30C on the can, however after much time spent reading posts on this site it appears that "lagers" should be brewed at say 16C to 18C and wondered what I should do in future.
I'd leave them in the warm for 14 days, then putting them in the fridge would be a good idea as it helps the yeast and other hazy stuff drop out of suspension (this is called cold-conditioning). It improves the clarity and flavour of your beer.Also, when I have bottled and left the bottles upright at room temp for 5 to 7 days, is it then ok to store them in our "beer" fridge (which has a warmest temp of 8C) or should they go in a dark cupboard at a higher temp.
You can store them horizontally, but then the sediment sticks to the side of the bottle making it quite a bit harder to avoid mixing it into the beer as you pour it out of the bottle. So yeah, upright is better.(is it ok to store them horizontally after carbonation or is upright always better).
Makes no difference.One last thing, on the Morgans Lager it said to stir in the yeast not just sprinkle on top. Does this have any adverse affect on the beer?
w00t!
Hi Hadders, welcome to the fold.
A true "lager" is tricky. Lagers are made with bottom-fermenting yeast that work best at cooler temperatures (around 12C). At these lower temps they produce the clean, crisp taste you associate with a lager. What defines a lager is not the colour, but this bottom-fermenting yeast and the cooler fermentation, which takes longer than an ale with a top-fermenting yeast (18-20 degrees ideal, produces more "fruity" notes).
Without getting too involved, lager yeast involves a week or two of primary fermentation, then transfer to a secondary vessel for some more fermentation (this transfer is needed to get the beer of the yeast cake on the bottom which can cause off flavours), then a diacetyl rest at a higher temperature, then another transfer to a container for "lagering" for many more weeks to crispen and clarify the beer further.
Most homebrewers can't be bothered with all this. So concentrate cans labelled "lager" are usually in what the public associates as the lager style. Light coloured and lightly bittered. But they come with an ale yeast.
Try buying a sachet of US-56 and brewing about 15-18C. This is an ale yeast but it ferment cleanly, which will give you an imitiation lager of sorts.
Both ways of adding the dried yeast are fine. Both work.
Upright is best if you want to pour a clearer beer, otherwise yeast sediment will be up the side of the bottle and it'll be difficult to keep out of your glass.
Leave them for at least two weeks before you put them in the beer fridge otherwise the ale yeast will go to sleep and the bottle conditioning will stop and your beer may be flat.
A true "lager" is tricky. Lagers are made with bottom-fermenting yeast that work best at cooler temperatures (around 12C). At these lower temps they produce the clean, crisp taste you associate with a lager. What defines a lager is not the colour, but this bottom-fermenting yeast and the cooler fermentation, which takes longer than an ale with a top-fermenting yeast (18-20 degrees ideal, produces more "fruity" notes).
Without getting too involved, lager yeast involves a week or two of primary fermentation, then transfer to a secondary vessel for some more fermentation (this transfer is needed to get the beer of the yeast cake on the bottom which can cause off flavours), then a diacetyl rest at a higher temperature, then another transfer to a container for "lagering" for many more weeks to crispen and clarify the beer further.
Most homebrewers can't be bothered with all this. So concentrate cans labelled "lager" are usually in what the public associates as the lager style. Light coloured and lightly bittered. But they come with an ale yeast.
Try buying a sachet of US-56 and brewing about 15-18C. This is an ale yeast but it ferment cleanly, which will give you an imitiation lager of sorts.
Both ways of adding the dried yeast are fine. Both work.
Upright is best if you want to pour a clearer beer, otherwise yeast sediment will be up the side of the bottle and it'll be difficult to keep out of your glass.
Leave them for at least two weeks before you put them in the beer fridge otherwise the ale yeast will go to sleep and the bottle conditioning will stop and your beer may be flat.
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hadders
- Posts: 31
- Joined: Friday Apr 06, 2007 8:19 am
- Location: St Hubert's Island, Central Coast, NSW
Thanks Nick,
I will probably see how I go with a few brews, and then may invest in a thermostat for my fridge and give a decnt lager a go!
Can "lagering" be done in a normal kit fermenter (ie I could make a decent lager with 2 fermenters) or does it need to be completely sealed.
I will search other threads on the subject so you don't waste any more of your time.
Thanks for the info - very interesting and useful.
Cheers..
I will probably see how I go with a few brews, and then may invest in a thermostat for my fridge and give a decnt lager a go!
Can "lagering" be done in a normal kit fermenter (ie I could make a decent lager with 2 fermenters) or does it need to be completely sealed.
I will search other threads on the subject so you don't waste any more of your time.
Thanks for the info - very interesting and useful.
Cheers..
You can make a lager with a normal fermenter, I tend to use glad wrap over the top these days instead of a lid and airlock, it works well.
You could indeed make a decent lager with 2 fermenters - but I would read Palmer's section on lager brewing before doing a lager, it's great info and can be found on here with a searc,
You could indeed make a decent lager with 2 fermenters - but I would read Palmer's section on lager brewing before doing a lager, it's great info and can be found on here with a searc,
Coopers.
Re: Please help a confused new homebrewer!!
No, it will have no effect on the beer. After using a Morgans kit for the first time and deciding to follow the instructions (apart from temp) I stirred the yeast in and found that it reduced the lag time quite a bit (Lag time is the time between when you pitch the yeast and when the yeast starts to do its thing). Since then I have experimented with stirring and not stirring and found that stirring always decreases the lag time, so now I always stir the yeast in. With this technique I'm bubbling away in about three hours, without rehydrating the yeast.hadders wrote:One last thing, on the Morgans Lager it said to stir in the yeast not just sprinkle on top. Does this have any adverse affect on the beer?
Hadders,
I'm only a new brewer myself hadders and I knew bugger all when I first started. Still do. I literally decided one arvo after lunch at work that I was going to homebrew and bought a kit that arvo. The best advice that I could give you is read read, ask questions, read, read, read, ask questions, read, read and read. Like anything really, the more you put in, the more that you will get out. I brewed a few early things, and to tell you the truth I was looking for a cheap way to get drunk, whatever the taste. Then I discovered the way that beer is supposed to taste, and probably did taste before massive money making global corporations got into the buisness. Gotta tell you, I'm hooked. The early things that I brewed.... I'm slowly drinking, albeit under duress. They taste like bottled liquid farts but f--- it! I brewed it and I'm gonna drink it.
I wasn't getting the results I wanted so I bit the bullet, bought a second fridge (that the missus thinks is to keep other stuff other than fermenters in) and bought a temp controller. Man, read read read, buy a temp controller and you will never look back. I am now drinking what I think is commercial standard beer, or better, that is brewed in a bucket in my back yard. And apparently it gets better than that..... see where I'm going?
Check this site, check Aussie Home Bewer, check Grumpys, check Country Brewer, check How To brew and all the other forums you can find, read, read, read, ask questions, read,read, get good yeast, get temp control, read.... and brew. Learn by your mistakes. Pretty soon you'll be giving other blokes advic like an old pro
I'm only a new brewer myself hadders and I knew bugger all when I first started. Still do. I literally decided one arvo after lunch at work that I was going to homebrew and bought a kit that arvo. The best advice that I could give you is read read, ask questions, read, read, read, ask questions, read, read and read. Like anything really, the more you put in, the more that you will get out. I brewed a few early things, and to tell you the truth I was looking for a cheap way to get drunk, whatever the taste. Then I discovered the way that beer is supposed to taste, and probably did taste before massive money making global corporations got into the buisness. Gotta tell you, I'm hooked. The early things that I brewed.... I'm slowly drinking, albeit under duress. They taste like bottled liquid farts but f--- it! I brewed it and I'm gonna drink it.
I wasn't getting the results I wanted so I bit the bullet, bought a second fridge (that the missus thinks is to keep other stuff other than fermenters in) and bought a temp controller. Man, read read read, buy a temp controller and you will never look back. I am now drinking what I think is commercial standard beer, or better, that is brewed in a bucket in my back yard. And apparently it gets better than that..... see where I'm going?
Check this site, check Aussie Home Bewer, check Grumpys, check Country Brewer, check How To brew and all the other forums you can find, read, read, read, ask questions, read,read, get good yeast, get temp control, read.... and brew. Learn by your mistakes. Pretty soon you'll be giving other blokes advic like an old pro
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hadders
- Posts: 31
- Joined: Friday Apr 06, 2007 8:19 am
- Location: St Hubert's Island, Central Coast, NSW
Hi Flippo,
Got a feeling my first 2 are going to be a bit ordinary! Having done much reading since I realised I pitched the yeast at too high temperatures (around 27C both times), but as you, I will drink them anyway.
I also have a "beer" fridge and have been looking around for a temp controller. Where did you get yours from? How much was it? I have googled and "ebayed" but can't seem to find one!
Saw an article where somebody had just a thermometer and a normal timer which you can set to come on and off a couple of times a day, but can't imagine that you could keep a constant temperature with that!
Last question I have (for now!) is "Should I keep my fermenter in the dark? Currently have it in the garage with an old sweatshirt wrapped around it. It doesn't get any direct sunlight but the flouros are on several times a day/night.
Cheers
Got a feeling my first 2 are going to be a bit ordinary! Having done much reading since I realised I pitched the yeast at too high temperatures (around 27C both times), but as you, I will drink them anyway.
I also have a "beer" fridge and have been looking around for a temp controller. Where did you get yours from? How much was it? I have googled and "ebayed" but can't seem to find one!
Saw an article where somebody had just a thermometer and a normal timer which you can set to come on and off a couple of times a day, but can't imagine that you could keep a constant temperature with that!
Last question I have (for now!) is "Should I keep my fermenter in the dark? Currently have it in the garage with an old sweatshirt wrapped around it. It doesn't get any direct sunlight but the flouros are on several times a day/night.
Cheers
Get yourself one of these
http://craftbrewer.com.au/index.php?pag ... &Itemid=29
or
http://www.mashmaster.com.au/store/prod ... ucts_id=28
and have a read through this thread
http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/vi ... php?t=4371
I must admit I pissfarted around for too long thinking "ahh...extra money, trying to keep it cheap blah blah blah" Bottom line, put your hand in your pocket early for one of these and you won't look back. Along with good yeasts, single best purchase I've made so far. There will be better purchases but this will stay in the top couple. It just gives you so many more options on the beer you can brew and it doesn't limit you to the old 'lagers in winter/ ales in summer' thing
http://craftbrewer.com.au/index.php?pag ... &Itemid=29
or
http://www.mashmaster.com.au/store/prod ... ucts_id=28
and have a read through this thread
http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/vi ... php?t=4371
I must admit I pissfarted around for too long thinking "ahh...extra money, trying to keep it cheap blah blah blah" Bottom line, put your hand in your pocket early for one of these and you won't look back. Along with good yeasts, single best purchase I've made so far. There will be better purchases but this will stay in the top couple. It just gives you so many more options on the beer you can brew and it doesn't limit you to the old 'lagers in winter/ ales in summer' thing
-
hadders
- Posts: 31
- Joined: Friday Apr 06, 2007 8:19 am
- Location: St Hubert's Island, Central Coast, NSW
Thanks Flippo,
Just been out to Dick Smiths and bought, extension cable, grommets, wire joiners, Zip Box UB1, and adhesive feet.... Cost $18.15
Unfortunately will be away all next week for work but will order fridgemate on my return!
Can anybody please tell me if there are any issues with putting a knot in the extension cable....ie it doesn't overheat or anything - not an electrician so just want to make sure it is ok or is it better to use cable ties??
Cheers
Just been out to Dick Smiths and bought, extension cable, grommets, wire joiners, Zip Box UB1, and adhesive feet.... Cost $18.15
Unfortunately will be away all next week for work but will order fridgemate on my return!
Can anybody please tell me if there are any issues with putting a knot in the extension cable....ie it doesn't overheat or anything - not an electrician so just want to make sure it is ok or is it better to use cable ties??
Cheers
Depends on who you talk to about putting a knot in it. Theoretically you really shouldn't and I wouldn't if it was mine, in saying that, I've seen it before on other stuff and some people would say it's OK. I got a packet of glands from Tricky Dicky's, the kind of look like a little bullet. You might be familiar with them, the top screws off and goes onto your cable, the main part of the gland screws onto your jiffy box, you feed the cable through and screw down the top peice onto the main peice and your cable is in there, not able to be pulled either way. If that explanation makes absolutely no sense what so ever then click on this........
http://dseau.resultspage.com/search.php ... ble+glands
Hope this helps
http://dseau.resultspage.com/search.php ... ble+glands
Hope this helps
Hadders,
zip ties or a knot are fine, but cable glands are a much neater and tradesman like way of doing it. I have often posted on the dangers of doing your own electrical work........being a sparky, but I have since seen some pictures of what people are doing and what the equipment is, providing you are confident and follow the directions, you should have no worries, just remember, the green or green and yellow wire is the most important one, it is essential that it has continuity for safety sake!
zip ties or a knot are fine, but cable glands are a much neater and tradesman like way of doing it. I have often posted on the dangers of doing your own electrical work........being a sparky, but I have since seen some pictures of what people are doing and what the equipment is, providing you are confident and follow the directions, you should have no worries, just remember, the green or green and yellow wire is the most important one, it is essential that it has continuity for safety sake!
Ross