Homebrew

jp_bl_68 · 1 Dec 2009 at 18:29

caff said:
Hmm, no I left the tap on when sterilising. I filled it to the brim and left it a day (then cleaned it out). No leaks at that point, so rinsed it out and filled it with beer.

Could the steriliser have damaged the tap?

No. I thought you might have removed it to clean it and then failed to reattach it properly.

I think you probably had the same problem as AcidHell2 ("I had that on my king keg. It didn't come tight enough"). You could try syphoning the beer back into the fv (be sure to sterilise first) and then see if you can fix the tap, or get a new keg, or bottle it. Might be worth asking here first - http://www.brew-it-yourself.co.uk/forum/phpBB2/index.php.

Good luck.

NickK · 1 Dec 2009 at 19:10

dangerstat said:
Why does everything need sterilizing all the time :?

Because brewing is creating a sugary medium, then letting a fungus* grow that produces alcohol as a side product. The problem is that the same medium is perfect for bacterial growth too.

Not much point in spending all that time only to have the end result ruined.

caff · 1 Dec 2009 at 21:43

jp_bl_68 said:
No. I thought you might have removed it to clean it and then failed to reattach it properly.

I think you probably had the same problem as AcidHell2 ("I had that on my king keg. It didn't come tight enough"). You could try syphoning the beer back into the fv (be sure to sterilise first) and then see if you can fix the tap, or get a new keg, or bottle it. Might be worth asking here first - http://www.brew-it-yourself.co.uk/forum/phpBB2/index.php.

Good luck.

Cheers for the advice - I think you're right, I don't think I put it back together as well as I should have.

I've spent a fair amount of time today bottling it (is that where the expression comes from?) into those PET bottles as I have a load left over from the last batch and don't fully trust the keg. Wanted to get it into conditioning asap.

aceface57 · 8 Dec 2009 at 21:47

I started my first brew yesterday morning, wherry. It started off with a SG of 1040 or thereabouts, tested a sample today it's down to 1020 already! I had to try the sample to make sure I was making beer....
Well it tasted like beer and wasn't too bad either!
Should hopefully have a nice 40pints of decent beer for new years :cool:

Andr3w · 8 Dec 2009 at 21:49

I've been thinking of doing it and leaving it in a corner of my room.

Does it make the room smell?

jp_bl_68 · 8 Dec 2009 at 21:50

You might be cutting it a bit fine. It takes about 10 days to ferment then a few more weeks to condition in the keg/bottles (recommended 6 weeks minimum). You might get away with it. I think a cold climate is supposed to be good for conditioning and it might speed up the process. Not sure though.

jp_bl_68 · 8 Dec 2009 at 21:51

Andr3w said:
Does it make the room smell?

I didn't notice any smell when making mine but I did cover it with a bin liner and a sleeping bag.

aceface57 · 8 Dec 2009 at 21:51

When I took the lid off, it did fairly smell, same as when I was making it. But lid on air lock in place, can't really smell it. I do have it in a cupboard though...

Axeboy · 8 Dec 2009 at 21:52

ive just started a new cider one, the last one took at least 4 weeks, this ne appears to only take 2

hmmmm

aceface57 · 8 Dec 2009 at 21:54

jp_bl_68 said:
You might be cutting it a bit fine. It takes about 10 days to ferment then a few more weeks to condition in the keg/bottles (recommended 6 weeks minimum). You might get away with it. I think a cold climate is supposed to be good for conditioning and it might speed up the process. Not sure though.

Yeah that's my one worry, I'm planning to bottle some of it though so that I can age it for a month or two and taste what it would have become.

zovirax · 8 Dec 2009 at 21:55

Its easy mate, decanting it into bottles is a bit of a faff tho as u need one person to hold the thing in the barrel and one to hold the other end in the bottle. Ive got a 30 litre barrel but make 12 litre at a time. It isnt that strong though.

btw mate it doenst make the room smell at all and dont drink the dregs at the bottom as they upset the oad stomach! not good lol.

Walkerie · 8 Dec 2009 at 22:00

how much does it actually save you?

jp_bl_68 · 8 Dec 2009 at 22:07

Basic starter kit + 40 pint beer mix = ~£60

Each subsequent 40 pint kit costs ~£20 but it varies.

jp_bl_68 · 8 Dec 2009 at 22:08

http://www.the-online-homebrew-company.co.uk/

aceface57 · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:05

Well I Kegged it today and bottled a few to leave them much longer.

Roll on new years!

Ahleckz · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:53

WalkeruK said:
how much does it actually save you?

The most expensive thing is the bottles, I however use empty Irn Bru bottles that I get for free from friends.

King85 · 14 Dec 2009 at 23:32

I've got my dad a brubox for xmas, anyone had any experience with these?

JaffaJedi · 15 Dec 2009 at 10:22

Not used a brubox before, but brupaks make some great tasting beer kits

My coopers stout with spraymalt is blimin tasty!! Its been conditioning for 3 weeks. I would recommend it to anyone even if they aren't normally a stout drinker like me. Just google ditch's stout.
I tried one of my IPA bottles that has been conditioning for a few weeks and its not quite ready yet. I guess bottled beer takes longer to condition than kegged.

NickK · 15 Dec 2009 at 10:44

IPA takes longer to condition for a reason - originally it was created with a high amount of hops to survive the transport by ship to India/elsewhere in the empire. Hops have an antibacterial property.

So an IPA can take 6 months to condition or even a year.

JaffaJedi · 15 Dec 2009 at 11:41

oh blimey!! I have a long wait then