Homebrew. - Page 5

Speewa · 2nd June 2002, 11:23 PM

dunno how different it really is, but it seems to give a better taste. has something to do with the mix of fermentable and nonfermentable sugars.

I always use castor sugar for the bottling rather than those ripoff little packets however.

Vindaloo · 4th June 2002, 12:29 PM

Right. I guess I'll have to go to the Brewer's World in Subiaco and get some. Also, about the soft drink bottles, did you guys re-use the old lids? A mate tells me you need to buy new ones because they have some kind of seal inside them.

Cheers,

Vindaloo

jobaby · 5th June 2002, 7:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Vindaloo
Ok, thanks to the generosity of a certain OCAU member who shall remain nameless, I've only got a few more bottles to collect.

Do I have to remain nameless???

Good luck with the brew.

Jo.

Vindaloo · 5th June 2002, 11:16 PM

no, of course not

Behold, jobaby, the donor of bottles. bow down before her...

anyway...

Speewa · 6th June 2002, 11:50 AM

I re-use the old lids, have only had 2 not work. In SA you can get brew sugar at woolies or bilo, so a look at your local supermarket may cut your travel time down a bit.

If you dont trust the old lids, give the bottle a good shake after you have put in the bottling sugar and listen for leaks. Any dead ones will hiss like crazy and can swapped on the spot.

Vindaloo · 6th June 2002, 5:35 PM

Speewa, thanks for your input. I'll buy a bag of tops tomoro. I think if I'm going to buy some, I might as well just use all new tops. Saturday is brew day, the great day !! wheee!! ... I'll give y'all an update when it's in the carboy.

Cheers,

Vindaloo.

Vindaloo · 24th June 2002, 2:53 AM

Ok, the brew is finally in after a few delays. I couldn't find my airlock, so it's brewing "open", ie with no top on the carboy, just some towels to keep it clean. It's in my room at the moment because the rest of the house is too cold, and the fermentation would take far too long. I can handle my room smelling of beer for a week

I'll update again after the bottling. Hurrah

Incidently I bought some Coopers premium brewing sugar to put in the brew, and I'll be using regular white sugar for the bottling.

Vinds.

Speewa · 24th June 2002, 7:01 PM

Sounds good, I have one on the go atm, will take about 2 weeks to brew at current temps, ie, cold.

I think I would have put the lid on and just covered the airlock hole, less chance of something falling in

. Spring the $5 and get a new airlock, or someone will mistake you for a tight arse uni student.

More beer!

Vindaloo · 25th June 2002, 12:15 PM

Hehehe.... well, yes, i guess i could do that too

Only thing is, I AM a tightarse student !!

TAFE, not uni, but it's all the same to me. Had to give TAFE $400 yesterday.

*cries*

Oh well.... it's for a good cause I guess.

PostModern · 25th June 2002, 4:59 PM

With the "open" brew, ie tea-towel on top, how can you tell when the brewing is finished. With the airlock, you know it's done once bubbling has stopped for a day. How to you test for C02 release with no bubbly indicator?

I ask with the gravest concern that your brew may go astray. I once bottled too early - pop pop pop pop!

Speewa · 25th June 2002, 8:15 PM

To tell if the brew is ready to be bottled, take hydrometer readings over a few days, when the S.G. stops changing, the brewing is finished. The general rule is never bottle when the S.G is above 1010 or you may burst bottles.

Vindaloo · 25th June 2002, 8:35 PM

Yes, I have a hydrometer. I measure the SG every night, and when it hits the target range and has stopped changing, it's time to bottle.

Thanks for the concern Posty

Bottling looks like it will take place in a few days.

Vinds.

PostModern · 26th June 2002, 10:43 AM

OK. I guess I'll buy a hydrometer and be a little more scientific than "the bubbling in the airlock has stopped". Thx for the tip, lads!

Vindaloo · 27th June 2002, 11:58 AM

No worries Posty. I measured the Specific Gravity of the brew yesterday, and after tapping the sides of the cylinder that I used to take a sample to get rid of the air bubbles on the hydrometer, I read the SG to be about 1010. Remember when you read a hydrometer you read the UPPER meniscus (spelling?). I'll try to draw it...

|08 |
|10 | <------ hydrometer
|12 |\______ <---- reading at top of meniscus (INC, 11)
|14 |!!!!!!!!!!!
|16 |!!!!!!!!!!! <---- beeeeeeer

See? If I'm wrong, please let me know... I won't take offence. It's for the greater good!

I found out from Coopers that you can bottle safely at a SG of 1010-1008 when you use their brewing sugar (which I did). They recommend 1006 if you use regular white or castor sugar. I'll give it a day or two, just to be on the safe side.

Laters.

Vindaloo

PostModern · 27th June 2002, 4:31 PM

In an open fermenter, beware of rougue yeasts infecting your brew, especially after fermentation has stopped and the brewers' yeast is declining in population! A mate once brewed open top, delayed bottling and ended up with brew that smelt like an open sewer. Needless to say, we didn't bottle it!

Cheers,
PoMo.

2nd June 2002, 11:23 PM	#61
Speewa Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Whyalla, South Australia Posts: 75	dunno how different it really is, but it seems to give a better taste. has something to do with the mix of fermentable and nonfermentable sugars. I always use castor sugar for the bottling rather than those ripoff little packets however. __________________ Caesar si viveret, ad remum dareris.

4th June 2002, 12:29 PM	#62
Vindaloo Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Location Location. Perth. Posts: 729	Right. I guess I'll have to go to the Brewer's World in Subiaco and get some. Also, about the soft drink bottles, did you guys re-use the old lids? A mate tells me you need to buy new ones because they have some kind of seal inside them. Cheers, Vindaloo __________________ DOS4GW .. roguelike skweelectro chiphopper

5th June 2002, 11:16 PM	#64
Vindaloo Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Location Location. Perth. Posts: 729	no, of course not Behold, jobaby, the donor of bottles. bow down before her... anyway... __________________ DOS4GW .. roguelike skweelectro chiphopper

6th June 2002, 11:50 AM	#65
Speewa Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Whyalla, South Australia Posts: 75	I re-use the old lids, have only had 2 not work. In SA you can get brew sugar at woolies or bilo, so a look at your local supermarket may cut your travel time down a bit. If you dont trust the old lids, give the bottle a good shake after you have put in the bottling sugar and listen for leaks. Any dead ones will hiss like crazy and can swapped on the spot. __________________ Caesar si viveret, ad remum dareris.

6th June 2002, 5:35 PM	#66
Vindaloo Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Location Location. Perth. Posts: 729	Speewa, thanks for your input. I'll buy a bag of tops tomoro. I think if I'm going to buy some, I might as well just use all new tops. Saturday is brew day, the great day !! wheee!! ... I'll give y'all an update when it's in the carboy. Cheers, Vindaloo. __________________ DOS4GW .. roguelike skweelectro chiphopper

24th June 2002, 2:53 AM	#67
Vindaloo Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Location Location. Perth. Posts: 729	Ok, the brew is finally in after a few delays. I couldn't find my airlock, so it's brewing "open", ie with no top on the carboy, just some towels to keep it clean. It's in my room at the moment because the rest of the house is too cold, and the fermentation would take far too long. I can handle my room smelling of beer for a week I'll update again after the bottling. Hurrah Incidently I bought some Coopers premium brewing sugar to put in the brew, and I'll be using regular white sugar for the bottling. Vinds. __________________ DOS4GW .. roguelike skweelectro chiphopper

24th June 2002, 7:01 PM	#68
Speewa Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Whyalla, South Australia Posts: 75	Sounds good, I have one on the go atm, will take about 2 weeks to brew at current temps, ie, cold. I think I would have put the lid on and just covered the airlock hole, less chance of something falling in . Spring the $5 and get a new airlock, or someone will mistake you for a tight arse uni student. More beer! __________________ Caesar si viveret, ad remum dareris.

25th June 2002, 12:15 PM	#69
Vindaloo Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Location Location. Perth. Posts: 729	Hehehe.... well, yes, i guess i could do that too Only thing is, I AM a tightarse student !! TAFE, not uni, but it's all the same to me. Had to give TAFE $400 yesterday. cries Oh well.... it's for a good cause I guess. __________________ DOS4GW .. roguelike skweelectro chiphopper

25th June 2002, 4:59 PM	#70
PostModern Angry Brewer Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Woonona, Illawarra, NSW Posts: 5,084	With the "open" brew, ie tea-towel on top, how can you tell when the brewing is finished. With the airlock, you know it's done once bubbling has stopped for a day. How to you test for C02 release with no bubbly indicator? I ask with the gravest concern that your brew may go astray. I once bottled too early - pop pop pop pop! __________________ The mouth of a perfectly happy man is filled with beer.

25th June 2002, 8:15 PM	#71
Speewa Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Whyalla, South Australia Posts: 75	To tell if the brew is ready to be bottled, take hydrometer readings over a few days, when the S.G. stops changing, the brewing is finished. The general rule is never bottle when the S.G is above 1010 or you may burst bottles. __________________ Caesar si viveret, ad remum dareris.

25th June 2002, 8:35 PM	#72
Vindaloo Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Location Location. Perth. Posts: 729	Yes, I have a hydrometer. I measure the SG every night, and when it hits the target range and has stopped changing, it's time to bottle. Thanks for the concern Posty Bottling looks like it will take place in a few days. Vinds. __________________ DOS4GW .. roguelike skweelectro chiphopper

26th June 2002, 10:43 AM	#73
PostModern Angry Brewer Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Woonona, Illawarra, NSW Posts: 5,084	OK. I guess I'll buy a hydrometer and be a little more scientific than "the bubbling in the airlock has stopped". Thx for the tip, lads! __________________ The mouth of a perfectly happy man is filled with beer.

27th June 2002, 11:58 AM	#74
Vindaloo Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Location Location. Perth. Posts: 729	No worries Posty. I measured the Specific Gravity of the brew yesterday, and after tapping the sides of the cylinder that I used to take a sample to get rid of the air bubbles on the hydrometer, I read the SG to be about 1010. Remember when you read a hydrometer you read the UPPER meniscus (spelling?). I'll try to draw it... \|08 \| \|10 \| <------ hydrometer \|12 \|\______ <---- reading at top of meniscus (INC, 11) \|14 \|!!!!!!!!!!! \|16 \|!!!!!!!!!!! <---- beeeeeeer See? If I'm wrong, please let me know... I won't take offence. It's for the greater good! I found out from Coopers that you can bottle safely at a SG of 1010-1008 when you use their brewing sugar (which I did). They recommend 1006 if you use regular white or castor sugar. I'll give it a day or two, just to be on the safe side. Laters. Vindaloo __________________ DOS4GW .. roguelike skweelectro chiphopper Last edited by Vindaloo; 27th June 2002 at 12:02 PM.

27th June 2002, 4:31 PM	#75
PostModern Angry Brewer Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Woonona, Illawarra, NSW Posts: 5,084	In an open fermenter, beware of rougue yeasts infecting your brew, especially after fermentation has stopped and the brewers' yeast is declining in population! A mate once brewed open top, delayed bottling and ended up with brew that smelt like an open sewer. Needless to say, we didn't bottle it! Cheers, PoMo. __________________ The mouth of a perfectly happy man is filled with beer.