Abbot-67 Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 My first attempt at brewing beer is ending it's fermentation. Using the Coopers DIY lager kit I used the English Bitter extract and added some Hops and LDM (thanks for the advice from members). I'd found a couple of recipes on here (Extra Smooth Bitter + Battleship Bitter) and made a hybrid of the two so that I could use the the BE1 that came with the kit. OG = 1047 So far so good, I had an issue with temperature control for the first day or so (24C-26C) but got it under control using a towel & Ice block and have manage to keep it at 18C-21C for the last 7 days. After adding the yeast I thought it got off to a slow start as there wasn't much activity for the first 15 hours, but then it started and had a 15mm Krausen head. At about 32hrs the foam/head had gone and all activity seemed to have died down. I checked the gravity and got 1016. Went away for a couple of days and when I returned there was still a little activity and movement in the FV, gravity measured 1014 (90hrs). Days 6 & 7 the gravity seemed to stabilise at 1013. On day 8 (yesterday) I checked it again and got 1012. So I am now at the stage where I'm waiting for the two to three days of stable gravity before continuing to bottling. I won't be cold crashing this, it may not fit in the spare fridge and there is no way I'm lifting it to get it in there only to find it won't fit. My chief taster and critic (My Wife) has tasted some of the hydrometer samples and in her own words "Tastes better than some finished beers I've drunk", .. .. I hope that's a good sign. My concern at the moment is getting it clear. I'd not added anything thing during the boil to help clearing, and won't be cold crashing, so as far as I'm aware adding finings at the end of fermentation is my only option. As I cannot cool to anything lower than 17C I was going to use Mangrove Jacks Finings, and hope that does it. As the gravity has only dropped from 1014 to 1012 in the last 5 days how much more of a drop should I expect ? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Instigator Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 I don't use finings, but I do leave my brew for two weeks before cold crashing (cross between making sure it's finished, and my brewing schedule). Even though you aren't doing a CC, you'll find that your beer will clear while bottle conditioning. Also, when ready to drink, give it a few days in the fridge. You'll be surprised how it goes from some soupy looking thing to a really nice looking beer. I imagine someone will pop by and give some advice on using finings before too long. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lab Cat Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 It's about done, I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't get lower, it's already dropped enough to ferment to 4.5% which is around where you'd expect a kit and Kilo plus your extra LDM to be. The Sugar to carb in your bottles will add about 0.5% It will clear more as the yeast does a final clear up in the next few days. Personally, I've never bothered with clearing agents, it will be clearer again after bottle conditioning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 I find finings work best at cold temperatures. The ones mentioned are likely only garden variety gelatine anyway, which may have an effect at ferment temp but it will be slower. Most of that cloudiness is yeast. If you let it sit for another few days to a week, some of it will drop out, and it will pretty much all drop out in the bottles. Point being, once it's in the glass it will not look like murky river water anymore. Personally I wouldn't worry about finings yet. Just get the basics down first. Learning good brewing practice is more important than getting crystal clear beer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbot-67 Posted July 19, 2019 Author Share Posted July 19, 2019 Thanks for the advice Good to hear it should clear up. I'll leave it be and see what happens naturally. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzza Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 On 7/19/2019 at 12:57 PM, Instigator said: I don't use finings, but I do leave my brew for two weeks before cold crashing (cross between making sure it's finished, and my brewing schedule). Even though you aren't doing a CC, you'll find that your beer will clear while bottle conditioning. Also, when ready to drink, give it a few days in the fridge. You'll be surprised how it goes from some soupy looking thing to a really nice looking beer. I imagine someone will pop by and give some advice on using finings before too long. I agree with the above Instigator - spot on. Leaving sit in the fridge for a good few days really does assist in dropping out the yeast and other suspended particulates... certainly with KnK at least. So much so sometimes it can be quite hard to get the gunk back up off the bottom of the bottle on the rinse/clean phase.... and so I often do a warm water soak overnight which seems to help. I would rather not have to introduce other stuff into my beer if possible and think patience and a decent sized fridge is the ticket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzza Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 (edited) 15 hours ago, Abbot-67 said: Thanks for the advice Good to hear it should clear up. I'll leave it be and see what happens naturally. Good luck with that Abbot 67! Here is a possible model bottle label for you Don't worry too much about it - all will come good with time. And the more brews you do the better you get! If you can spare the extra $$ I would definitely recommend using Liquid Malt if you can afford it and get hold of it. The results are really worth the extra bux. Cheers mate BB PS the pommy Abbot Ale as seen above is not bad... a bit more of a Pommy Megaswill beer... but drinkable. Not as nice as some of the smaller brewers in the UK. Yours will be better! Edited July 20, 2019 by Bearded Burbler 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbot-67 Posted July 21, 2019 Author Share Posted July 21, 2019 19 hours ago, Bearded Burbler said: Good luck with that Abbot 67! Here is a possible model bottle label for you Don't worry too much about it - all will come good with time. And the more brews you do the better you get! If you can spare the extra $$ I would definitely recommend using Liquid Malt if you can afford it and get hold of it. The results are really worth the extra bux. Cheers mate BB PS the pommy Abbot Ale as seen above is not bad... a bit more of a Pommy Megaswill beer... but drinkable. Not as nice as some of the smaller brewers in the UK. Yours will be better! Thanks for the advice BB, and for the label. I spent much of my youth in Bury St Edmunds which is the home of Green King (yes, I'm a Pommy ). I have to say that Green King IPA and Abbot Ale are still the source of many happy memories . They also brew Old Specked Hen which thankfully is available here in Australia and still one of my favourites but I'd rate Abbot Ale above it. Dan M's did stock Abbot but they stopped a couple of years back . I remember drinking Abbot in the local pubs and it could be different in each one, very dependent on how it was stored and served. Looking forward to a nice pint of draft when I go back for a few weeks next month. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzza Posted July 21, 2019 Share Posted July 21, 2019 1 hour ago, Abbot-67 said: Thanks for the advice BB, and for the label. I spent much of my youth in Bury St Edmunds which is the home of Green King (yes, I'm a Pommy ). I have to say that Green King IPA and Abbot Ale are still the source of many happy memories . They also brew Old Specked Hen which thankfully is available here in Australia and still one of my favourites but I'd rate Abbot Ale above it. Dan M's did stock Abbot but they stopped a couple of years back . I remember drinking Abbot in the local pubs and it could be different in each one, very dependent on how it was stored and served. Looking forward to a nice pint of draft when I go back for a few weeks next month. Gold... and what a fitting use of the label mate luvyerwork ; ) And if you venture anywhere near Conwy in Wales I would certainly recommend you drop in for a Pint or two at the Albion Ale House... some lads somehow managed to get four Breweries to support them doing up the Pub a few years ago and there is an amazing ever changing list of great real beers... or there was a cuppla years ago when I was there. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbot-67 Posted July 21, 2019 Author Share Posted July 21, 2019 Thanks. There is a very high chance of me stopping off at Conwy for a pint !! We will hopefully be travelling to Prestatyn to visit friends before moving on to Snowdonia, Conwy is en-route . Nice castle so may be a day stop off and Real Ale lunch... dinner...evening... Oops.. .. maybe a stop over!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzza Posted July 21, 2019 Share Posted July 21, 2019 1 hour ago, Abbot-67 said: Thanks. There is a very high chance of me stopping off at Conwy for a pint !! We will hopefully be travelling to Prestatyn to visit friends before moving on to Snowdonia, Conwy is en-route . Nice castle so may be a day stop off and Real Ale lunch... dinner...evening... Oops.. .. maybe a stop over!! Conwy is in such a nice area... and hopefully the Albion is still in good shape. Let us know how you go. Cheers. BB 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbot-67 Posted August 4, 2019 Author Share Posted August 4, 2019 (edited) Bottled this a week ago, and had a sneaky early bottle yesterday. Drank half before thinking of taking a photo (went down a treat ) I'm fairly pleased with it so far, pretty much what I was aiming for and has cleared up quite nicely. Fairly smooth and has a nice caramel and hoppy kick. Very little head, but I wasn't looking for high carbonation and only added one Carb Drop. About 5% ABV SG = 1047 FG = 1011 Edited August 4, 2019 by Abbot-67 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzza Posted August 5, 2019 Share Posted August 5, 2019 13 hours ago, Abbot-67 said: Bottled this a week ago, and had a sneaky early bottle yesterday. Drank half before thinking of taking a photo (went down a treat ) I'm fairly pleased with it so far, pretty much what I was aiming for and has cleared up quite nicely. Fairly smooth and has a nice caramel and hoppy kick. Very little head, but I wasn't looking for high carbonation and only added one Carb Drop. About 5% ABV SG = 1047 FG = 1011 Wooohooo! Well done the Abbott! Great stuff - and suspect will get much nicer with a little more age as well - but great to see you have had a good outcome cobber! Cheers, BB 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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