Guest Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 I really think you will be suprised at your brew and you will look back and wonder what all the worry was for. Provided you have fresh ingredients, a good cleaning regime and ferment at acceptable temps then you have done 90% of eveything possible for the best beer you can brew imo. If you bottle this brew when it's ready, you will reap the rewards in around 6-8 weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoptimus Maximus Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Home brewing is a bit like being a DIYer. Most of us start out with less tools than we need to do jobs and only get the tools after finding out what a pain the task was. I have tried to go the other way in recent years and before I start ask myself what tools will make this job easier, less stressful or more enjoyable. I get the tools before I get too far into the task. Surprisingly I spend the same amount on tools as if I had waited and gone without until I could wait no more. If I was starting out in homebrewing again, the first things I would get that are not in a kit would be a second fermenter/bottling bucket($30), the cheapo digital thermometer($2.50) Muddy suggested, the STC 1000 controller(allow $40 to set up), a cheap old $50 fridge, the heat belt($26) that Bill suggested and small bottle of Starsan($10). I think if you have total control over the temperature of fermentation and condition phase the hobby takes on a whole new enjoyable dimension. How many hobbies could you spend $150 on and get so much enjoyment not to mention start turning out some great beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Absolutely right, John. I had wrestled with 3 x immersion heaters that all either died in the arse or broke as they are fragile, along with the fact that they can infect the brew. Now I just use a pad heater that lies on its side in my temperature controlled fridge. My arsenal includes: - 2 x fermenters (one for fermenting and one for bulk priming) - $100 small fridge - Temperature controller that I built including parts - Pad heater - Long stirring thingy - Bench bottle capper - Little bottler - Digital thermometer - Hydrometer - Glass 100mL measuring cylinder - 2 metres of catering grade tubing - Drying tree - Long necks and stubbies - White King bleach I feel far more confident now I can accurately control my temperatures. As they say on Dodgeball, "Go Balls Deep". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 I just bought 5 of the temp gauges, i have a need for couple for my fermenters and a couple for my ambient temps and a spare for whatever else comes to mind. Before i stopped homebrewing due to far too many outside commitments and not being home much (working musician)i had 3 fermenters 2 heat belts and my laundry keeps a nice even temp as it faces south. I didnt sweat over the temperatures too much i adjusted my brews and yeasts according to the seasons. My rule of thumb used to be ferment out on the airlock and leave for 2 more days and bottle the stuff, give the bottles a week in my insulated box to prime then wack some in the fridge to try and put the rest away, by that stage the next batch was ready to bottle and a new batch was already ticking away. I am only going to have one more fermenter at this stage and get me a cheap old fridge for the shed and move the operations out there, little missus wants her laundry back [rightful]. As mentioned above ^^ sit back and relax the brews going to be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Absolutely right, John. I had wrestled with 3 x immersion heaters that all either died in the arse or broke as they are fragile, along with the fact that they can infect the brew. Now I just use a pad heater that lies on its side in my temperature controlled fridge. My arsenal includes: - 2 x fermenters (one for fermenting and one for bulk priming) - $100 small fridge - Temperature controller that I built including parts - Pad heater - Long stirring thingy - Bench bottle capper - Little bottler - Digital thermometer - Hydrometer - Glass 100mL measuring cylinder - 2 metres of catering grade tubing - Drying tree - Long necks and stubbies - White King bleach I feel far more confident now I can accurately control my temperatures. As they say on Dodgeball, "Go Balls Deep". I am too scared to list my full arsenal now. Even the misses said the other day that I have now spent thousands. However, I do keep reasurring her that I have also saved thousands. My most recent additions include: $150 gas manifolds $150 electric hoist $100 freezer $1075 in beer taps $45 line connectors for back of taps $30 beer/gas lines $120 liquid & gas disconnects $80 wheels for trolley $60 timber and screws for freezer $55 (approx) paint $300 Urn $20 BIAB bag $30 for ball valve $20 ss washers, nipples, silicone rings, lock nuts. and that's just what I can think off the top of my head without including all previously bought stuff like 2 fridges a kegerator, temp controllers etc etc etc... Yep it is becoming a bit of an obsession for me now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Once my fridges are stocked and i am back into full swing i will start doing my own partials then full all grains, already looking at the bits and pieces and being semi retired and all i need something to do with my days eh? even looked at a Speidel Braumeister but i think a BigW pot and a few other bits will do me for awhile. But lets not be gettin ahead of myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Tony if you can get hold of a 40L urn it is cheaper than going 3V. I too looked at the Braumeister but no way I could persuade the Minister for War and Finance I needed one [crying] so have settled for an urn until I can be more persuasive. The Big W 19L pot is good for a little bit and can be used as a bucket if you end up with an urn. I suppose anything else too for that matter [joyful] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoptimus Maximus Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 I did say the items I listed were the first things I would get not the last things.[biggrin] The great thing about this hobby is as you get more seriously hooked, you can chose whether you spend thousands on shiny things with taps and guages hanging out of every hole or just get a cheap cooler box(mash) and an aluminum pot as a boil kettle. You can do All Grain/Partial Grain or all Extract brews using Brew in a Bag system on your kitchen hotplates at very minimal cost(less than $200). It is an interest for people at all levels of commitment. I see in the US people building brewhouses that would cost as much to build as an average 3 br home. Others operate out of a wardrobe with a $100 investment. I am sure the one thing we all have in common is we just love it. Generally home brewers are a special breed who are always willing to help, offer advice and just share what they do and how they do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Tony if you can get hold of a 40L urn it is cheaper than going 3V. I too looked at the Braumeister but no way I could persuade the Minister for War and Finance I needed one [crying] so have settled for an urn until I can be more persuasive. The Big W 19L pot is good for a little bit and can be used as a bucket if you end up with an urn. I suppose anything else too for that matter [joyful] Yes i choked when saw the Braumeister and funny you mention the urn i was looking at this Crown Hot Water Urn I also have to remember i do alot of traveling hence i stock up on the PET bottles for traveling brews and when consumed you fill em up with drinking water [cool] Who said you had to be thirsty in remote locations [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaynoW Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Hey ShakeyD, Like Bill said... have a look at these Temp Controllers, they are an awesome addition to your arsenal...... STC Temp Controllers Here is a fantastic run down on them including wiring diagrams and all..... Temp Controller Thread If you get one or two of these babies happening you can play God inside your fridge with the weather[cool] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Yes i choked when saw the Braumeister and funny you mention the urn i was looking at this Crown Hot Water Urn I also have to remember i do alot of traveling hence i stock up on the PET bottles for traveling brews and when consumed you fill em up with drinking water [cool] Who said you had to be thirsty in remote locations [biggrin] Yes mate that's the urn I ended up getting and if you do, then I would recommend purchasing the 3 piece ball valve as well. To fit the valve you will also need 1 or 2 silicone washers, 2 SS lock nuts, 1 SS nipple, 2 or 3 SS Washers, SS 1/2" barb. All available from Craftbrewer. Let me know if you get this and I will get the product codes for the bits and pieces. A tip: it is easier to remove the tap to fit the valve when the urn is new. Also the Crown Urn has a smaller diameter than a lot of the others, like Birko, which will result in less evaporation during your boil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoptimus Maximus Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Bill do you use the Urn for a MLT and a Kettle? Do you use it exclusively for BIAB? Do you have the element heating during mash? If you use it for MLT do you think it is better than just gently heating a pot on the hotplate if required to maintain a mash temp or using a cooler like a Rubbermaid? I have been toying with the idea of stripping a couple of elements out of 2 old kitchen kettles I have and fitting them to my cheap aluminium pot and controlling with my STC 1000? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Yes i choked when saw the Braumeister and funny you mention the urn i was looking at this Crown Hot Water Urn I also have to remember i do alot of traveling hence i stock up on the PET bottles for traveling brews and when consumed you fill em up with drinking water [cool] Who said you had to be thirsty in remote locations [biggrin] Yes mate that's the urn I ended up getting and if you do, then I would recommend purchasing the 3 piece ball valve as well. To fit the valve you will also need 1 or 2 silicone washers, 2 SS lock nuts, 1 SS nipple, 2 or 3 SS Washers, SS 1/2" barb. All available from Craftbrewer. Let me know if you get this and I will get the product codes for the bits and pieces. A tip: it is easier to remove the tap to fit the valve when the urn is new. Also the Crown Urn has a smaller diameter than a lot of the others, like Birko, which will result in less evaporation during your boil. Thanks for all that info Bill i will definately look you up after i purchase it. I was on youtube last night checking out the brew in a bag methods which may do me 1st up. I think i drank a few too many sparkling ales though [sick] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShakeyD Posted September 9, 2011 Author Share Posted September 9, 2011 Hydrometer reading issues!! Just as I was starting to not over worry about my temperature (which has now been covered with 2 thick sleeping bags and has a constant temp of 18) I took a gravity reading today which was 1.016 when I tested it straight away, then I waited 20 minutes and it was like 1.025 or something, so I poored it out and got another sample and got 1.012. Now it has been sitting out for 20 mins or so and it is at 1.021. So I'm confused. When I originally washed everything in boiling water I accidently bent it slightly, just wondering if that will effect the reading. Also it is very gasey, about a one inch head on it when it comes out. I tap the hydrometer onto the bottom a couple of times to de-gas it, but just keep getting different readings everytime I do it. Really worried I'm going to end up with a 3% beer or worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShakeyD Posted September 9, 2011 Author Share Posted September 9, 2011 Hey ShakeyD, Like Bill said... have a look at these Temp Controllers, they are an awesome addition to your arsenal...... STC Temp Controllers Here is a fantastic run down on them including wiring diagrams and all..... Temp Controller Thread If you get one or two of these babies happening you can play God inside your fridge with the weather[cool] Thanks alot Wayno, ended up buying the temp controller you listed and a heat pad from ebay, now I just need to get ANOTHER fridge! Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Hydrometer reading issues!! Just as I was starting to not over worry about my temperature (which has now been covered with 2 thick sleeping bags and has a constant temp of 18) I took a gravity reading today which was 1.016 when I tested it straight away, then I waited 20 minutes and it was like 1.025 or something, so I poored it out and got another sample and got 1.012. Now it has been sitting out for 20 mins or so and it is at 1.021. So I'm confused. When I originally washed everything in boiling water I accidently bent it slightly, just wondering if that will effect the reading. Also it is very gasey, about a one inch head on it when it comes out. I tap the hydrometer onto the bottom a couple of times to de-gas it, but just keep getting different readings everytime I do it. Really worried I'm going to end up with a 3% beer or worse. I just take my reading straight out of the FV i dont leave it sit in the test tube i find i get a reading higher than the initial one so your 1.012 sounds fine, check again tomorrow and then if its the same you can either bottle it or leave it sit another 5 days and then bottle it. You arnt going to get high alc reading when the so called brew enhancer only has 60% fermentables, you brew will be i think about 4%. Get this bew out of the way and you next one will be easy. The head in the test tube is normal, i try and get a slow pour out of the tap, or put my sample in to a small measuring jug and decant from that. So in all take another sample tomorrow, i dont do a half drain off i only dothat after its been brewing for a week as sugars build up in the tap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShakeyD Posted September 9, 2011 Author Share Posted September 9, 2011 Thanks again Tony will check it in the morning and let you know how I go. You mentioned about bottling up 1 litre without hops and doing some with hops. Are you able to do a single bottle with dry hops or would you have to add it to the remaining 20 odd litres? If I could do 1 bottle with 1 without this would be great, then I could decide whether or not to add it. I'm just a little worried about mine not having enough body or flavour. I know its only been fermenting 6 days, just seems a little bland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Its bland because it hasnt had time to condition. I am dry hopping the FV because i have 20grams of hops left over so i will bottle a couple of litres without, then in a week will bottle the rest that i dry hopped. I wouldnt hop a single bottle although i know a guy who sometimes does about and uses .5 of a gram in a few 750ml as he bottles i am yet to do it, but hes been doing it for yrs and it works for him. I dont know what hops hes using but i have tasted one of the brews and the hops were screaming at me, it was a bit too harsh for my taste. I am just about t buy a refractometer and take some of the guess work out of reading the gravity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shannonm3 Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 i live in darwin and had the exact opposite problem, i couldnt keep the brew cool enough... so i got an old fridge ans i bought a thermostat controler off ebay for 30 or so bucks. it plugs into ya wall power socket and then the fridge plugs into the controler... i set it at 18c and the temp is always perfect. ferment temp must always be constant, and this way i have found the best and producing some very good beers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoptimus Maximus Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 I am just about t buy a refractometer and take some of the guess work out of reading the gravity. They have the benefit of requiring only a very small sample and it is easier to get the sample cooled but not sure it will take the guess work out of taking SGs. Many brewers will not trust them for FG, you will need to take care with calibration and you will have to use a spreadsheet converter or something like this converter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 I am just about t buy a refractometer and take some of the guess work out of reading the gravity. They have the benefit of requiring only a very small sample and it is easier to get the sample cooled but not sure it will take the guess work out of taking SGs. Many brewers will not trust them for FG, you will need to take care with calibration and you will have to use a spreadsheet converter or something like this converter. The one i am buying does the conversion for you, it has a dual scale Brix and SG, also automatic temperature compensation , it will be used in conjunction with a hydrometer for FG especially seeing some of my ciders drop well below 1.000. I have used one before its more to get my OG and not use as much of the brew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 Bill do you use the Urn for a MLT and a Kettle? Do you use it exclusively for BIAB? Do you have the element heating during mash? If you use it for MLT do you think it is better than just gently heating a pot on the hotplate if required to maintain a mash temp or using a cooler like a Rubbermaid? I have been toying with the idea of stripping a couple of elements out of 2 old kitchen kettles I have and fitting them to my cheap aluminium pot and controlling with my STC 1000? John, The urn is exclusively for BIAB and there is no need to have the urn heating during the mash. Basically get to strike temp then turn the urn off to start the mash and lag the urn. It doesn't really lose much temp only 1-2C at most for the hour. Then pull the bag and start the urn back up. Here is a great guide to using an electric urn for BIAB It was written by BribieG on AHB and I consider him a master of the technique having won numerous comps etc with his brewing. A well written and easy to understand guide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 Thanks for that link Bill cant wait to get into all grain [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShakeyD Posted September 10, 2011 Author Share Posted September 10, 2011 Really worried now, took a gravity reading (day 7) and it was 1.017 left it for a couple of minutes and it rose to 1.023. Is my whole batch a rite off? Wondering what went wrong, did everything on the video to a tee, just the drop of temp to 16 one night, the last 3 nights and days have been a constant 18. Is it possible I didnt stir it enough or something? Shattered if I can't get the FG lower. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShakeyD Posted September 10, 2011 Author Share Posted September 10, 2011 Its weird it sat there on 1.023 for 10 minutes, I take a taste sip, and now it is steady at 1.012? Does the volume in the test tube affect the reading? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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