been lurking for a while....thought i'd say hi

[Fedaykin409]

hi!

i've been lurking on this forum on and off for a year or so, but in the last month (after buying my own coopers DIY brew kit for christmas) i've really learnt a lot from sitting back and reading.  i am of the assumption a lot of other people lurk looking for answers too. so i thought i'd sum up my key takeaways from you lot so far.

1. everything can be brewed in a 23l (I nearly bought the craft DIY till someone else asked this question, and i didn't want to limit my options on brewing without halving etc.)

2. sanitation is everything. once i've done the 'out of the box' brew. i have to make sure i have a good sanitization practise in place.

3.  patience is key, don't rush steps just cos i'm getting thirsty. 

4. did i mention sanitise ?

 

so thank you for letting me lurk and feel free to add or correct anything for this first time Homebrewer needs to know.

i started my first HB on boxing day.

i do have one question thats bugging me, when i come to placing the PET bottles in the fridge (after storing for 2 or more weeks) can they be stored laying down ? i have an old memory of someone telling me that you can't lay homebrew down in the fridge, but that may have been glass at the time...

 

Regards,

Fedaykin409

 

 

[ozdevil]

18 minutes ago, Fedaykin409 said:

hi!

i've been lurking on this forum on and off for a year or so, but in the last month (after buying my own coopers DIY brew kit for christmas) i've really learnt a lot from sitting back and reading.  i am of the assumption a lot of other people lurk looking for answers too. so i thought i'd sum up my key takeaways from you lot so far.

1. everything can be brewed in a 23l (I nearly bought the craft DIY till someone else asked this question, and i didn't want to limit my options on brewing without halving etc.)

2. sanitation is everything. once i've done the 'out of the box' brew. i have to make sure i have a good sanitization practise in place.

3.  patience is key, don't rush steps just cos i'm getting thirsty. 

4. did i mention sanitise ?

 

so thank you for letting me lurk and feel free to add or correct anything for this first time Homebrewer needs to know.

i started my first HB on boxing day.

i do have one question thats bugging me, when i come to placing the PET bottles in the fridge (after storing for 2 or more weeks) can they be stored laying down ? i have an old memory of someone telling me that you can't lay homebrew down in the fridge, but that may have been glass at the time...

 

Regards,

Fedaykin409

 

 

only way  do it the way suggested    , mark 2  bottles    for trial ,   i to stand upright and 1 to lay down   and see how it rumbles

 

[GregT5]

Welcome to the forum and the great hobby of homebrewing.

The PET bottles have the "dimples" in the base which whilst creating a stable base also allows the sediment to collect in the base of the bottle. If you store the bottles on their sides in the fridge the sediment will collect along the length of the side of the bottle and you will just have to pour more carefully if you don't want the sediment in your glass. 

I personally don't worry about the sediment as I bottle into stubbies and just drink the contents. Others will cold crash their brews to drop out a lot of the sediment prior to bottling/kegging to get a clearer beer.

Each to their own...

Edited December 29, 2023 by GregT5

[Shamus O'Sean]

24 minutes ago, Fedaykin409 said:

hi!

i've been lurking on this forum on and off for a year or so, but in the last month (after buying my own coopers DIY brew kit for christmas) i've really learnt a lot from sitting back and reading.  i am of the assumption a lot of other people lurk looking for answers too. so i thought i'd sum up my key takeaways from you lot so far.

1. everything can be brewed in a 23l (I nearly bought the craft DIY till someone else asked this question, and i didn't want to limit my options on brewing without halving etc.)

2. sanitation is everything. once i've done the 'out of the box' brew. i have to make sure i have a good sanitization practise in place.

3.  patience is key, don't rush steps just cos i'm getting thirsty. 

4. did i mention sanitise ?

 

so thank you for letting me lurk and feel free to add or correct anything for this first time Homebrewer needs to know.

i started my first HB on boxing day.

i do have one question thats bugging me, when i come to placing the PET bottles in the fridge (after storing for 2 or more weeks) can they be stored laying down ? i have an old memory of someone telling me that you can't lay homebrew down in the fridge, but that may have been glass at the time...

 

Regards,

Fedaykin409

 

 

It feels funny to say welcome to the Forum after you have been lurking for so long.  However, I was doing the same for a long time before I started to post.

As @ozdevil says, give it a try and see what you think.

Now an issue with laying down the bottles, is you will get yeast in the bottles and when you stand them up to pour, you will re-suspend some of that yeast.  You might find yourself doing some bum toots by drinking more yeast.  Only time will tell.

 

[Malter White]

8 hours ago, Fedaykin409 said:

hi!

i've been lurking on this forum on and off for a year or so, but in the last month (after buying my own coopers DIY brew kit for christmas) i've really learnt a lot from sitting back and reading.  i am of the assumption a lot of other people lurk looking for answers too. so i thought i'd sum up my key takeaways from you lot so far.

1. everything can be brewed in a 23l (I nearly bought the craft DIY till someone else asked this question, and i didn't want to limit my options on brewing without halving etc.)

2. sanitation is everything. once i've done the 'out of the box' brew. i have to make sure i have a good sanitization practise in place.

3.  patience is key, don't rush steps just cos i'm getting thirsty. 

4. did i mention sanitise ?

 

so thank you for letting me lurk and feel free to add or correct anything for this first time Homebrewer needs to know.

i started my first HB on boxing day.

i do have one question thats bugging me, when i come to placing the PET bottles in the fridge (after storing for 2 or more weeks) can they be stored laying down ? i have an old memory of someone telling me that you can't lay homebrew down in the fridge, but that may have been glass at the time...

 

Regards,

Fedaykin409

 

 

Your lurking has been worth the effort because you have picked up well on the basic points.
One I will add though that you probably already know but possibly forgot to mention: A stable fermenting temperature is beneficial to making better beer. You don't need expensive equipment to achieve this but if you can prevent the yeast, a living organism, from stressing in heat, just like humans do, it won't give off the yeast equivalent of body odour. When the yeast stresses it can make the beer smell dodgy and less palatable.
Yes, you can lay PET bottles down but, as mentioned above, you'll get sediment the length of your bottles.

[Classic Brewing Co]

9 hours ago, Fedaykin409 said:

hi!

i've been lurking on this forum on and off for a year or so, but in the last month (after buying my own coopers DIY brew kit for christmas) i've really learnt a lot from sitting back and reading.  i am of the assumption a lot of other people lurk looking for answers too. so i thought i'd sum up my key takeaways from you lot so far.

1. everything can be brewed in a 23l (I nearly bought the craft DIY till someone else asked this question, and i didn't want to limit my options on brewing without halving etc.)

2. sanitation is everything. once i've done the 'out of the box' brew. i have to make sure i have a good sanitization practise in place.

3.  patience is key, don't rush steps just cos i'm getting thirsty. 

4. did i mention sanitise ?

 

so thank you for letting me lurk and feel free to add or correct anything for this first time Homebrewer needs to know.

i started my first HB on boxing day.

i do have one question thats bugging me, when i come to placing the PET bottles in the fridge (after storing for 2 or more weeks) can they be stored laying down ? i have an old memory of someone telling me that you can't lay homebrew down in the fridge, but that may have been glass at the time...

 

Regards,

Fedaykin409

 

 

Hi @Fedaykin409 & Welcome to the forum, it's good to have a new brewer join our group, so I wish you a happy home brewing journey.

You have taken the trouble to learn the basics, but believe me, what we call the rabbit hole slowly gets deeper & deeper, meaning that the more you learn, the more equipment & accessories you add to your home brewery to craft your skills. The advice you have been given is correct, you don't need expensive equipment but adding some of the basics will help to make your journey easier.

At some stage, the very first should be a second hand or spare fridge to house the fermenter along with temperature control - heat belt etc. You can brew at ambient temperatures but that would depend on where you live as temperature control is paramount to maintain a constant temperature for the duration of the fermentation.

You can learn a lot of valuable information on this forum & there is more a lot more on the Coopers DIY website, just click on the links you will find videos, detailed instructions & lots more.

I agree with the others, don't lie your PET bottles down.

Cheers & all the best.

[Aussiekraut]

10 hours ago, Fedaykin409 said:

hi!

i've been lurking on this forum on and off for a year or so, but in the last month (after buying my own coopers DIY brew kit for christmas) i've really learnt a lot from sitting back and reading.  i am of the assumption a lot of other people lurk looking for answers too. so i thought i'd sum up my key takeaways from you lot so far.

1. everything can be brewed in a 23l (I nearly bought the craft DIY till someone else asked this question, and i didn't want to limit my options on brewing without halving etc.)

2. sanitation is everything. once i've done the 'out of the box' brew. i have to make sure i have a good sanitization practise in place.

3.  patience is key, don't rush steps just cos i'm getting thirsty. 

4. did i mention sanitise ?

 

so thank you for letting me lurk and feel free to add or correct anything for this first time Homebrewer needs to know.

i started my first HB on boxing day.

i do have one question thats bugging me, when i come to placing the PET bottles in the fridge (after storing for 2 or more weeks) can they be stored laying down ? i have an old memory of someone telling me that you can't lay homebrew down in the fridge, but that may have been glass at the time...

 

Regards,

Fedaykin409

 

 

Welcome to the forum mate. 

There is nothing more to say about the bottles as has been said. 

I am pleased to see you have picked up some of the most important things. Sanitation is everything and so is patience. Shortcuts usually lead to mistakes and mistakes often lead to bad beer and we don't want that.

There are lots of useful things we could say but I think at this point, the best thing to do now is to get a few beers done to establish a baseline, figure out a process that suits you and then start experimenting if you so desire. As mentioned, the rabbit hole is deep so proceed at your own discretion  A ferment fridge is a very valuable investment but it also represents a bit of a commitment, so you need to be sure you actually want to continue on this journey. I've seen many people come and go since I started haunting this forum and I'd hate to see how many of them just threw it all in after spending good $$ on equipment. If you are sure you want to go on, it should be the first thing you invest in. 

For now, look after your beer and see how you go. The first batch is always exciting. If it tastes bad, don't worry, do it again. You'll get it right. And TBH, the Lager can they throw into the kit isn't really anybody's favourite. Try others, there are some really yummy ones. Old school like the original series and a lot more crafty like the Thomas Cooper series. You can make some excellent beers from kits, once you know what you're doing. Always remember, most people here started with a Coopers kit and a can of Lager  

Cheers to good beer

[Fedaykin409]

been lucky with the heat so far! Adelaide has had its coldest summer that i can remember!

I've been keeping an eye on the thermostat. and i haven't seen it creep past 22!

 

the FV is located in the living room/kitchen atm. which is not its final location.  the wife has already banished me to the ensuite for the next one!

the joy of the kitchen is the aircon will run once we do start getting hot.

 

i'm hoping to get a couple of batches done. Maybe less quantity in craft kits. and nail a process. 

then move onto a good stout for winter.

 

i can already see i'm going to get sick of washing bottles! lol

 

thank you for warm welcome.

and advice on laying down the bottles. i will make sure they're upright. i already fart enough. The wife doesn't want me to buy a caravan. (doesn't want to be in an enclosed space with no escape  )

[Tricky Micky]

Welcome to the forum @Fedaykin409, it sounds like the lurking has done you a favour. At least for the basics anyway. Nothing to add to what's already been said. The two best and most important things I've done since starting the brewing journey is #1 joining this incredible forum, and #2 obtaining a second hand fridge to ferment the brew in to maintain stable temps. The Coopers Kit tins are fantastic and I agree once you get going definitely try some of the Thomas Coopers series.

Enjoy! Happy brewing. 

[Malter White]

49 minutes ago, Fedaykin409 said:

been lucky with the heat so far! Adelaide has had its coldest summer that i can remember!

I've been keeping an eye on the thermostat. and i haven't seen it creep past 22!

 

the FV is located in the living room/kitchen atm. which is not its final location.  the wife has already banished me to the ensuite for the next one!

the joy of the kitchen is the aircon will run once we do start getting hot.

 

i'm hoping to get a couple of batches done. Maybe less quantity in craft kits. and nail a process. 

then move onto a good stout for winter.

 

i can already see i'm going to get sick of washing bottles! lol

I'm in Adelaide also and we both know the hot weather will come eventually. As @Aussiekraut mentioned, buying equipment before you even know if you'll enjoy this hobby is a risk. So in the absence of a fermenting fridge there are certain things you can do to keep your fermenting vessel (FV) cool with things you most likely already have at home. A swamp cooler is one way, like in the picture. Plonk your FV in the tub. Drape an old towel or shirt over. Fill tub with cool water so the towel gets wet and run a fan on it so it works like an evaporative cooler.

Washing bottles is a chore but you can make it easier on yourself by rinsing dregs out ASAP after emptying them. 

[iBooz2]

Welcome to the best beer brewing forum around @Fedaykin409.  I concur with all tips mentioned above.

A couple of things I would like to add for you.

• Get yourself an exercise book and take as many notes as you can.  Write the day, date and time down along with your ingredients, actions or observations of your beer brewing process on that day.  Sort of like a diary without it being a diary because some days will pass without anything needed to be entered in your "brew" book.  Leave a page free at the end of each new brew note added so that you can, later on add bottling or kegging notes and most importantly tasting notes so you can then amend the recipe or process in the future to produce a better beer for your tastes.
• Ask lots of questions from the guys and gals in here and when you do, please try to include your recipe, all your ingredients, a description of your technique and that of your equipment being used so that you get the appropriate answers promptly.

We have all been were you are at today in you brewing hobby so we all can help.  Good luck with all your future beers.  Cheers - AL

Edited December 30, 2023 by iBooz2

[Fedaykin409]

I've got a google sheet with dates and times going . I'll clean it up and use it as a template for the next one. And so on.  That's also a process that will be refined as I go. Lol

 

It's funny. Once you start telling people you've started a home brew. You get offered supplies from thier past efforts. Lol

I've got one person seeing if thier husband will part with an FV he's used once and stored for 5 years ( I might be in luck and it's a crafty to add to my collection) and another one seeing what supplies thier father still has after he dabbled.

[Classic Brewing Co]

10 hours ago, Fedaykin409 said:

I've got a google sheet with dates and times going . I'll clean it up and use it as a template for the next one. And so on.  That's also a process that will be refined as I go. Lol

 

It's funny. Once you start telling people you've started a home brew. You get offered supplies from thier past efforts. Lol

I've got one person seeing if thier husband will part with an FV he's used once and stored for 5 years ( I might be in luck and it's a crafty to add to my collection) and another one seeing what supplies thier father still has after he dabbled.

Yes, it happens a lot, I have been gifted many items over the years, especially fermenters, I have about 8 or 9 at last count, some of them I use for grain storage.

I have 2 x Coopers Craft, 2 x Coopers large, a few Ampi style & pails. They all come in handy.

Usually, it turns out they were from a deceased parent, or a family member has moved away or just someone that didn't use the equipment much.

I have also had whole kits & others with all sorts of accessories, even kegging equipment.

But it all comes in handy as long as it is clean & usable.

[Fedaykin409]

attached is my first rough cut of the brew sheet that i'll turn into my template for moving forward.

i've tried to make things easier for the next one with a lot of auto filling and auto calc. i'm sure as i get a few done. i'll add or change a few things.

[Triple B Brewing]

Hi @Fedaykin409, welcome to the community of home brewing cobber    

Not sure if it might help, but you'd be welcome to a copy of my Brew Log - I've been usin' it for two + years now and it works for me 

Brew Log TEMPLATE.xlsx

[Oldbloke]

My brew log is almost identical for first 6 or 7 columns.  Then I skip the detail and just have taste comments.

[Uhtred Of Beddanburg]

2 hours ago, Oldbloke said:

My brew log is almost identical for first 6 or 7 columns.  Then I skip the detail and just have taste comments.

I have done the same with my brew book where brews have been identical that many times. 

Mainly brew the same 3 or 4 things. Looking to try something different though.

[NBillett09]

I started with a brew diary and about brew 4-5 started using the BrewTracker app, very helpful, I put my whole recipe exactly how i did it for that brew in the recipe section, and then any additional notes/observations/thoughts during the brew in the Start Notes section, keep track of exactly how many bottles, the gravity/ABV (auto calculator is in-built, very handy), the style and name, bottling date, bottling notes if applicable, then tasting notes and an option to give it a rating out of 10 etc. not a complicated app but very useful!

[Fedaykin409]

I just loaded up the brew tracker app...

 

Well there goes the need for my spreadsheet that I thought I was being tricky dicky with. Lol.

Haven't even got the first brew in the fridge and I'm thinking about the second...

What process have you guys (before moving on to kegs if you did) got thats the easiest for cleaning and sanitizing bottles?

[Classic Brewing Co]

29 minutes ago, Fedaykin409 said:

I just loaded up the brew tracker app...

 

Well there goes the need for my spreadsheet that I thought I was being tricky dicky with. Lol.

Haven't even got the first brew in the fridge and I'm thinking about the second...

What process have you guys (before moving on to kegs if you did) got thats the easiest for cleaning and sanitizing bottles?

Well, this all comes down to people's opinions, however if begin by rinsing a bottle thoroughly immediately after emptying it & turn it upside down on the sink, you get rid of the immediate residue. Of course, a good scrub & even a bottle brush will help when you are preparing for bottling day.

PET bottles don't like boiling water, but if you are using glass just nice hot water & afterwards a quick spray with some sanitiser will get you ready for bottling.

There is no point me mentioning that some seem to think that dishwashers & the kitchen sink full of detergent is the way to go or even use bleach.

I would advise against that as it will also leave a nasty smell & also lower your chances of a good head on your beer.

I personally use a small amount of Bi-Carbonate of Soda in the sink & use a dedicated brush/cloth & rinse them & leave to drain upside down on the sink overnight on a clean tea towel.

I use microfibre cloths to dry & make them what we call beer-clean, it has worked for me for many years.

I keg these days but that's all I will ever do.

Cheers

Phil.

[Shamus O'Sean]

1 hour ago, Fedaykin409 said:

I just loaded up the brew tracker app...

 

Well there goes the need for my spreadsheet that I thought I was being tricky dicky with. Lol.

Haven't even got the first brew in the fridge and I'm thinking about the second...

What process have you guys (before moving on to kegs if you did) got thats the easiest for cleaning and sanitizing bottles?

With BrewTracker, you can export a CSV file which can be handy to manipulate or search in Excel.  I still have a copy from when I used BrewTracker for my first 90 brews.

For bottle cleaning, you will get a range of replies that all work for each person.  You will have to try a few options to see what suits you.  This is what I do:

1. Rinse out the bottle as soon as you empty it
2. Add 1 teaspoon per litre of Oxysan laundry soaker using a small funnel (Oxysan contains Sodium Percarbonate which is the basis of many brewery cleaners)
3. Swirly it up in the bottle with hot tap water (Use lukewarm for PET bottles)
4. Leave to soak overnight
5. The next morning, rinse well with warm water (A light scrub with a bottle brush also helps with any residue on the bottom of the bottle. Use a silicon brush with PET's)
6. Hang the bottles on a bottle-tree or similar to dry
7. Once dry, store in boxes with the cap lightly screwed on

For sanitising, a vintator is very helpful.  The bottle is up-ended on the top and pushed down so the wand pumps sanitiser up into the bottle.  4 or five pumps and the inside of the bottle is coated and ready to fill.

[iBooz2]

4 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

Well, this all comes down to people's opinions, however if begin by rinsing a bottle thoroughly immediately after emptying it & turn it upside down on the sink, you get rid of the immediate residue. Of course, a good scrub & even a bottle brush will help when you are preparing for bottling day.

PET bottles don't like boiling water, but if you are using glass just nice hot water & afterwards a quick spray with some sanitiser will get you ready for bottling.

There is no point me mentioning that some seem to think that dishwashers & the kitchen sink full of detergent is the way to go or even use bleach.

I would advise against that as it will also leave a nasty smell & also lower your chances of a good head on your beer.

I personally use a small amount of Bi-Carbonate of Soda in the sink & use a dedicated brush/cloth & rinse them & leave to drain upside down on the sink overnight on a clean tea towel.

I use microfibre cloths to dry & make them what we call beer-clean, it has worked for me for many years.

I keg these days but that's all I will ever do.

Cheers

Phil.

@Classic Brewing Co I think in the last part of your post you have confused beer glasses with beer bottles.  It would take you many years to feed a microfibre cloth into a batch of beer bottles in order to dry them all on the inside and make them beer clean.  If you did this, no wonder you gave up bottling.  Talk about an exercise in frustration.

As said, a thorough rinse after drinking, a good soak in hot SP and then several good hot rinses then air dry on a bottle tree is enough before sanitising them. 

If you have forgotten or not rinsed properly and mould appears in the bottles, then yes use a bleach solution to kill the mould then as above.  Also, if you are moving from say using your bottles from brewing ginger beers, a brett yeast beer or have had a diastaticus yeast infection and want to re-use your bottles then once again a bleach solution is your friend.  You would have to be a donkey with blinkers on to not use bleach in those instances.

Edited January 7 by iBooz2

[Classic Brewing Co]

16 minutes ago, iBooz2 said:

@Classic Brewing Co I think in the last part of your post you have confused beer glasses with beer bottles.  It would take you many years to feed a microfibre cloth into a batch of beer bottles in order to dry them all on the inside and make them beer clean.  If you did this, no wonder you gave up bottling.  Talk about an exercise in frustration.

As said, a thorough rinse after drinking, a good soak in hot SP and then several good hot rinses then air dry on a bottle tree is enough before sanitising them. 

If you have forgotten or not rinsed properly and mould appears in the bottles, then yes use a bleach solution to kill the mould then as above.  Also, if you are moving from say using your bottles from brewing ginger beers, a brett yeast beer or have had a diastaticus yeast infection and want to re-use your bottles then once again a bleach solution is your friend.  You would have to be a donkey with blinkers on to not use bleach in those instances.

Nah, no confusion, I was interrupted & came back to it & lost my train of thought, but too late to edit.

[iBooz2]

2 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

Nah, no confusion, I was interrupted & came back to it & lost my train of thought, but too late to edit.

What was her name?  

[Fedaykin409]

I've made the first brew shop visit and walked out with some cleaner and sanitiser (and a little more understanding about said cleaning) So I'm set to go.

I've also recklessly bought my next 2 'brew kits' 

I bought the ingredients for what coopers call 'aztec gold' and I got a little ahead of myself and ordered the January craft ROTM.  (I have a craft FV being given to me for this, I know I could do it in the 23l. But I wanted to get 2 going. And this is how I'm sneaking it past the wife)

I know I'm getting a little ahead of myself. Cos I haven't even tried my first effort yet. But I'm of the opinion. That even if it's a fail. It's a learning opportunity and I'll push on.