Home brewing

[crispystl]

Anyone do it? Any good suggestions for a starter kit? It looks like it's about the same cost you would pay for decent beer from the store is this accurate?

[1moreTRich]

Originally Posted by Lzen

See, this is why I'm confused on this. This shows it fermenting in the carboy.

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter8-2-2.html

Link to the kit you bought, please.

[DMAC]

Originally Posted by Lzen

See, this is why I'm confused on this. This shows it fermenting in the carboy.

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter8-2-2.html

It's probably a larger carboy. Mine is a 5 gallon carboy, so if i fermented in it, it would blow the top off.

The bucket is 6 gallon, so there is room to breathe while fermenting intensly.

Then transfer to the 5 for conditioning.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by 1moreTRich

Wish I would have caught this thread again a week ago.

I have a glass carboy that I really want to get rid of. For me the plastic Better Bottles are just superior because of saftey factor alone. I have heard horror stories of people dropping and breaking the glass carboys that really makes me nervous when I have to use mine.

What size of glass carboy did you get? If it is the 6.5 Gallon size then you will use it for primary fermentation, if you only got the 5 Gallon carboy then that is more of a secondary fermentation (which is really only necessary when you are making a beer that requires more conditioning time such as a lager or a high gravity beer). From what you are describing, it sounds like you got both a fermenting bucket and a glass carboy, did you get another bucket for bottling?

What type of beer are you making? 2 weeks is a good amount of time for most beers, and pretty much the absolute minimum time I will will ferment for.

You should not pour boiling water into the glass carboy. Temperature shock could cause it to break. What I have done in the past is boiled the top off water, let it cool for a while on the stove, then pour it into a sanitized fementer (bucket or Carboy) and then throw my airlock on and put it in fridge to cool down while I do the rest of my brewing. If you don't have a fridge, just let it hang out with the airlock on while you are brewing, but make sure you check the temperature when combining.

This is the kit.

http://brewgadgets.com/beerequipkits.htm

The True Brew Handbook
7.8 Gallon Primary Fermenting Bucket with Drilled and Grommeted Lid. This bucket also comes with a spigot so that it can be used as a bottling bucket.
5 Gallon Glass Carboy
(Perfect size for making beer because of the limited head space)
5 Gallon Stainless Steel Kettle with Lid
The True Brew Bottle Filler
Fermometer Adhesive Fermentation Thermometer
True Brew Rack & Fill Kit
Hydrometer
Red Emily Double Lever Capper
Bottle Brush
Carboy Brush
24" Food Grade Plastic Spoon
3 Piece Airlock
C-Brite Sanitizer 8-pack
And Your Choice of These True Brew Ingredient Kits which includes all the ingredients and bottling caps

[DMAC]

Originally Posted by Lzen

This is the kit.

http://brewgadgets.com/beerequipkits.htm

The True Brew Handbook
7.8 Gallon Primary Fermenting Bucket with Drilled and Grommeted Lid. This bucket also comes with a spigot so that it can be used as a bottling bucket.
5 Gallon Glass Carboy
(Perfect size for making beer because of the limited head space)
5 Gallon Stainless Steel Kettle with Lid
The True Brew Bottle Filler
Fermometer Adhesive Fermentation Thermometer
True Brew Rack & Fill Kit
Hydrometer
Red Emily Double Lever Capper
Bottle Brush
Carboy Brush
24" Food Grade Plastic Spoon
3 Piece Airlock
C-Brite Sanitizer 8-pack
And Your Choice of These True Brew Ingredient Kits which includes all the ingredients and bottling caps

You want to ferment in the bucket, partner.

[Lzen]

Oh, and I got the True Brew Brown Ale kit.

[1moreTRich]

Originally Posted by DMAC

You want to ferment in the bucket, partner.

Yep, the process they want you to use is primary in the bucket, transfer to the carboy after at least 2 weeks for conditioning, then use the primary bucket as your bottling bucket.

For a brown, 2-3 weeks in the primary would be fine.

[DMAC]

on a side note, my second batch of winter ale (with crushed up cinnamon, allspice, and ginger) is getting transferred to carboy tonight.

...giggity.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by 1moreTRich

Yep, they process they want you to use is primary in the bucket, transfer to the carboy after at least 2 weeks for conditioning, then use the primary bucket as your bottling bucket.

For a brown, 2-3 weeks in the primary would be fine.

Ok, so let me review just to be sure I'm fully understanding.

After the boil and cool down of the wort, I put it into the bucket. 2-3 weeks later, I transfer to the carboy for conditioning? At what point and in which container do I add the priming sugar?

[1moreTRich]

Originally Posted by DMAC

on a side note, my second batch of winter ale (with crushed up cinnamon, allspice, and ginger) is getting transferred to carboy tonight.

...giggity.

Sounds delish!

I have brewed to capacity for sister's wedding in a week (7 5gal Corny kegs), which means I have no beer on tap for me

[Lzen]

Another question. What if I wanted to brew another batch while this one is ready for the conditioning stage? Can I bottle from the carboy so that I can use the fermentation bucket for a different batch? The kit came with a rack and fill kit.

[Lzen]

What do you guys do if you ever decide you want to brew a lager? I don't have an extra fridge in which to do that (wishing now that I would have kept my old fridge when we got a new one a couple weeks ago instead of giving it to my niece).

[1moreTRich]

Originally Posted by Lzen

Ok, so let me review just to be sure I'm fully understanding.

After the boil and cool down of the wort, I put it into the bucket. 2-3 weeks later, I transfer to the carboy for conditioning? At what point and in which container do I add the priming sugar?

Yes to all. Dmac may be more apt to answer you on how long to secondary because I just don't do it.

As far as adding the sugar, after you let it hang out in the secondary for a while, you will boil the 5 oz or so of priming sugar in with a little water, throw that into your sanitized bucket, siphon from the carboy to the bucket. (I would put the hose in a position so that it would gently swirl the beer while transferring, so that it would mix the priming sugar evenly). Then transfer to bottles.

[Dartgod]

Originally Posted by DMAC

You want to ferment in the bucket, partner.

Yep.

I use the 1-2-3 rule

1 week in the primary, although you want to make sure that the specific gravity is pretty close to the final product and activity in the airlock has almost ceased.

Then I transfer to the carboy (secondary). Make sure all your transfer equipment; siphon, tubing, carboy, etc. is properly sanitized. You won't get every last drop transfered over. Just leave all the dead yeast and other crap in the bucket.

2 weeks in the secondary and then transfer back into the bucket for bottling. Again, make sure everything is sanitized well including your bottles and caps.

3 weeks in the bottle (minimum) before drinking. I prefer to wait 6 weeks myself, but will usually pop one open after 3 just to make sure all is well.

You also want to measure the specific gravity before starting the fermentation. You can compare it to the final gravity measurement and get an accurate idea off the alcohol content.

[1moreTRich]

Originally Posted by Lzen

Another question. What if I wanted to brew another batch while this one is ready for the conditioning stage? Can I bottle from the carboy so that I can use the fermentation bucket for a different batch? The kit came with a rack and fill kit.

If it was me, I would go get another bucket that is just a bottling bucket. That way you can have two batches going at once, and not have to worry about emptying the primary to have bottling bucket.

Also,theoretically, you could just bottle from the primary or secondary. They have little pellets of priming sugar that you just put into each bottle, then transfer the beer into the bottles. This would probably leave you with a bit more sedimentation in your bottles though. I personally have never used those priming tablets though.

[DMAC]

Originally Posted by Dartgod

Yep.

I use the 1-2-3 rule

1 week in the primary, although you want to make sure that the specific gravity is pretty close to the final product and activity in the airlock has almost ceased.

Then I transfer to the carboy (secondary). Make sure all your transfer equipment; siphon, tubing, carboy, etc. is properly sanitized. You won't get every last drop transfered over. Just leave all the dead yeast and other crap in the bucket.

2 weeks in the secondary and then transfer back into the bucket for bottling. Again, make sure everything is sanitized well including your bottles and caps.

3 weeks in the bottle (minimum) before drinking. I prefer to wait 6 weeks myself, but will usually pop one open after 3 just to make sure all is well.

You also want to measure the specific gravity before starting the fermentation. You can compare it to the final gravity measurement and get an accurate idea off the alcohol content.

I do a 2-1 rule myself.

2 weeks in the primary. 1 week in the secondary. And i dont bottle, so usually a 3-4 days just sitting in the keg carbonatin.