Home Brew Equipment and kits at least 50% off instore at tesco

[sargie]

I'll start another proper thread to document what I've done but I think things are to plan .

Seems fermentation was rather fast, energetic on Friday and Saturday. SG is about 0.998 today and the temperature of the liquid is 23C with an ambient of about 22C.

I bought some emergency yeast yesterday in case the 30C had damaged the original yeast but it seems that it's OK. I had a conversation with the learned bloke that runs a nearby homebrew shop and he told me how to rescue "stuck fermentations" if needed. Apparently you can't just chuck any old yeast in because it won't do it's thing if there is already alcohol present. You need a very robust yeast or you make something called a starter bottle which is another litre of the same wine to add to your 23l when it is active.

I'll be more careful with the measurements next time. I have noted the SGs and temperatures though which I'll plot in Excel to compare with the next lot, it seems the SG curve is sigmoid.

I wonder if I could automate this using sensors and a PIC or something, and network it...

If your specific gravity is 0.998 for wine then it sounds like it's done, what was it wheen you started?

 

[Spectre]

I think I bungled the first reading a bit Sargie . I didn't have a way of getting the wine into the sample tube and there was quite a bit froth on top.

It was over 1.075 I think, read that it should have been >1.080 but I measured at 28C so it might be higher.
Then 1.070, a bit of a slow start.
Then 1.040 on Friday, quite a lot going on now.
Then 1.009 on Saturday, had to cool the bin a bit as it was 30C.
Yesterday was 0.998.

Getting ready to rack it probably Tuesday.

I've found some Excel spreadsheets with hydrometer temperature correction which might be useful.

 

[sargie]

I think I bungled the first reading a bit Sargie . I didn't have a way of getting the wine into the sample tube and there was quite a bit froth on top.

It was over 1.075 I think, read that it should have been >1.080 but I measured at 28C so it might be higher.
Then 1.070, a bit of a slow start.
Then 1.040 on Friday, quite a lot going on now.
Then 1.009 on Saturday, had to cool the bin a bit as it was 30C.
Yesterday was 0.998.

Getting ready to rack it probably Tuesday.

I've found some Excel spreadsheets with hydrometer temperature correction which might be useful.

So as it stands your looking at around 10.3% abv depending on temp variations. Not bad m8 if it is a 7 day kit i wouldn't expect much more out of it tbh. Mine always come out around 10%.

Rooftop Brew » ABV Calculator Results

 

[sargie]

When you bottle spectre i recommend one of these https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=l...cp.r_qf.&fp=6628b8d514699d53&biw=1366&bih=632 much easier.

 

[Spectre]

I'll critique it on Friday or Saturday .

It was a 7-day kit, it fermented a lot faster than I thought it would. I originally thought I'd get problems with the temperature being too low.

 

[sargie]

I'll critique it on Friday or Saturday .

It was a 7-day kit, it fermented a lot faster than I thought it would. I originally thought I'd get problems with the temperature being too low.

7 day kits use turbo wine yeasts and yeast vitamins for rapid fermentation

 

[deedie]

Buy a glass thermostat for homebrew with adjustable temps.
I also have an aquairium self adhesive thermometer stuck to site of fermentation bins.
Self adhesive ones are pennies.

how accurate are those stick on aquarium thermometer when used for homebrewing??

i have thought about using one, but wasnt sure how good it would work. i do my homebrew in the garage, so it can get very cold. and wondered if this would effect the accurate reading in the fermentor

 

[sargie]

how accurate are those stick on aquarium thermometer when used for homebrewing??

i have thought about using one, but wasnt sure how good it would work. i do my homebrew in the garage, so it can get very cold. and wondered if this would effect the accurate reading in the fermentor

Ive heard they are good but i can't help thinking that they would be affected by the air temperature.

 

[Spectre]

I have one on my bin and the reading was close to a glass thermometer. Not as good though as mine only has even temperatures marked.

 

[Magnu420]

@sargie them little bottlers can you get just the tube I've only seen the ones that come with taps

sent from 2 tin cans and some string

 

[sargie]

@sargie them little bottlers can you get just the tube I've only seen the ones that come with taps

sent from 2 tin cans and some string

Sure can m8 Brupak Bottling Stick - a superb device to make it easy to bottle your homebrewed beer and wine

 

[deedie]

I have one on my bin and the reading was close to a glass thermometer. Not as good though as mine only has even temperatures marked.

i suppose it has to be better than nothing, which is what i currently have. might need to invest in one then

 

[Spectre]

I like it as it means you don't have to take the lid off too much. I probably wouldn't have noticed my bin getting too hot on Saturday without the strip thermometer on the side.

 

[Magnu420]

Sure can m8 Brupak Bottling Stick - a superb device to make it easy to bottle your homebrewed beer and wine

Cheers bud I'm gonna see about gettin one

sent from 2 tin cans and some string

 

[Spectre]

I should be bottling later, it seems to have a strong "wine smell" to it (not a fermenting smell though!) maybe that's because there is a lot of it.

How do I get the bottles ready? I was thinking of making 10~15l of steriliser in the fermenting bin and putting the bottles in ten at a time to soak for a bit then rinsing. I don't really have a way to dry them.

 

[Magnu420]

Depends on the sterile solution you can get no rinse type but i would give them a thorough wash and a good swill out

sent from 2 tin cans and some string

 

[Spectre]

It's the one that smells of mild chlorine. Busy bottling now, 15 to go...

 

[Magnu420]

The type i use is called metabisulphate a teaspoon into a gallon of water 30 second swill then pour the rest into some empty milk cartons to use later on

sent from 2 tin cans and some string

 

[jondoe]

ive got to sterilize nearly 100 bottles for my ginger beer and european lager that are nearly finished fermenting.. oh the joy's of homebrew.. i sterilize with either vwp or cheap unscented asda price bleach

 

[Spectre]

What's this thing? It didn't seem to be related to anything in the box :S.