- Joined
- Mar 1, 2021
- Messages
- 16
- Reaction score
- 10
- Points
- 3
Hi Fellow Brewers.
After a period of research and youtube videos on the top I found the courage to ask the better half to start brewing. Seemingly my well timed breakfast in bed has worked and she agreed.
So I then started the arduous task of deciding what to buy and what kits would work out best. I'm in the North East of England and its seemed everywhere was out of stock and I was conscious this could be a fad and I don't want to spend a lot to never use the equipment. Any how I get a kits that have most things with the exception of a brew kettle. But said website was convincing enough that all you need was large stock pot and they provide the bag you require.
Anyhow this stuff arrives and with a bit more research I now realise my 4.5l stock pot is not going to do... so I then say right I'll invest in a brew kettle - worst case tis back up for sale at half what I pay for it. In the UK we are all on lock down so other than work and TV your not really allowed to do anything else. So I'm brewing a full batch (23l) only because i stupidly thought I can only buy kits in this size (semi-true). This subsequently arrived and I've like a kid at Christmas waiting to get on and brew - I've watched enough youtube its time to get hands dirty (figuratively - hopefully).
Sunday is my brew day, my daughter delightfully wakes me up at 6:30 but I'm okay with it because it's brew day!
I didn't mention but this sodding kettle I bought was 57ltr (10gal+), so what was a good 40minutes waiting for it to heat the Sparge water (electric) - yes I'm doing sparge as I don't have 2 kettles and my recipe need 8lts min of sparge water so i decide I'll heat this to 85 degrees (C) and put it in bucket wrapped in towels and jackets to hopefully be about the 76 (C) I need after I've mashed.
Then time to heat liquor, another lifetime has passed but I'm still excited. I reach the temp and add the grains, not one single video or guide I read told me about that smell that subsequently filled my house... It wasn't unpleasant its was just a strong watery bread dough like smell and very strong at that. My partner described as banana bread, however yes that smell remained for most of the day.
The rest of the brew was fairly self explanatory, burned the hell out of my hands trying to squeeze the grain bag (ooo controversial), Hops smell quite like weed, and I had no was of cooling such a large vessel of boiling water so I wrapped it in cling film and hosed it down outside. probably took an hour but at least my plants/patios/shoes/jeans etc. all got a good soaking.
Finally managed to get it in the fermenter with the cheap nasty bubbler thingy and all happy till my partner wakes me at 4:30 am on a Monday morning to ask why she can hear a leaking noise (the bubbler I eventually discovered circa 5am).
Roll on bottling and eventually tasting!
After a period of research and youtube videos on the top I found the courage to ask the better half to start brewing. Seemingly my well timed breakfast in bed has worked and she agreed.
So I then started the arduous task of deciding what to buy and what kits would work out best. I'm in the North East of England and its seemed everywhere was out of stock and I was conscious this could be a fad and I don't want to spend a lot to never use the equipment. Any how I get a kits that have most things with the exception of a brew kettle. But said website was convincing enough that all you need was large stock pot and they provide the bag you require.
Anyhow this stuff arrives and with a bit more research I now realise my 4.5l stock pot is not going to do... so I then say right I'll invest in a brew kettle - worst case tis back up for sale at half what I pay for it. In the UK we are all on lock down so other than work and TV your not really allowed to do anything else. So I'm brewing a full batch (23l) only because i stupidly thought I can only buy kits in this size (semi-true). This subsequently arrived and I've like a kid at Christmas waiting to get on and brew - I've watched enough youtube its time to get hands dirty (figuratively - hopefully).
Sunday is my brew day, my daughter delightfully wakes me up at 6:30 but I'm okay with it because it's brew day!
I didn't mention but this sodding kettle I bought was 57ltr (10gal+), so what was a good 40minutes waiting for it to heat the Sparge water (electric) - yes I'm doing sparge as I don't have 2 kettles and my recipe need 8lts min of sparge water so i decide I'll heat this to 85 degrees (C) and put it in bucket wrapped in towels and jackets to hopefully be about the 76 (C) I need after I've mashed.
Then time to heat liquor, another lifetime has passed but I'm still excited. I reach the temp and add the grains, not one single video or guide I read told me about that smell that subsequently filled my house... It wasn't unpleasant its was just a strong watery bread dough like smell and very strong at that. My partner described as banana bread, however yes that smell remained for most of the day.
The rest of the brew was fairly self explanatory, burned the hell out of my hands trying to squeeze the grain bag (ooo controversial), Hops smell quite like weed, and I had no was of cooling such a large vessel of boiling water so I wrapped it in cling film and hosed it down outside. probably took an hour but at least my plants/patios/shoes/jeans etc. all got a good soaking.
Finally managed to get it in the fermenter with the cheap nasty bubbler thingy and all happy till my partner wakes me at 4:30 am on a Monday morning to ask why she can hear a leaking noise (the bubbler I eventually discovered circa 5am).
Roll on bottling and eventually tasting!
