First Brew ,What you think?

[Beer Freak]

Hi Ive Started my first Brew..Bacchus and Barley-Colonial Pale Ale Using a Brew Blend No.15 in a 30 litre Fermenter at 18 C. Its been in the dark for 4 days.Took SG on second day, was 1085.Took another on forth day and is now 1060.Cant see bubbling at all through airlock.Could this be because Fermenter is a thirty litre and its only filled to the 26 litre mark.My guess is its fermenting but the gas cant get enough pressure up to start pushing bubbles through airlock.Would like it open and have a look but dont want the risk of infecting the brew.Any tips would be appreciated.Cheers!

[Chris]

Can't help you in terms of rating the beer, but...

Don't open your fermenter up, it is an unneccesary risk. 1085 is a pretty high starting gravity. Especially for a 26L brew. Any idea what is in the brew blend?

As for the gas, it will have enough pressure to bubble in the airlock- easily. It is more likely that you have a leak in your seal that the gas is escaping through. Nothing to worry about though.

Welcome to the forum.

[KEG]

i'd think 1085 might be from poorly dissolved malt/sugar sitting at the bottom of the fermenter, but the yeast should chew through it all.

make sure you give it plenty of time to ferment out - 2 weeks is a pretty sure bet. wait for the SG to measure the same for 3 days or so.

[Chris]

I thought the same (in terms of the high SG), but wondered if there would still be the fairly high SG reading (1060) after 3 days. Surely a bit of Brownian motion would mix it up- especially with the yeast mixing things around.

[KEG]

maybe... but if it was bordeline syrupy on the bottom (and he got a mix of low-gravity water/high-gravity syrup out of the tap), it might not have mixed yet.

[Chris]

Probably.

Beer Freak, give your wort a good stir with a sanitised spoon after you add the water to the malt. That'll give you more accurate gravity readings.

[Boonie]

'Tis a little high IMO, as they have said, could be crud from bottom altering the readings.

Is this a good Pale Ale? Dunno, never tried it.

Looks nice and simple, still big reading though, check the hydrometer by putting in water and it should sit at 1.0 or zero. Some of my hydrometers are a bit dodgy, broke my best one last week

[Beer Freak]

Big Thanks to all who replyed to my questions.Ill let you all know how it goes. Cheers!

[Lachy]

I've used the B&B Colonial Pale Ale on a few recipes, and it's turned out fine. The SG of 1085 is way, way off... that's undissolved malt sitting in the tap. I do a few 23l kit-and-kilo brews based on this can and the SG is usually around 1036-1040.

I think you'll find it's a drinkable enough brew. I got good results using the can, a pale ale brew blend (can't remember the number) and 15g of cascade hops in a 15 min boil. Turned out surprisingly drinkable... in fact, I'm drinking one now.

Good luck, and enjoy the result.

[Chris]

...at 2:45pm on a Wednesday. Nice.

[Kevnlis]

I've used the B&B Colonial Pale Ale on a few recipes, and it's turned out fine. The SG of 1085 is way, way off... that's undissolved malt sitting in the tap. I do a few 23l kit-and-kilo brews based on this can and the SG is usually around 1036-1040.

I think you'll find it's a drinkable enough brew. I got good results using the can, a pale ale brew blend (can't remember the number) and 15g of cascade hops in a 15 min boil. Turned out surprisingly drinkable... in fact, I'm drinking one now.

Good luck, and enjoy the result.

[Beer Freak]

Well people ive waited and since last post ive takin another couple of tests.They were 8th Oct was 1016,16th Oct was 1014,Today was 1012. Tastes fine!! Im sick of waitin for a reading around 1005 so I can bottle.Its been far too long in terms of reaching a proper gravity reading and im wasting what seems to be an ok brew .Im gonna bottle i reackon.my feet are itchy. Anymore ideas people??

[Beer Freak]

Just thought ild let yous know I tested my hyrometer and its spot on.Thanks again to everyone.Cheers Lachy for the feedback.I took alot of time and carefull preparation and carefully followed every step on page 84 of 'Brewing Crafts'by Mike rodgers-wilson.Made sure everything was dissolved thats why im stumped with the readings.I dunno! I have a knack for f@!*ing things up. Anyway ill let yous know what I do and thanks again.

[Kevnlis]

1012 is a great gravity. Surely after a month that brew is ready to bottle

Let us know how it turns out!

[tazman67]

bottle it....

[Beer Freak]

Cool Im gonna bottle tomorrow night. Cheers Guys!!

[Beer Freak]

I might be nuts! On 29th October Cleaned all bottles in White King and water in laundry sink. Let sit overnight and rinsed with Santised water in a tub.
Thought and hummed and contemplated using a fining. Probly shouldnt because it is a Pale Ale, but I hate sediment so.......
Mixed 15g of Geletine in cup of hot water and after it cooled drew off 500ml of beer into it and carefully stirred back into brew making sure I sterilized the jug and spoon I used.
On 31st October 2007 I took hydro FG reading it was 1012. (same as 25th Oct)
I sterilized my long spoon boiled some water and measured 140 gms of Dextrose and dissolved it in 500 mls of hot water.
Mixed it into the fermenter gently.
Started bottling 30 minutes later. 51 in all.
Used 32 Grolsh swingtop bottles and 19 Coopers Pale Ale Bottles.
I never listen when I think it can be done so....
I reused old coopers lids after soaking them in boiled water.(Hopefully this not only sterilizes them, but softens the seal for a better seal)
I used a rubber glove to tighten them up and turned em upside down to check them.Went on easy,and tight too....Wel see!
The last 24 I bottled (5 grolsh/19 Coopers Bottles) dropped out the bottom of the fu@kin box when moving it. Fu@k it!
Was goin so well! All sealed well and labeled too! Its Helloween alright!Now Im lookin at a slab on the kitchen floor! Not happy.
I just hope the fall didnt weaken any of the bottles. One was hissin when I checked the lid, so I replaced that lid.
Ill be watchin those ones!!!

[Beer Freak]

It was a success. The resused coopers bottles sealed good but glad I only had 19 to do up coz after about 10 the hand was ready to blister. The taste isnt much different from what it taste like while brewing. Still abit fruity is the only word I can think of to describe it. Wouldnt of minded a bit more fizz in em too. Any way the best thing and the biggest success was that there is hardly any sediment. I mean theres a tiny amount but you can drink em to the bottom, straight out the bottle and they dont taste any different, Im pretty stoked actually.And if any first timers hate sediment I recommend my directions above they worked for me!! Catch ya's..

[Longwood-65]

HI BF
You took longer to brew your first than I did
I got my kit on the 20/10 made the brew the following day 21st and finished the first 6 litres last night.
Your beer sounds better than mine though.
In regards to the twist tops 1 of the locals uses one of the twist top bottle cap removers to put them back on more leverage so you can get them that bit tighter and no blisters( reused caps), He uses 2 fermenters at a time and only bottles into stubbies 130+ at a time. He has a wonderful missus that does all the washing cleaning and sanitizing.
My missus helps in the drinking and pouring only.

I can't say I have noticed much sediment from my Kit and Kilo brew.
I bottled into 4 x6 litre bottles and the first bottle i open was the third one filled, I figure the first and the last will have the most sediment. The next bottle is already in the fridge and it's the second bottled.

Following the guides
Simple things that make HB better and Basic brewing instructions
I'm hoping that my 2nd brew will be better.
I will be doing a few K&K's with the different brands to find out which I like best and to establish a bench mark. then expand from there.

Cheers keep brewing
Ron.

[Beer Freak]

Yeah cool thanks for the info. Ive got about 8 bottles left Im starting another one next week.Until then ill be buying grolsh for some extra bottles.Thats my excuse I tell the missus anyhow! Catch!