My first big brew

[Dave1]

Hi well i've been lerking about now reading up.Up until now i have only done one small ginger beer kit.Which was successful .Now over the last couple of months i've got my brewing equipment together bit by bit.Which is 1 fermentation bin,Electrim 75 thermostatic immersion heater,beer padle,thermometer,beer bottles,brewing sugar,and a Tom Caxton best bitter beer kit.The only thing left to get is a hydrometer which is optional anyway.

Well over the weekend i thought its about time i got on with it.So Saturday i set my heater up.Sunday a sterilized all my equipment and followed the instructions and made some beer.

Here she is fermenting.

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Here are my bottles i have a load i was given for free in both sizes.

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[Sasquatch]

Cool bottles. Looks like a good pail o' brew to me.

 

[Dave1]

Sorry i'm new to brewing but what does pail o' brew mean?

 

[Darth Konvel]

I'll attempt to translate
Pail > A bucket
o' > of
Brew > Beer

 

[Dave1]

Cheers for the translation.Theres still alot of terms on this website i need to learn.Like carboy?

 

[Lou]

carboy: http://www.northernbrewer.com/pics/fullsize/Carboys.jpg

 

[Darth Konvel]

A carboy is the glass fermenters that look like big glass bottles.

 

[Lou]

Which is 1 fermentation bin,Electrim 75 thermostatic immersion heater,beer padle,thermometer,beer bottles,brewing sugar,and a Tom Caxton best bitter beer kit.

just out of curiosity, at what temperature are you fermenting? and what's the ambient temperature in your house? just wondering why you would need an immersion heater....

 

[Desert_Sky]

just out of curiosity, at what temperature are you fermenting? and what's the ambient temperature in your house? just wondering why you would need an immersion heater....

the only thin i can think of having a immersion heater is for a constant temp. not heating it up

 

[Walker]

he might be using it to boil the wort. I've seen some people on here talk about using a heating element submerged in the liquid rather than use the stove-top or propane burner.

-walker

 

[Lou]

the only thin i can think of having a immersion heater is for a constant temp. not heating it up

umm..yeah, but that'll only work if your ambient temperature is below your desired fermentation temperature.

 

[Desert_Sky]

umm..yeah, but that'll only work if your ambient temperature is below your desired fermentation temperature.

exactly. like say a basement or garage in the winter time.

 

[Walker]

I looked up the device on google. It's not for boiling, just maintaining a constant temp (I assume he's fermenting where it is too cold for the yeast.)

I think that's the power cord for it running into the bucket next to the airlock.

-walker

 

[Dave1]

Its a heater for keeping constant temp.I also figured its got to be better than heat belts and mats because its thermostatic and works off the beers tempurature directly.Where as a belt of mat would just contantly heat.I have set the heater to run at 21c.It is adjustable.My house is hot enough for fermenting by its self but its still winter here so temp can drop off quickly.I also use it because at night when we goto bed we turn the heating off so it keeps it a constant heat over night.

 

[Dave1]

And heres the end result boys.I nice pint of Tom Caxtons best bitter. Cheers.Doesn't tast to far off of a pub beers.

The taste is pretty balanced.The clarity of the beer is good aswell.I'm really pleased with it what do you think?

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[Bernie Brewer]

I think you're making me thirsty. Looks delicious. Also those flip-top bottles you've got are great, aren't they? I have a couple cases' worth of similar Grolsch bottles. I don't bottle much anymore, but when I do, that's the first thing I reach for.