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Home brew recommendation


hogmaw

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Do you guys just use normal sugar for the bottle priming then? I've bought the proper beer mix for the fermentation, I don't have anything for the priming though. In the past all I have used has been normal cane sugar and the outcome hasn't been great.

 

When I used to make my own Cider (from apples not the kit versions) I used Coopers carbonation drops for ease and an exact measure in each bottle.

http://www.google.co.uk/products?hl=en&q=carbonation+drops&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=oYNKTcztE8zusgbP1JmADg&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQzAMwAA

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When I used to make my own Cider (from apples not the kit versions) I used Coopers carbonation drops for ease and an exact measure in each bottle.

http://www.google.co.uk/products?hl=en&q=carbonation+drops&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=oYNKTcztE8zusgbP1JmADg&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQzAMwAA

 

Are those not just sugar in pill form though? Of course with a high premium :D

 

 

Checked my brew today and it is bubbling away (once every 2 seconds), successful fermentation indication... yay.

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Are those not just sugar in pill form though? Of course with a high premium :D

 

 

Checked my brew today and it is bubbling away (once every 2 seconds), successful fermentation indication... yay.

 

Aye it's basically priming sugar, they not exactly expensive though, what can I say, I'm lazy :D

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When I was getting ready to start my recent batch I wrote a kind of checklist for myself. Decided to extend it a little bit for future reference and thought it may be of use to some on here.

 

Use at your own risk, as of this moment I am yet to have a properly successful batch of nice tasting beer lol. This particular list is for the Mexican Cerveza lagers.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

Mexican Cerveza Beer Kit

1kg of Beer Kit Enhancer (or use your favourite Sugar)

0.5kg of Plain old white sugar

 

 

Equipment Required:

Container

Spoon for Stirring

Thermometer

Measuring Jug

Airlock

Heater

Pan to hold at least 1 gallon for boiling purposes

Hydrometer (If desired)

 

 

Step 1 – Thoroughly clean and sterilise the above items prior to use, not days but preferably minutes before use.

 

Step 2 - Boil approx 2L of water in large pan. While the water is heating up have the can submerged in it to soften the contents, just until warm, then take it out.

 

Step 3 - Open can and pour can contents into boiling water. Also add the sugar or beer kit enhancer you wish to use. Mix in thoroughly until it has came to the boil again. Once boiled, take off of the heat. Through reading various forums on the Mexican kit it tends to need a little extra sugar to get it to the 1050ish SG you are looking for. I went for the beer kit enhancer + 0.5kg of white sugar.

 

Step 4 - Fill the fermenting container with approx 20L of cold fresh water. Depending on the purity of your water, you may need to have previously boiled the water or you may want to use bottled water. High chlorine areas will spoil your brew. The water you use is VERY important to how your beer will taste.

 

Step 5 - Pour the contents of the pot into the container and stir vigorously with a large spoon to aerate the mix. Go nuts at this stage as the more air that is in the mix the better. It should bubble right up to the top, literally just go for it here... I made a right mess lol.

 

Step 6 - Check the temperature of the Wort using the thermometer. For this particular lager you want to be on the low 20s. 21 should be perfect. If the temp is higher than 25 add more cold water to the mix until the desired temperature is reached. Do not go over 25L though or you will be diluting your beer. If the temperature is still too high, fill the sink with water (and ice if you have it) and sit the container in it to cool it quickly. It is important to get the temperature optimal quickly so that you can pitch your yeast. If you have used 2L of boiling water you should be about right though.

 

Step 6a - If you have a hydrometer, now is the time to use it. As long as the hydrometer is clean you can sit it directly into your wort and take a reading. This particular lager (Mexican cerveza) should be around 1040-1050. The higher the reading, the more alcohol there will be by the end.

 

Step 7 - Sprinkle the yeast into a glass of 21 degree water. Make sure the water is spotless, cool boiled water is preferred or simply boil some water and mix with fresh water until the desired temp is reached. Allow it to settle for a minute and then pour it into your wort and gently stir it once more to aerate. This is the last time you want air anywhere near your brew. I missed this stage out, I instead just sprinkled the yeast into the top of the wort, let it settle then gave a stir. Up to you if you want to do it properly or not.

 

Step 8 - Put your lid on, along with your heater and airlock. Fill the airlock with water to the appropriate level so that nothing can get in.

 

Step 9 - Move your brew to its final location. Be careful to choose a place that will have as constant a temperature as possible and that is easily accessible for the bottling stage. You don’t want to move the container again so make sure it is high enough so that you can siphon into bottles without moving it. Mine is currently sitting in the loft on an old stereo table.

 

Step 10 - After a few hours, the fermentation should have really kicked off. There should be lots of bubbling etc coming from the airlock and a noticeable smell of eggs. This is all good, if it isn’t happening after 24 hours there is probably something wrong. As long as everything is going swimmingly, leave it be for the next 2 weeks to ferment at its leisure. If it isn’t going according to plan, leave it for another 12 hours and then start kicking yourself for not cleaning stuff well enough.

 

 

End of Part 1. Part 2 to follow with bottling instructions.

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