Questions tagged [first-time-brewer]
Questions pertaining to the caution or concerns of someone new to home-brewing.
184
questions
2
votes
2
answers
49
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Sterilizing flip-top bottles in the oven, sealing for later use
I've stocked up on Grolsch bottles long time ago for storing fermented drinks (specifically kvas), but barely used them because of the need to deep clean them before and after every use. It would much ...
- 121
2
votes
3
answers
54
views
Fermented juice with potassium sorbate
Hello this is my first time making wine, I got excited rushed through the process and didn't realize that the berry juice from concentrate that I used had potassium sorbate until after a week. I also ...
- 21
1
vote
1
answer
15
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Mixed Berry Cherry Mead fermentation issue
I'm fairly new to homebrewing, I am making my second batch which is a 1.5 gallon batch. Seeing as how my first batch was very sweet, but not so much alcoholic I decided to make my next batch with more ...
- 11
2
votes
1
answer
40
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Any good Wild Fermentation for beer and cider sites, forums, recipes, and or books for beginners
I have a few fields with different fruits from grapes to dragon fruits, and I am an amateur homebrewer and want to get into wild Fermentation for ciders, fruit wines and later for beer after I learn ...
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1
vote
1
answer
36
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Started first fermentation with Red Star Blanc. I was planning on adding the Cuvee yeast for second fermentation. Will this be ok for sparkling wine?
This is my first attempt at making homemade wine. I started with the Red Star Blanc in a one gallon jar. I'm almost a week into my first fermentation. For my second fermentation I plan on using the ...
0
votes
2
answers
161
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Can I use sodium metabisulphite and potassium sorbate together before bottling?
I had fermented mango wine weeks back. After a week I did my first racking to remove pulp. The Brix value is not moving down so assuming fermentation is over, I'm planning to bottle it. Initially, ...
3
votes
2
answers
159
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Accidentally used 100% unsanitized gear for brew - should I toss it?
tl;dr; I sanitized my mash pot, fermenter, and everything with water. Is it ruined?
I'm two days into fermentation of a high gravity imperial stout, and the yeast is burping nicely. Due to a mix up ...
3
votes
3
answers
204
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What is the good amount of beer to brew as a beginner?
I plan to brew some type of ale as my first beer, i heard it is the easiest to start with.
I was wondering what is the good small amount of beer to brew first time (or minimal amount possible) as i ...
- 133
2
votes
1
answer
150
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Is my home made cider safe?
I pressed apple cider last year and added nothing.... I just left it in 15 liter jugs covered with cheese cloth and paper towel... it smells like alcoholic cider, tastes pretty good, and is dark rich ...
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1
vote
2
answers
124
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How can I use artificial flavors when making homemade hard seltzer?
I have some expreience in home brewing but I want to try something different this time. I want to make hard seltzer by fermantation. There are some recipes over the internet but I could not find any ...
- 13
6
votes
3
answers
306
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Is my final gravity too high for bottling?
I am making an Irish Red Ale, unfortunately I forgot to take a starting gravity reading before putting the beer into primary fermentation (primary fermentation was done at 68 °F +/- a few). ...
- 163
2
votes
1
answer
150
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Best yeast to make a sweeter mead
I've just about finished my first attempt at mead. I'm now thinking about my second batch.
The yeast I have used is pretty aggressive, Bulldog mead yeast, so was wondering if anyone has some better ...
- 41
2
votes
1
answer
77
views
Is it fine to add beet root for colouring in the middle of fermentation?
It's been 3 days of fermentation, I added beet root for colouring in the middle of fermentation. I used china globe grape (not that red), and after hours later the bubbles getting lesser
- 21
1
vote
1
answer
46
views
Stopped fermentation wine
My fermentation seems to have stopped too early. I don’t have much experience (mostly some wine and mead making failed attempts) or proper gear like a hydrometer.
Here is what I did differently from ...
2
votes
2
answers
155
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48 hours into ferment. Fermenter temperature is 73°F. Should I cool it?
First time brewing. I have a IPA in a 6.5 gallon bucket fermenter with US-05 pitched into it. I've got the fermenter in the basement and temperature probe taped to the side of the bucket. Ambient room ...
- 614
1
vote
1
answer
357
views
What should I do after the primary fermentation of my cider?
I've just started making cider, and after 12 hours of reading I came up with a plan, but I need reassuring what should I do next:
It's nearly constantly 25°C in my flat (where I brew),
I used ...
- 113
0
votes
1
answer
69
views
Any supplies I should I have some "extra" of?
As a new home brewer, I've been reading up on posts regarding things that can go wrong during a brew and how to fix them. For example, if I have understood correctly, stuck fermentation may require ...
- 614
2
votes
0
answers
94
views
Any way to test for oxidation in beer?
New here. I've been reading up on transferring from fermenter to keg (or secondary FM) and the associated concerns with introducing oxygen into the beer. IPA styles in particular seem to run the risk ...
- 614
1
vote
1
answer
47
views
48 quart rectangular cooler as an HLT?
I'm gathering equipment on the cheap to start all grain brewing and looking at options for an HLT. A rectangular 48 quart cooler is about half the price as the customary 10 gallon Igloo everyone uses ...
- 614
2
votes
1
answer
67
views
First batch of wine, forgot the Campden - did I just mess up the whole thing?
I just tried to make wine for the first time. Manderin oranges, sugar, water, yeast, tea for tannin the whole kit and kaboodle! In a rush, I forgot to add the Campden tablet prior to doing all this ...
3
votes
2
answers
137
views
What ingredients should I use for a grocery home brew?
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I've decided to burn some time by trying out my first home brew. It has come with many challenges though. I do not have access to barley other than pearled barley, which ...
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2
votes
1
answer
120
views
I forgot to take my first Gravity reading
I am making my first batch of mead ima first time brewer and I forgot to take my first gravity reading what should I do?
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5
votes
1
answer
64
views
Sour beer at home?
Newbie here. I know nothing about making beer. I love sours. Can you make sours at home? Is it too complicated compared to other beer making?
2
votes
2
answers
257
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First Time Brewer: Skipping secondary fermentation, bottling and a few other questions
I'm brewing my first batch of home brew, 'Hank's Hefeweizen' from Norther Brewer (extract). The instructions say 2 weeks primary, 2 weeks secondary, and 2 weeks bottle conditioning. I did not check my ...
- 123
2
votes
1
answer
81
views
Rinsing frozen red currants
I picked some garden grown red currants a good while ago and threw them straight in the freezer without washing them. I'm planning on making wine with them soon.
Most recipes I've read recommend ...
- 21
4
votes
1
answer
99
views
Ale Popped the Bung
This is my first brew, so I kinda look at it as a rite of passage, but I had 5 gallons of brown ale fermenting in a 6.5g carboy. The airlock was super active for the first 16-18 hours. Soon after that ...
- 63
4
votes
2
answers
723
views
How to brew moonshine?
I would like to know the equipment and the step by step process, as I have already tried to do it, but it didn't work.
I have already watched several videos, but it is not the same to talk to someone ...
- 43
3
votes
3
answers
827
views
Baloon air lock not inflating after second day
I'm making mead for the first time. I used bakers yeast and a baloon as an air lock . The tutorial said that the yeast will be off gasing for 3 weeks but my mead only off gased the first day. Now it's ...
- 31
1
vote
1
answer
152
views
Will bread yeast restart stuck brewery in a bag
Building up to my first home brewing I purchased a muntons brewery in a bag session IPA. (On special from Aldi seemed like a steal).
I followed all instructions to the letter keeping everything ...
- 11
1
vote
2
answers
1k
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Bread Kvass Safety Concerns
My first brewing experience is gonna be bread Kwass (following this recipe). Now, I browsed a bit to get some info, and I only managed to get terrified. There are three concerns that I would like you ...
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4
votes
5
answers
331
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Stuck Mead Fermentation?
Obligatory: This is my first batch of Mead and I'm still learning the ropes. If I've made any critical mistakes, please point them out but do know: odds are, I had no idea of that particular issue.
I'...
- 43
1
vote
2
answers
87
views
Fermentation first time
I need help. First time brewing in my life and I made some mistakes as expected. This was a 1 gallon brew kit. First indication something was wrong was after pouring the wort into the 1 gallon ...
- 11
3
votes
1
answer
59
views
Brewing Low ABV Lager
Good day!
My question is simple, me and the wife love lager, I like a good 5% ABV but the wife is a light weight and likes a 3.5% ABV so the question is:
How can I brew a nice lager (similar to ...
- 133
1
vote
1
answer
32
views
What does it mean by late boil? [duplicate]
I am looking at a Christmas ale to brew and found this recipe (I am still learning to brew, so I am using malt extracts)
https://www.brewtoad.com/recipes/variant-of-great-lakes-christmas-ale-clone
. I ...
- 11
2
votes
1
answer
146
views
Growing edible brewers yeast?
I want to grow brewers yeast that I want to as use as supplement, get various nutrients and NAD+. Which brewers yeast strain is easiest and best to to grow for this purpose? What medium and ...
- 21
0
votes
1
answer
51
views
Why have I got a low ABV wine problem
This was my first attempt. I followed a recipe for jam wine in CJJ Berry's book. Did exactly what he said. Temperature between 26°C-28°C on the heat strip. Used Lalvin K1-V1116. Start OG 1.090, final ...
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4
votes
2
answers
215
views
Lack of sweetness and carbonation
I'm a novice apple cider brewer and my first batch yielded a brew that tasted like white wine, very dry and virtually no carbonation.
During fermentation, I saw bubbling for about 5 days, but I left ...
- 41
4
votes
1
answer
90
views
Messed up West Coast IPA recipe, could dryhopping make it good?
My first batch, I followed a recipe using malt extract to create a West Cost IPA.
The wording of the recipe made me invert the Hop additions...
[Edit]
Instead of:
2oz of Centinennial at 0mins left ...
- 260
1
vote
2
answers
263
views
Brewing with tamarinds
For reference: tamarind. I recently saw this fruit at the store today and thought it smelled interesting so I investigated. I've decided to brew my very first batch of beer as a tamarind saison as a ...
- 297
0
votes
1
answer
120
views
Total Yeast Cell Count
I will give two examples of yeast cell count.
First one is 0.34 B cells/ml in 6 liters of wort starter with just a few amount of slurry cake.
2nd one is 1.46 B cells/ml in 1 liter of starter including ...
3
votes
2
answers
105
views
Fermentation container leaking carbon dioxide
I've just finished preparing my first fermented drink ever (Kvass) and I used a Mason jar to store the preparation during the 2 days of the fermentation process as advised by the various guides I ...
- 133
4
votes
1
answer
132
views
How much sugar to real apple ratio?
So I was going to try an apple cider up to around 12%. So how much sugar will I get roughly per apple and how much additional sugar should I add. The apples are a small granny smith kind. Currently I ...
- 471
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votes
2
answers
3k
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Any food alternatives you can use to brewers yeast nutrient?
It would be a week or till I can get some brewers nutrient is there any food substitute I can use, apples, rice, sweetcorn, apple juice, tomato paste etc?
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vote
1
answer
353
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Can I use Sodium Dichloroisocyanurate ('Sterilising Tablets') to clean vessel/equipment?
I have some old tablets what say Sodium Dichloroisocyanurate and 'Sterilising Tablets' on them and am wondering if these when diluted will be suitable to clean vessel/equipment before brewing?
- 13
1
vote
1
answer
106
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First batch result [closed]
I'm know enjoying my first batch of beer. I think, it will be some kinda use for those who are hesitating to start their brew or still researching. I did quite much research before i did brew.
...
- 205
2
votes
3
answers
123
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First time extract brewing with little resources
Where I live we only get some of Coopers international extracts, but none of the brew enhancers or dry malt extracts that I've seen in most of the recipies. Will I get good results if I don't add any ...
- 21
2
votes
2
answers
157
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Can I over-filter my beer?
I'm going to dry hop my very first IPA (without a bag) and I've read that when bottling I will need to put some kind of filtering cloth on the end of the racking cane to prevent hops sediment from ...
- 195
1
vote
1
answer
288
views
Swapping Omega Belgian A with Omega Abbey Ale C
I’m still early in my homebrew education, and am trying a couple new Northern Brewer kits. I recently bought a kit for a Dubbel that suggested the Omega Belgian A yeast, but I accidentally purchased ...
- 113
1
vote
1
answer
3k
views
Mead: is it time to bottling?
I have a few questions. I'm making mead for the first time. My mead is now brewing for 2 months (since 11th august), but I'm not sure if it's time to bottle it. That's because it is still sparking. I ...
- 11
0
votes
1
answer
120
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Instead of Hop can only Ginger or Orange Peel be used for brewing Pure Wheat Beer?
I want to brew my first batch of pure wheat beer. But instead of Hop I want to use either dried orange peel or freshly grated ginger. Kindly suggest what to use and in what quantity should I use and ...