Home brew? Homebrew? Winemaking

I had a smack pack arrive already smacked. Was quite scared to open it.

Thanks will try Wilko

This was a yeast I couldn't find as a dried version.

Next time I'll take it out of the fridge a day before.

Time after that I'll use the flask and stirrer.

After getting a laptop from work I've finally been able to set up the iSpindel properly.

Now reporting nicely in to the Brewfather app.

1 Attachment

Brewed a Christmas pudding stout yesterday, it's now fermenting away nicely. The smell coming out of the airlock is amazing!

1 Attachment

Has anyone used a fermzilla? Everything I've seen online looks good but does anyone have any first hand experience of them?

I've been looking at them as well.

At the moment I'm undecided.

The advantages are faster fermentation for certain styles and being able to transfer beer without oxygen getting in.

Disadvantages are price of the extras you need, the size of it and the PET vessel only has a two year lifespan before it starts degrading.

After a night of watching YouTube brewing videos it seems that there are two advantages.

1. It makes lager fermenting faster as you can use higher temperatures for the yeast.

2. If you brew highly hopped beer such as NEIPA's you get a better dry hop transfer into the beer.

Everyone uses CO2 and corny kegs though. While I'd like to go there eventually it does mean building a kegerator or a keezer to dispense them.

There seems to be some Stainless Steel conicals out there that aren't much more expensive, have dump valves and thermowells built in. Also can be pressurised if that is a requirement.

Unfortunately they all seem to be sold out. Same as Fermzilla's though...

I wouldn't be able to get full use of it as I don't have a fridge to cold crash and bottle carbonated or just serve from the fermzilla but I like the advantages of the faster fermentation and how clean and easy it looks to use.

With the 2 year thing, that seems to be what the manufacturer says but people with the previous version seen to have got more than 2 years out of it (you can also buy replacement bubbles).

They seem to be available on angel homebrew and aliexpress (although I've never ordered anything from there so have no idea about customs charges and delivery times)

AliExpress is a £50 delivery charge!

They seem like a good idea though and I'm tempted. However I'm feeling that spending a little more and getting a SS fermentor is better value in the long run.

Goddamn rabbit holes...

Whoa I didn't see that delivery charge. Angel Homebrew seems to have them in stock though, 175 quid (inc delivery) if you get the full kit.

If I had a proper outside set up like pathracer I'd definitely invest in something like the SS but it's a bit overkill for me at the moment.

I'm starting to think about converting one of my corny kegs in to a pressure fermenter. There is quite a bit of info on the Web on how to do it.

The next brew is an Imperial Stout. The recipe calls for 5 packs of US-05.

Then I realised I've got one in the fridge already and a pack of spray malt.

So thought sod it, let's make a starter up. Also a good excuse to use the erlenmeyer flask and stir plate.

1 Attachment

And the new fermenter has been delivered! 😊

1 Attachment

Shiny😍

10 hour brew day but it'll be a cheeky Imperial Stout by Christmas.

1 Attachment

Nice!

Transferred my Export Porter to secondary for dry hopping today, tasting great from FV.

1 Attachment

Long mash and boil !

Had to do a double mash to get the grain bill to fit in the Grainfather...

How long was it in the primary? I've got 1.5kg of cocoa nibs to add hopefully next weekend.

Just into drinking my stout now. Very nice winter change from IPAs.
Ideally would have slightly more head.

1 Attachment

Get it now ! What abv are you expecting?

I've got the nibs. Probably not going to put 1.5kg in after reading various Web stuff.

Now looking at 350g but going to add vanilla and soak it in dark rum before it goes in the secondary.

Should be around 11%.

It was going to be a 'salty chocolate balls' stout but I've changed my mind...

Gotta love having a local brew club.

The split has arrived, should keep me busy for a while.

1 Attachment