Starting fermentation

platos

I know it can take up to five days before fermentation can start but I'm a little worried.I am bang on day three and this is my first time of home brewing.I am brewing the NEW...  German Pilsner Gluten Free Beer.

The water in the airlock has risen and the lid has swelled so am I panicking for nothing please.I am using a heater belt and the temp is right.

HBO_Staff

The kits can often brew slowy so don't worry, the domed lid is a good sign and checking readings with a hydrometer will give you an accurate idea on the progress of the fermentation. Using a heater belt is good to ensure a timely and full ferment, it's just patience now and monitor the brew until the gravity reading is right and all small bubbles have ceased rising from the liquid.

And remember, we're very keen to hear what you think to the new Gluten Free range and would love to hear your feedback on the finished results!

platos

I have switched the heater off now in the bed room that I had the GF beer stored for a week at around 18deg. I'll leave it in the room for a second week I think the temp will drop to about 14deg.Is that enough or should I put it in the garage to drop to 4-5 deg at night?

HBO_Staff

Leaving the brew at around 14 degrees is fine, it will then condition and clear and develop it's proper flavours and carbonation. Just try and keep it away from light or in the dark and in a few weeks time they will be ready for drinking, nicely carbonated, clear and with a good flavour

platos

Thank's I'll keep it in the bed room in the cardboard box.Can't wait to try it but will wait until Sunday when it will be bottled for two weeks.If all is well I'll get a few more on the go to be able to keep the beer stored longer over a period of time.

platos

Moved the bottles to the garage yesterday to cool for the first tasting on Sunday afternoon.

platos

Just had a bottle and was a bit rough opening the bottle so just poured enough out before it became cloudy.The German GF Pills was refreshing and dry.I didn't expect it to be as dry but not bad at all.

I don't know the ABV as I forgot to take the first hdro reading the reading after the first fermentation 1.20.. I wonder how strong it is.What I do know is that I can feel the effect with just one pint.

It would be nice to have someone who is experienced with home brew  to taste it to see what they think as I have not drunk anything but Whisky for years.

Can I send a bottle in to to HBO ?

HBO_Staff

It is still early days for the brew, we think it will benefit from being left for a few weeks which will alter the taste, ideally somewhere cool and dark or away from direct light. Without hydrometer readings the alcohol content would be hard to know unfortunately. However we would be more than happy to have a sample if you felt like sending one in, it would be interesting to try as with the Gluten Free kits we haven't had them long so have not yet made them here. A few are selling though. We had wanted to register them on the gluten free website you suggested, but the advertising costs were unbelievably high with a very poor claimed rate of sales from adverts, which was a shame, as we just wanted to let more people who might have been interested know they are available

platos

Thank's for the feed back.I'll send you a bottle as this is important for me for the brew to be a success.

I'll get a mate to taste it as well for his opinion.I'll leave it as you have suggested for a further two weeks as well.That will be four weeks bottled in a cool dark place..

Members of the Coliac society hare given a handbook renewed every year and are sent updated every month or so.It should be in that for free.I will have a word with them and let you know.

I believe there is a brewery in your neck of the woods that produce a GF beer and some pubs locally sell it on the pump.

platos

Just put the second batch in and found the gravity to be 1.04.the final reading of the first batch was 1.02 so unless I am wrong the brew ends up a 2.66%.I'll see what happens at the end reading of the second batch which will take around 10 days.

platos

Day 10 with the second batch and the Gravity is reading at 1.014 Yesterday was 1.015 so I think I will bottle to morrow.

This Gluten free pils seems to take longer to ferment than other brews.I have also kept it warmer.

The first batch I bottled at 1.020 so by keeping it fermenting longer and warmer seems to have helped to get a lower reading.

HBO_Staff

This is often the case with most brews, it is advisable to make sure it has gone as low as possible before bottling to avoid any excess pressure in the bottles, if it's nice and warm it helps. Some brews do take longer than others, and this can also be a sign that they will need longer in the bottles to condition too, certain lagers such as the Coopers European recommend to condition for at least 12 weeks. Try and let the hydrometer reading go as low as possible, check all small bubbles have stopped rising to the surface of the liquid, and then bottle it for as many weeks as possible for best results