first time brewing Gluten free German Pilsner

platos

I had to wait 11 days before I got it to 1015 at an average temp of 24deg.I just could not get it to the required 1010.I have now bottled it for the secondary fermentation.Three days in the warm and I think and 11 days at least cool.I tasted it half way through bottling about 5 - 10ml It tasted good even before the second fermentation.Light and refreshing.Can't wait to taste the end product.

I have made two mistakes which I hope to get away with.the first I forgot to put the red filter plug in the fermenting bin.I got round that hopefully by discarding the first pint. The second was I might have been better ( I don't know ) if I had of bottled after day 9 when it had been stable at 1020 for two days.

Any thought's?

HBO_Staff

We're keen to hear how this turns out, so please post us a review on the bottom of the product page if possible so others can tell what it's like from your experience. The red plug will not cause any problems, just discarding the first little bit removes any sediment from the bottler and stops the first bottle being cloudy, so you did the right thing there. The brew being slow to get down to a finished gravity reading does happen sometimes, it can also depend on the volume of water added and the tempearture you take the reading at etc, but as long as it stayed constant you will be OK to bottle after that time at a good temperature like 24 degrees. The lower the reading the better so you don't end up with too much pressure inside your bottles, so it was best to wait until it had gone as low as it would

platos

I will let you know how I get on.HBO.Ihave put the bottles in the conservatory in a cardboard box lined with a thick amount of newspaper all round.How long before i move it to a cool place please.

I looked at a few bottles to day 24 hours after bottling and there look like sediment at the bottom of the bottles is this normal? I put half a teaspoon of brewing sugar in each bottle BTW.   

HBO_Staff

It may also be the sugar that is visible in the bottom of the bottles before it dissolves, but any sediment will settle and compact in the bottom of the bottles. To help the sugar dissolve and get the secondary fermentation going properly a nice warm room helps, perhaps a week around 20 degrees or more, and then move somewhere cooler after around a week to maybe 12 to 15 degrees to allow the brew to condition and clear. It may take a few weeks but the brew will clear and carbonate and the flavours much improve

platos

Ta.I will keep you in touch.I have moved the bottles to an unused bedroom.and put a heater in it as the temperature was only 15 deg in the morning so would have been less maybe during the night.

platos

Just tried a bottle.Leaving it a week more has made a difference I took some bottles out of the garage and put them in the fridge this morning.What a difference another week has made to the taste.I may put a full spoon of sugar in the bottles next time instead of just half a spoon as I did with this first batch.  

platos

It will be interesting to hear what HBO think of this brew after sampling the bottle I sent them..

HBO_Staff

Hi Platos, thanks for the sample, much appreciated, we have it stood clearing after it got shaken up in transit, so will hopefully have a taste next week, it will be great to try it and we'll report back to you....

platos

It's getting even better with time.

marko

Its just gone in the fridge so we'll be trying it soon, looks lovely and clear.

platos

How did you find the bottle I sent?

HBO_Staff

Thank you very much for the bottle of GWTW German Pilsner, the bottle was a little soft showing it was not yet carbonated so it was left to condition for a few weeks in the bottle. Everyone has had a sample of this, after chilling it in the fridge we poured it out and it is carbonated, but could perhaps use a little more priming sugar to give it more fizz, it did have a small head to it. The taste is not quite like many lagers you get, it is a little more fruity some of us felt, which makes it quite a light and refreshing drink and one for the summer months. Not an exact match for some lagers, but is certainly a drinkable, thirst quenching brew!

A big thanks to Platos for the sample bottle, it's much appreciated!

platos

Thank's I thought the same,I doubled the priming sugar in the second batch.

My first thought was great for a summer drink as it was so refreshing. Beggars can't be choosers  I have a bottle when I have a thirst.I also think it needs three weeks at least in the bottle before drinking.In the summer I may buy a keg and see how it fairs in that.

HBO_Staff

We think it would be better in bottles, it will help with the carbonation and also allow it to be chilled if you wanted it cold, the extra priming sugar will improve it so we think you were right to do that, now we just need a summer this year....

platos

 I have just ordered the other GF larger to night and am going for 2 spoons of sugar in the second fermentation as there was little fiz in the other batches.I will have to just hope the bottles don't blow up or I am in trouble with her indoors.What do admin think?

HBO_Staff

In 500ml bottles a heaped teaspoon of sugar is usually about right for a good amount of fizz, if you use more than this we would recommend storing somewhere safe such as in a garage after a few days in the warm, just to be on the safe side in case the pressure gets too much. We've never had any problems with a heaped teaspoon per 500ml bottles being over pressurised, but caution is advised if using more