Newbee doing first brew

Gary1240

Hi all I'm a newbee to the homebrew activity. I have just started my first brew of which is Coopers Australian Lager. I have a few questions which I hope you can help me with. 1. I used white cane sugar in my fermenting bin and I've seen since that you can use others, have I used the right sugar?. 2. The instructions said that the first fermenting process take around 6 days, is this right?. 3. I am going to transfer into a keg for the secondary fermentation process of which holds 23 litres. How much sugar do I need to add for the secondary fermentation process to work and how long does it take until it is drinkable. 4. How many co2 capsules do I add and when. Sorry if this sound basic but as I said I'm a newbee so please be gentle. Thanks in advance

HBO_Staff

Welcome, we're sure you will have no problems but here is a link to the general process with most of that covered, it should hopefully be of help:
http://homebrewonline.vanillaforums.com/discussion/523/just-starting-heres-a-handy-checklist-and-useful-things-to-know-for-beer-lager-cider#latest
Some ingredients need sugar adding and you can use one of a few different options, ordinary white granulated sugar, brewing sugar, or for best results brew enhancer - this gives more body and flavour. Coopers instructions only give priming sugar recommendations for bottles, if using a barrel then as a guide around 120g or so of sugar for lager for a 40 pint batch, the more you add the more carbonated it will be, and your barrel should vent out any excess pressure if needed through the vent on the lid. If you need any more info than what you find on the link just ask

Gary1240

Thanks very much for your advice, much appreciated...

Gary1240

Should I add enhancing sugar when I transfer to the barrel, thanks

HBO_Staff

Once in the barrel you need to prime it so it carbonates and produces CO2 which will then keep any air out and the beer in the barrel pressurised so it dispenses. You can prime the barrel with any form of sugar, either ordinary white granulated sugar, brewing sugar, brew enhancer, or spraymalt, it will then dissolve and secondary ferment, ideally keep the barrel somewhere warm for the first week, then somewhere a few degrees cooler afterwards to help it clear

Gary1240

Awesome thanks..