My first Brew using Magnum Strawberry kit questons

StuartA

Hi all, first would like to say i ordered my kits Friday afternoon and received them Saturday morning
I ordered a red wine and Strawberry Cider kit and the 4.5L Red wine is bubbling away nicely.
I have a couple questions as im not entirely sure by what i have read on several forums/leaflets regarding temp/brewing time.

When i initially made the brew i stored it safely under the stairs which is dark and safe from being knocked.
I noticed the temp was ranging from 18°-21° which i thought was a little low as the leaflet suggests 21-26? and i never see any bubbles in the airlock but can see froth.
I then put it in the airing cupboard upstairs which is warmer and am now averaging 24°-26° for my Cider and 2 wine brews.
I know the leaflet suggests 21-26° but forum suggests 18-20° but what is best temp for a better brew?

The leaflet that came with the Strawberry kit suggest Less than 14 days but the website suggests 3-4 week brewing?

Appreciate your help
Thanks
Stuart

HBO_Staff

Hi Stuart, brewing temperatures can be a tricky one for the home brewer, many can only brew to the temperature they have in their home, you can use a heating device to increase the temperature if needed, but it is harder to keep it cool in very hot summers (if we ever have any). The general rule is to keep the brew within or as near as you reasonably can to the recommended temperatures the manufacturers give for each beer/lager/cider ingredients as they can vary, this can be due to the style of ingredients, the types of yeast included, etc. If you brew cooler than this the fermentation can take longer, any higher and it may ferment faster. Often a slow and steady ferment allows the best flavours to develop, if you brew at a high temperature it may ferment faster but some of the end flavours may not be as good. A very broad rule as a guide is around 20 degrees C, we suggest if possible to adjust if needed and brew at what the manufacturers of your specific ingredients kit recommend if that is possible, and it is not always, in which case just try and keep it as close as you can.

Brewing times will vary accordingly, as a general rule the primary fermentation for beers, lagers and ciders will take a week to a week and a half at a reasonable average brewing temperature unless the ingredients state otherwise, once you bottle or barrel it the needs at least a couple of weeks in there to carbonate and condition, but then the longer you leave it the better it will taste.

Wines on the other hand vary and often come as 7 day kits, or alternatively as kits which take around a month to brew. As with beers once bottled they will always benefit from being left for a good few weeks minimum for the flavours to develop fully

StuartA

Thank you,
Yea the leaflet for the Cider kit suggests 21-26°
But on the forums and your post, it is suggested to keep it about 20° for best flavour etc.
In my upstairs cupboard it's currently sitting around 24-26°
Downstairs it was more 17-21° (depending on day/night).
Decisions decisions lol, Upstairs or downstairs.

HBO_Staff

It is often true that a lower temperature can result in better flavour but fermentation can then take longer, the manufacturers will have tested this though so we would suggest the lower end of the temperature scale they recommend, ideally around 21 Degrees C if possible, let us know how you get on....