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gaztafari
Joined: 21 Jun 2008
Posts: 29
Location: Leek, Staffs
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 Posted: Tue Jun 24, 08 6:58 pm Post subject: Dandelion 'n' Burdock |
 
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Owdooooo. I have only just registered with the forum although I have visited the site from time to time and am having problems with my D & B beer, a la Huge Fergie Whitsuntide. Although I've foraged for many a year, it is my first ever attempt at making any kind of beer. I made it exactly as HFW says to do ( from 'A cook on the wildside' book) except for putting a half teaspoon of 'priming' sugar to the bottles just before bottling. The problem is waaaaaaayy to much fizzzzzz and its stirring up all the sediment (which there is tons of!) from the bottom of the bottle. It's taking about 20 mins of open, close, open, close to the bottle top before it stops fizzing over. I have syphoned off the liquid into a new bottle to see if that has any effect. Everything I used had been sterilized. I imagine it is something really 'DOH!' and basic that I've messed up with.
Here's hoping..... |
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Chez
Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 12750
Location: Quantock Hills, Somerset
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| Posted: Tue Jun 24, 08 7:00 pm Post subject: |
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I can't help; but welcome! |
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gil
Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 12153
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| Posted: Tue Jun 24, 08 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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Welcome also !
Again, not something I make, or a recipe I'm familiar with, but other folk on here who do ginger beer / sparkling elderflower can probably advise.
Your post suggests the priming sugar was not in the recipe. Is that so ? If it is, this might b e the cause of the over-fizz. You've just given the yeast more food, so it's chomping away and producing carbon dioxide. |
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gaztafari
Joined: 21 Jun 2008
Posts: 29
Location: Leek, Staffs
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| Posted: Tue Jun 24, 08 7:33 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the welcome Chez and Gil.....Yeh, I added the 'primer' on advice from a fella. If I can find some more burdock (you can never find any when you want some eh?) I'll give it another go.
As I said before, I am totally new to home-brewing and want to experiment further, I'm not sure wether I'm ready for a 'proper' brew, you know, using individual ingredients, hops etc or to start with a pack from Wilko's or somewhere. I believe the'Woodford' packs are good...any advice. |
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gil
Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 12153
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| Posted: Tue Jun 24, 08 7:54 pm Post subject: |
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Ah yes. Priming is what you do when you make proper beer in glass bottles, which gives it a head.
I think you probably don';t need to prime something like D&B, which is basically a low/no-alcohol soft drink like ginger beer, but with a bit of yeast in to give it a fizz.
 Have you tried really chilling it - like, in the freezer for a while ?
Is it in plastic bottles ? Should be OK then.
Just remembered : met someone recently who makes elderflower 'champagne', but insists on making it with champagne yeast, and has to keep it in the fridge to stop it fermenting into a grown-up drink.
How long ago did you make this ?
You might want to leave it for another week before you start opening the bottles - it will be more alcoholic, but not as fizzy.
Various folk on here speak highly of the Woodeforde range, esp the Wherry.
Have a look at IanNW's current thread about Home Brew Book, it's got some discussion of starting out brewing beer, and what you need.
I'd go for a kit first. Pretty foolproof, as long as you follow the instructions and don't listen to what any fella tells you  |
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gaztafari
Joined: 21 Jun 2008
Posts: 29
Location: Leek, Staffs
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| Posted: Tue Jun 24, 08 8:08 pm Post subject: |
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I had it fermenting for 5 days, I tested it with a hydrometer and the reading was below 1.006, then bottled it and left for a further week, then it erupted! It is in plastic bottles (2 litre 'rola cloa' bottles) I was hoping it would be grown-up drink. HFW reckons it should get to 4% which I know isn't through the roof but for everyday quaffing I thought would be OK, plus it was the thought of foraging for some burdock that appealed!
Thanks for the advice on packs V real brew. I'll check out the thread you mentioned and let you know how I get on.
I should have listened to my mum instead of fellas shouldn't I....mum knows best!!! |
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gil
Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 12153
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| Posted: Tue Jun 24, 08 8:19 pm Post subject: |
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Did you use beer or wine yeast ?
I don't have the book, so dunno what the recipe says.
I wonder whether five days is really long enough to be sure the first fermentation has stopped.
When making a beer (and mine are usually only 4.5%) I'd probably want to make sure the hydrometer read the same for 2-3 days on the trot before bottling
Also, this warm weather might have something to do with it. |
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Jamanda
Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 16550
Location: North Devon
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| Posted: Tue Jun 24, 08 8:31 pm Post subject: |
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I can't help, but hello and welcome to the site. |
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gaztafari
Joined: 21 Jun 2008
Posts: 29
Location: Leek, Staffs
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| Posted: Tue Jun 24, 08 8:49 pm Post subject: |
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DOH!, I knew there would be a DOH!...I used 'Allinsons Dried Active Yeast'. I know it is for breadmaking but it did say it can be used for homebrewing on the tin! Am i stupid ?
I hear what you say about the reading of the hydrometer for consecutive days....I'll remember that.
Cheers again....
Hi Jamanda and thank you also for the kind welcome.
Oooh I already feel just like one of the family...  |
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Jonnyboy
Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 22648
Location: location, location
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| Posted: Tue Jun 24, 08 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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I'm guessing here, but could the brew be poured back into a sterilised container and then the fermentation stopped via a campden tablet. |
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gil
Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 12153
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| Posted: Tue Jun 24, 08 11:06 pm Post subject: |
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@ Jonnyboy - then it's not fizzy, which D&B should be.
@ gaztafari - bread yeast is fine (as the tin says), it's a bit like beer yeast in terms of the strength of alcohol it will produce
If you'd used wine yeast (which can make wines over 20% if used in certain ways  ), I'd say that it was still fermenting when you put it in the bottle - they can ferment down to below 990 before they stop [lowest I've ever got was 982]. But you didn't, so that scotches that explanation.
I reckon it was mainly the additional priming, and maybe not making sure ferment had stopped / held the SG steady for a couple of days. |
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gaztafari
Joined: 21 Jun 2008
Posts: 29
Location: Leek, Staffs
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 08 9:57 pm Post subject: |
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The general consensus seems to be that I didn't need to prime the bottles and that I didn't get the reading on the hydrometer to be the same for consecutive days. That seems logical captain, so I'll go with that... I did rush into it a bit I must admit and the way it was behaving in the bottle did seem as if it was 'alive' But hey, you live and learn....I have released some of the pressure from the bottles and will now leave it for a week or until it clears a little. Will it be OK to then syphon or strain into a new bottle or just leave it and taste, or leave it even longer?
Gil....I've been racking my brains to try and figure what, quote: 'held the SG steady for a couple of days' :unquote, means?
remember I am a total newbie to brewing anything other than a good cup of Yorkshires finest in a morning with my cornflakes
I bet it's something really obvious...I can feel another DOH! coming.
Thanks for the help so far..... |
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gil
Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 12153
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 08 10:38 pm Post subject: |
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| gaztafari wrote: |
I didn't get the reading on the hydrometer to be the same for consecutive days.
Gil....I've been racking my brains to try and figure what, quote: 'held the SG steady for a couple of days' :unquote, means?
... |
They're the same - SG = specific gravity, which is what the hydrometer measures |
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tiggy
Joined: 24 May 2008
Posts: 138
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| Posted: Sun Jun 29, 08 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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Hi gaztafari, another brewer good. My Boris makes Geordie yorkshire bitter and Geordie scottish export both kits you can buy in wilkos. He also makes the Woodfords wherry kits which also come from wilko.All our mates happily drink the Geordie brews,these you need to add sugar to the kit and they are cheap easy and reliable. The wherry is much dearer to buy, does not need added sugar and is delish. Doesnt get taken to parties .Im off to make a curry now with a wherry to drink while I slave over a hot stove Have fun be happy  |
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gaztafari
Joined: 21 Jun 2008
Posts: 29
Location: Leek, Staffs
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| Posted: Sun Jun 29, 08 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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Hiya Tiggy......Yeh, we have a Wilko's here in Leek, I bought my barrel, hydro', etc from there and I spotted the different brands. I heard the Wherry is really good too but I think I'll take Gils advice from earlier and go for a cheaper kit like as what your Boris does and try the Wherry when I have a bit more experience.. There's a big price difference with the Wherry compared to the other brands as you say, but seeing as I don't go to parties any more  and we don't have any friends in Leek  (we haven't lived here that long) I will be this week...drinking it mainly on my own 
 Have yourself or your Boris tried brewing in the 'all grain' stylee. I think I got that right have I? All that mashing up business?
I like the sound of that. Is it more complicated than the kits and do you need additional gear?
Hope you enjoyed your curry....and the Wherry....especially the Wherry |
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