Brewing Tips, Tricks & Troubleshooting
Brewing your own beer or cider comes with a bit of a learning curve. That's why we're here to help with some common tips, tricks, and troubleshooting help for your first brew.
Temperature Control
It is important that a brew is kept within the stated temperature range written either in your instructions or stated on your yeast packet. Temperature fluctuations can negatively impact fermentation, leading to undesirable flavours, aromas, and even contamination by unwanted bacteria. If the temperature is too high, this can cause the yeast to ferment too quickly or die, producing off-flavours and aromas, or incomplete fermentation. On the other hand, fermenting at too low a temperature can cause the yeast to become inactive, leading to slow and sometimes stalled/incomplete fermentation.
To keep the yeast happy, there are a few simple techniques you can employ to help keep fermentation going within the correct temperature range:
If brewing in cooler temperatures, try:
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Keeping the fermenter in a warmer area of your house - a hot water cupboard can work well.
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Wrapping the fermenter in blankets or a sleeping bag to keep it warm.
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Placing the fermenter in a cardboard box.
If brewing in warmer temperatures, try:
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Keeping the fermenter in the coolest part of the house – if you can keep it in an air-conditioned room, even better!
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Wrapping the fermenter in a damp/wet towel and using a fan to help keep it cool.
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The fermenter can be placed in a shallow pool of water with the towel overhanging so it remains damp. Ice packs can be added to the water for further cooling but be sure not to over-cool the water in case the temperature is brought down too low.
Accurate Temperature Reading:
Included in our Starter Kits, as well as available on their own, stick-on thermometers are the perfect tool to allow you to keep an eye on the temperature of your brew while it ferments. To ensure the reading is accurate, make sure to apply the thermometer lengthways and just above the 5 L mark on the side of your 30 L fermenter. This placement ensures the temperature shown on the thermometer reflects the temperature of your brew most accurately.
I've unboxed my Mangrove Jack's Starter Kit but can't find the yeast packet/hops/sweetener/kit instructions referenced in my Starter Kit instructions. Where can I find these?
Our premium Craft Series Juicy Session IPA and Craft Series Apple Cider Kits come in a pouch that includes both a wet and dry pouch inside. Once you are prepped and ready to start your brew day, you will find these components inside the dry pouch when you cut open the top of your beer or cider kit.
I accidentally poured my cider sweetener in at the start – is this an issue?
This won't ruin your cider but may just mean the flavour and aroma won't be quite as strong. Generally speaking, adding flavours at the beginning of fermentation will give a more subtle, rustic, and fermented fruit flavour compared to adding at the end which will give a fresher, fuller, and brighter character. Even so, the brew should still turn out well.
I accidentally added my hops too soon – what does this mean?
This won't ruin your brew entirely but will change the flavours and aromas a bit. As well, dry hopping early can induce something called biotransformation – in layman's terms, this is when yeast and hop articles bond and create a hazy effect in the beer. Due to this, your beer may be hazier than intended with some slightly different/subdued hop notes.
The airlock has stopped bubbling before 7 days – is something wrong? See our helpful article here.
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