Good day folks. New member and a major newbie to home brewing. I have gone through several pages and haven't seen anything relating to the question I am about to ask. So I hope I get some good input. My wife gave me probably one of the most wonderful gift for Christmas that I can ever think of. She gave me a beer brewing kit. Now, my wife knows nothing about beer or even the brewing process. So, she bought me a kit that came from Macy's... Having said that, it is called the Platinum beer brewing kit to make a pale ale. I still haven't brewed it since I am one of those that suffer from a little OCD and wanted to do as much research as possible before I jump into this. (I want to get it right!) I even spent some time with a buddy that has been brewing for a few years now and showed me how he does it, so I have a good foundation to begin. I have been hoping to find some form of review on this product and can't find anything. Now this will be my very first time doing it and I don't want to mess it up. Can any one here tell me if this product is good or bad? My next kit will be coming from Northern Brewer and have a whole kit I'd like to get that will meet my requirements for what I want to brew.
As said, howtobrew.com should be your first step. You can get a hard copy for about $13 at amazon (search for how to brew) if you prefer to read paper vs. a screen. Before you start brewing, ask questions here. We can steer you away from some bad or pointless directions that seem to come with kits.
Macy's Platinum kit here. Looks like an OK kit; altho ... I'd be inclined to leave way more head-space in the fermentor. Not sure what's in the larger of the two packs in the lower right corner.
Herbmeowing, that is the kit i have and the large package are the grains to steep. Then you have the hops and the yeast in the smaller packs. Based on what I have learned from not only here, but from my friend that has been doing this for a few years is the fact that my kit only goes through a one step or primary fermentation process before bottling, where as I have read to go through a 2 step or better known as secondary fermenting. Since I am doing a Pale Ale, should I just follow the directions as it comes, or go through the secondary fermentation process?
Most kits seem to mention a secondary fermentation, but most people here would say it is not necessary or even harmful to the beer. Regardless, it looks like you only have one fermentation vessel so you would not have anything to transfer to. TL;DR Don't worry about a secondary, leave the beer in the primary (glass bottle) for 2 -3 weeks.
Thanks for the input everyone. Greatly appreciated. 20 minutes away from getting my wort in the growler... Super excited.
@wspscott and @VikeMan got you covered. Routine racking to a 2ndary fermentor is old school. There are recipes where racking to a 2ndary is appropriate but yours t'ain't one of them.
