Completely new guy has questions.

Hello all.

I've just started a 'youngs' lager brew from a 40 pint kit (5 Gals)

The Kit has

1 large 5 gallon Fermentation bin
1 Tin of malt/hop mix
1 Hydrometer
1 Siphon hose

I've got a few questions/problems that I'm dealing with, the main one being I never actually thought to buy enough bottle to contain it BEFORE I brewed it but..

I brewed it as per the instructions for 5-6 days, took a hydrometer reading that was about 1.015 (although could be wrong on that)

Anyway I've had to bottle it in a few stages, bottled it evenly over 3 days, added a bit more than half a teaspoon as the only bottles I had were old vodka bottles (700ml) (thoroughly cleaned I might add)

I've take a reading now from popping it in one of the bottle which is 0.994, my 1st question is what sort of reading should I be looking at for both final and the start of the bottling stage? (I'm assuming it ferments still in the bottle right?)

Also I tried one of the bottles after a few days as it had cleared already and it tasted pretty weak, though paletable, a bit watery, did I add too much water to start with, do you think?

And Finally... (and thankyou for your patience) it doesnt seem at all gassey as you'd expect from lager, am I supposed to add my own gas? (no jokes please)

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Too much water = less taste and alcohol in the end.

After a few days there will be no carbonation because you need to let the yeast make that for you. This is why you add that sugar in the end, to produce the gas. Well sealed bottles will hold that gas at pressure and force it into solution in the liquid causing the carbonation. You need to let it sit for a while to let the yeast eat the sugar and do it's work. Due to the fact that you added too much water in the beginning this may take longer than usual.

Yes just to add to DG 2 weeks min for carbing. IF in a pinch use 2 litter soda bottles to hold some of it and drink it first.

I've used empty 2L bottles for making "home made soda pop", you know, ginger ale etc. Works well and the bottle gets firm letting you know it's done. Still they can explode and that's messy but with plastic at least there is no flying glass.

AH, so I just need to wait a bit longer I think then. I've got 3L,2L soda bottles atm and the rest in 700ml glass bottles.

The plastic bottles are firming up nicely now.

What about temperature, they're sat somewhere between 18-20C atm is that enough?

On the water point, I followed the instructions to the letter, so maybe it was the fact that some of the malt/hops concentrate was left in the tin?

How much malt extract was in the tin? 20C is fine it will definatly take 2 weeks min at that temp to carb up maybe even 3. Put in fridge for another 2 weeks at drinking temp. I will check my recipes , I dont use extract but it seeems I remember it takes 2 cans.

It was a large tin, suitable for 40 pints, there was some residues left in the can not a considerable amount but possibly considering the volumes in the final product it might have made a difference.

I'll give it 2 more weeks and se how it goes then.

let me ask this what was your starting gravaty?

I didn't measure my true starting gravity (ie) before the yeast but it was somewhere above 1.020 at a guess, basing that guess on what it did over the next few days.

next time you mix one up mix enough to get an SG of 1.040 to 1.055. This way you know you have enough malt. Check your recipe also alot of them use part malt extract and a little sugar to achieve the proper starting sg. But if you are looking for the fuller flavor just use malt extract to obtain the desired SG.