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Date: 18 Aug 2006 21:11:54
From: wpattison
Subject: My American-style Wheat (First Batch followup)
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I wanted to post my findings here at the close of the week w/ my first
batch fermenting.
Yeast was pitched on Monday morning (6:45am) and the temp remained
constant until Wednesday afternoon at 77F. I noticed fermentation had
stopped, so I figured it was a stuck fermentation. I then did the wet
t-shirt trick for evaporation cooling, and it was at a constant 66F for
two more days. *Some airlock action late Wednesday night.*
This afternoon (Friday) I read online that since the temp may have been
"too warm" initially, the fermentation may have completed already. The
airlock had already stopped popping since Thursday night. Ok then, I
pull a hydrometer sample.
O.G. (temp adjusted) = 1.040
S.G. (temp adj., 5 days later) = 1.011
These measurements fall in line with the BJCP guidelines for this type
of beer... but admittedly my recipe is a hack of ingredients from the
homebrew store. (see
http://www.bjcp.org/styles04/Category6.html#style6D)
The beer was very, very cloudy... more then even an unfiltered wheat
should be.
So... what is everyone's verdict? Am I good "hydrometer-wise" and just
need to let it sit for clearing? Is there something I can do to help
it clear when I rack it to the priming bucket?
I think I'm a little antsy because it's my first batch. I was going to
wait until Sunday to rack and bottle, but now I'm thinking it should
sit a bit. I took the t-shirt and fan off it, I don't think it needs
the cooling as much anymore. (It will be around 75F where it's at
now.)
Thanks in advance!
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Date: 20 Aug 2006 13:57:44
From: Baron218
Subject: Re: My American-style Wheat (First Batch followup)
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Relax have a homebrew...
I wouldn't worry a lot about the temperature, my first bunch of
beers fermented at higher than 70F and they came out ok. You may have
some off flavors but it's your first brew, I wouldn't worry.
If you can rack your beer to a secondary for another week you will
notice that you beer gets a lot clearer. However, if you are only
using 1 fermenting bucket with a blow off tube I wouldn't keep your
beer in too much longer.
If you're really worried about a clear beer you could use this..
http://www.beer-wine.com/product_info.asp?productID=833§ionID=1
Super Kleer KC finings. but really don't worry about it.
Once you prime and bottle, wait a couple weeks and you'll notice most
of the junk falls to the bottem. Besides, you want the beer a little
cloudy.
Cheers,
Mike
ttison wrote:
> I wanted to post my findings here at the close of the week w/ my first
> batch fermenting.
>
> Yeast was pitched on Monday morning (6:45am) and the temp remained
> constant until Wednesday afternoon at 77F. I noticed fermentation had
> stopped, so I figured it was a stuck fermentation. I then did the wet
> t-shirt trick for evaporation cooling, and it was at a constant 66F for
> two more days. *Some airlock action late Wednesday night.*
>
> This afternoon (Friday) I read online that since the temp may have been
> "too warm" initially, the fermentation may have completed already. The
> airlock had already stopped popping since Thursday night. Ok then, I
> pull a hydrometer sample.
>
> O.G. (temp adjusted) = 1.040
> S.G. (temp adj., 5 days later) = 1.011
>
> These measurements fall in line with the BJCP guidelines for this type
> of beer... but admittedly my recipe is a hack of ingredients from the
> homebrew store. (see
> http://www.bjcp.org/styles04/Category6.html#style6D)
>
> The beer was very, very cloudy... more then even an unfiltered wheat
> should be.
>
> So... what is everyone's verdict? Am I good "hydrometer-wise" and just
> need to let it sit for clearing? Is there something I can do to help
> it clear when I rack it to the priming bucket?
>
> I think I'm a little antsy because it's my first batch. I was going to
> wait until Sunday to rack and bottle, but now I'm thinking it should
> sit a bit. I took the t-shirt and fan off it, I don't think it needs
> the cooling as much anymore. (It will be around 75F where it's at
> now.)
>
> Thanks in advance!
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Date: 21 Aug 2006 15:40:59
From: John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
Subject: Re: My American-style Wheat (First Batch followup)
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On 18 Aug 2006 21:11:54 -0700, <warrenpattison@gmail.com > wrote:
> I wanted to post my findings here at the close of the week w/ my first
> batch fermenting.
>
> Yeast was pitched on Monday morning (6:45am) and the temp remained
> constant until Wednesday afternoon at 77F. I noticed fermentation had
> stopped, so I figured it was a stuck fermentation. I then did the wet
> t-shirt trick for evaporation cooling, and it was at a constant 66F for
> two more days. *Some airlock action late Wednesday night.*
Ignore the bubbles, they don't really mean anything.
> This afternoon (Friday) I read online that since the temp may have been
> "too warm" initially, the fermentation may have completed already. The
> airlock had already stopped popping since Thursday night. Ok then, I
> pull a hydrometer sample.
Yeah, 77F is pretty high. The fermentation will proceed faster at high temps,
but the yeast also tend to produce more off flavors at high temps as well.
> O.G. (temp adjusted) = 1.040
> S.G. (temp adj., 5 days later) = 1.011
Sounds like it's done, or very close to it. I do not think you have to worry
about a stuck fermentation.
> So... what is everyone's verdict? Am I good "hydrometer-wise" and just
> need to let it sit for clearing? Is there something I can do to help
> it clear when I rack it to the priming bucket?
>
Yeah, the gravities sound good as far as the fermentation being complete.
Just give it more time for the cloudiness to settle out. If you want to
help it clear more quickly, lower the temp. That's not always easy to do
though. The easiest thing is to just be patient and let it clear
naturally.
> I think I'm a little antsy because it's my first batch.
Relax, it sounds like everything is fine. Cloudiness at this early stage is
normal. During fermentation your beer looks like a lava lamp. Even after
fermentation is over, it takes a while for all of that solid material to
settle to the bottom.
> I was going to
> wait until Sunday to rack and bottle, but now I'm thinking it should
> sit a bit. I took the t-shirt and fan off it, I don't think it needs
> the cooling as much anymore. (It will be around 75F where it's at
> now.)
It's up to you, but at this point the longer you can be patient, the clearer
it will likely get. Personally, I generally leave the beer in the primary
fermenter for one week, rack it to a secondary fermenter and leave it there
for two weeks, and then keg/bottle. Rather than bottling this Sunday, I'd
at least try to leave it alone until next weekend before you bottle. However,
the most difficult thing to learn about homebrewing is patience. I think just
about every beginning homebrewer bottles (and drinks) their first batch a
little early. ;)
John.
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Date: 21 Aug 2006 07:09:57
From: wpattison
Subject: Re: My American-style Wheat (First Batch followup)
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Thanks for the reply. You're right... I'm relaxing and not worrying
about it.
I find the whole "Relax and have a homebrew" advice is great. Only
problem is - it's my first batch and I don't have any homebrew yet!
LOL. Oh well, subsequent batches...
(I just bought the ingredients for Double Chocolate Stout. It's a
partial-mash recipe. Am I nuts for going this far with only my second
batch??? :) )
I've got a secondary fermenter coming in on Wednesday. I'll probably
rack over to that and let it sit.
Thanks!
Baron218 wrote:
> Relax have a homebrew...
> I wouldn't worry a lot about the temperature, my first bunch of
> beers fermented at higher than 70F and they came out ok. You may have
> some off flavors but it's your first brew, I wouldn't worry.
>
> If you can rack your beer to a secondary for another week you will
> notice that you beer gets a lot clearer. However, if you are only
> using 1 fermenting bucket with a blow off tube I wouldn't keep your
> beer in too much longer.
>
> If you're really worried about a clear beer you could use this..
> http://www.beer-wine.com/product_info.asp?productID=833§ionID=1
> Super Kleer KC finings. but really don't worry about it.
>
> Once you prime and bottle, wait a couple weeks and you'll notice most
> of the junk falls to the bottem. Besides, you want the beer a little
> cloudy.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Mike
>
>
>
>
> ttison wrote:
> > I wanted to post my findings here at the close of the week w/ my first
> > batch fermenting.
> >
> > Yeast was pitched on Monday morning (6:45am) and the temp remained
> > constant until Wednesday afternoon at 77F. I noticed fermentation had
> > stopped, so I figured it was a stuck fermentation. I then did the wet
> > t-shirt trick for evaporation cooling, and it was at a constant 66F for
> > two more days. *Some airlock action late Wednesday night.*
> >
> > This afternoon (Friday) I read online that since the temp may have been
> > "too warm" initially, the fermentation may have completed already. The
> > airlock had already stopped popping since Thursday night. Ok then, I
> > pull a hydrometer sample.
> >
> > O.G. (temp adjusted) = 1.040
> > S.G. (temp adj., 5 days later) = 1.011
> >
> > These measurements fall in line with the BJCP guidelines for this type
> > of beer... but admittedly my recipe is a hack of ingredients from the
> > homebrew store. (see
> > http://www.bjcp.org/styles04/Category6.html#style6D)
> >
> > The beer was very, very cloudy... more then even an unfiltered wheat
> > should be.
> >
> > So... what is everyone's verdict? Am I good "hydrometer-wise" and just
> > need to let it sit for clearing? Is there something I can do to help
> > it clear when I rack it to the priming bucket?
> >
> > I think I'm a little antsy because it's my first batch. I was going to
> > wait until Sunday to rack and bottle, but now I'm thinking it should
> > sit a bit. I took the t-shirt and fan off it, I don't think it needs
> > the cooling as much anymore. (It will be around 75F where it's at
> > now.)
> >
> > Thanks in advance!
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