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Main
Date: 05 Jul 2006 15:18:24
From: Isaac
Subject: it's my first time, go slow..
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I just bought a local brew shop's complete starter kit, which comes
with a 30 litre bucket, 23 litre carboy, siphoning hose, bottler,
hydrometer, thermometer, and sanitizer. It also comes with 23 litres of
prepared wort, to make things easy your first time 'round. The
instructions say to start fermentation at 23 degrees C, but the room
temperature in here is hovering around 27/28C. Will the extra 4 or 5
degrees affect it that much? If so, what's the best way to cool the
bucket for a week (assuming I can't put it in the fridge)?
Also, the instructions make dire warnings about removing the airlock
until it's time to bottle. How, then, are you meant to take samples to
test SG?
Thanks for any help, and I hope I can make my first batch without
messing it up all too bad..
Cheers,
Isaac
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Date: 05 Jul 2006 19:08:39
From: Lefty Skywalker
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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I likewise started today. Midwest hardware and recipe kits, Irish red
ale, OG 1.044. I'm curious why my "red" ale kit came with gold malt,
but it wasn't a mis-packing.
I can't believe you're in Canada and worried about the temperature being
too high. Spoiled, that's what you are.
--
Daniel O. Miller
"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the
fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true
science. Whosoever does not know it and can no longer marvel, is as good
as dead, and his eyes are dimmed." - Albert Einstein
WWYD? (-o-) <* > Genesis 49:17
Real email address: darth dot lefty at golf mike able india lima.
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 14:45:06
From: John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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On Wed, 05 Jul 2006 19:08:39 -0700, <dmille15@hotmail.com > wrote:
> I likewise started today. Midwest hardware and recipe kits, Irish red
> ale, OG 1.044. I'm curious why my "red" ale kit came with gold malt,
> but it wasn't a mis-packing.
Did it come with anything other than gold malt? It could just be
creative labeling on the part of the company. Usually the red color
will come from a handful of black grain steeped (and then removed) before
the boil.
John.
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 18:19:01
From: Lefty Skywalker
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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John 'Shaggy' Kolesar wrote:
> On Wed, 05 Jul 2006 19:08:39 -0700, <dmille15@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> I likewise started today. Midwest hardware and recipe kits, Irish red
>> ale, OG 1.044. I'm curious why my "red" ale kit came with gold malt,
>> but it wasn't a mis-packing.
>
> Did it come with anything other than gold malt? It could just be
> creative labeling on the part of the company. Usually the red color
> will come from a handful of black grain steeped (and then removed) before
> the boil.
>
>
> John.
Indeed it did. A pound's worth of several types. Strangest pot of tea
I've ever made.
What should I have done with the dregs? Not everything was caught by
the bag, and the hops too. They wound up in the fermenter. I've been
wondering if I should have filtered 'em.
--
Daniel O. Miller
"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the
fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true
science. Whosoever does not know it and can no longer marvel, is as good
as dead, and his eyes are dimmed." - Albert Einstein
WWYD? (-o-) <* > Genesis 49:17
Real email address: darth dot lefty at golf mike able india lima.
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Date: 07 Jul 2006 14:14:10
From: John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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On Thu, 06 Jul 2006 18:19:01 -0700, <dmille15@hotmail.com > wrote:
> What should I have done with the dregs? Not everything was caught by
> the bag, and the hops too. They wound up in the fermenter. I've been
> wondering if I should have filtered 'em.
I wouldn't worry too much about it. It's best to try and strain that
stuff out when you move it to the fermenter, but having it there won't
cause a major problem. It should all settle to the bottom of the
fermenter eventually and get left behind when you rack to either a secondary
or your bottling bucket.
John.
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Date: 07 Jul 2006 03:53:55
From: Bill Riel
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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In article <44adb64b$0$17943$892e7fe2@authen.yellow.readfreenews.net >,
dmille15@hotmail.com says...
> What should I have done with the dregs? Not everything was caught by
> the bag, and the hops too. They wound up in the fermenter. I've been
> wondering if I should have filtered 'em.
I wouldn't worry about it. You generally want to remove as much of that
as you can, but a bit getting into the fermenter won't hurt a thing.
Cheers,
Bill
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Date: 10 Jul 2006 22:07:56
From: Lefty Skywalker
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
|
Lefty Skywalker wrote:
> I likewise started today. Midwest hardware and recipe kits, Irish red
> ale, OG 1.044.
Moved it to the secondary today. It was very cloudy due to missing the
whole "get rid of the gunk" step. A lot of sediment still made it to
the secondary. I snuck a coffee mug full and tasted it. It tasted...
kind of boring actually. Which I suppose is better than the
alternative. I skipped out on measuring the gravity. I ought to get a
cylinder or something from work to float the hydrometer with a minimal
sample.
Here's hoping it clarifies, and that carbonation will help spark it up...
--
Daniel O. Miller
"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the
fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true
science. Whosoever does not know it and can no longer marvel, is as good
as dead, and his eyes are dimmed." - Albert Einstein
WWYD? (-o-) <* > Genesis 49:17
Real email address: darth dot lefty at golf mike able india lima.
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Date: 28 Jul 2006 19:43:58
From: Lefty Skywalker
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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Lefty Skywalker wrote:
> Lefty Skywalker wrote:
>> I likewise started today. Midwest hardware and recipe kits, Irish red
>> ale, OG 1.044.
>
> Moved it to the secondary today. It was very cloudy due to missing the
> whole "get rid of the gunk" step. A lot of sediment still made it to
> the secondary. I snuck a coffee mug full and tasted it. It tasted...
> kind of boring actually. Which I suppose is better than the
> alternative. I skipped out on measuring the gravity. I ought to get a
> cylinder or something from work to float the hydrometer with a minimal
> sample.
>
> Here's hoping it clarifies, and that carbonation will help spark it up...
I bottled my beer today.
Final gravity before I added the sugar was about 1.016. A little high.
Spilled a bunch (probably about 1/2 gallon or a 6-pack worth) due to a
stupid mistake I made... the bottling bucket valve was open and I didn't
notice as I poured from the fermenter.
Big puddle... I'll say this for it, it definitely smells like beer.
It was messy and time consuming. I can see how a keggerator might be a
good idea.
Even so, I have thirty-seven 12-oz bottles and two 32-oz bottles.
Now they need to carbonate and age for about another two weeks...
--
Daniel O. Miller
"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the
fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true
science. Whosoever does not know it and can no longer marvel, is as good
as dead, and his eyes are dimmed." - Albert Einstein
WWYD? (-o-) <* > Genesis 49:17
Real email address: darth dot lefty at golf mike able india lima.
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Date: 05 Jul 2006 18:01:58
From: Isaac
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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A basement isn't an option as we're already in the basement, a la the
basement apartment. This is as cold as it's gonna get. And waiting till
colder weather means two or three months.. good god man. That's no
good.
I guess I'll give it a go and see what happens..
Thanks,
Isaac
Dick Adams wrote:
> Isaac <isaacsorge@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Damn, this whole living in Canada thing is really getting me down.
>
> Just think about all the money you'll save on refrigeration by
> brewing when the high for the day drops below 15C. You can come
> home in the evening and put your fermentation buckets outside for
> four hours. Depending on where you live, you may not need to use
> a food freezer for 4-5 months each year!
>
> Dick
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 03:00:57
From: Bart Goddard
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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isaacsorge@gmail.com wrote:
> I guess I'll give it a go and see what happens..
That's what all the rest of us do. (But the towel
trick will get you a lot of mileage. Put a fan on
it to get even more.)
B.
--
The man without a .sig
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 11:44:34
From: Gerard Eberlein
Subject: Re: overcarbonated by bottling?
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"John 'Shaggy' Kolesar" <spam@shagg.net > wrote in message
news:slrneaq978.h6d.spam@weizen.shagg.net...
> On Wed, 5 Jul 2006 17:28:22 -0400, .
As long as you're
> positive it was finished fermenting before bottling, then you may
> just not like the amount of carbonation that 5 oz gives.
99% sure it was done fermenting. I racked it at 9 days took an SG reading
the did secondary for a week. Unless the room was too cold, might have
slowed down fermenting. After a week at 62-64F in secondary still had the
same SG as when I racked it.
If,
however, the bottles continue carbing and eventually start gushing when
> you open them, then you may be in trouble. I'd definitely put them all
> in the fridge at that point. If it gets too much, you can eventually
> start breaking bottles from the pressure.
Haven't had a gusher yet, so I'm good there for now and i open a couple
bottles each day so I kinda keep tabs on them that way. Thanx for the info.
Gerard
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Date: 07 Jul 2006 14:55:27
From: Ryan Case
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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Isaac wrote:
> A basement isn't an option as we're already in the basement, a la the
> basement apartment. This is as cold as it's gonna get. And waiting till
> colder weather means two or three months.. good god man. That's no
> good.
>
> I guess I'll give it a go and see what happens..
>
> Thanks,
>
> Isaac
>
>
Go to the local veterinarian and ask if they have any of the large
styro-foam boxes they need to get rid of. Put your bucket or carboy in
there with a frozen milk jug of water. Change the milk jug as needed.
Ryan
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Date: 07 Jul 2006 16:03:39
From: Lefty Skywalker
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
|
Ryan Case wrote:
> Isaac wrote:
>> A basement isn't an option as we're already in the basement, a la the
>> basement apartment. This is as cold as it's gonna get. And waiting till
>> colder weather means two or three months.. good god man. That's no
>> good.
>>
>> I guess I'll give it a go and see what happens..
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Isaac
>>
>>
> Go to the local veterinarian and ask if they have any of the large
> styro-foam boxes they need to get rid of. Put your bucket or carboy in
> there with a frozen milk jug of water. Change the milk jug as needed.
The vet?
--
Daniel O. Miller
"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the
fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true
science. Whosoever does not know it and can no longer marvel, is as good
as dead, and his eyes are dimmed." - Albert Einstein
WWYD? (-o-) <* > Genesis 49:17
Real email address: darth dot lefty at golf mike able india lima.
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Date: 05 Jul 2006 16:56:20
From: CarlJF
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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> temperature in here is hovering around 27/28C. Will the extra 4 or 5
> degrees affect it that much? If so, what's the best way to cool the
> bucket for a week (assuming I can't put it in the fridge)?
>
27/28 may be a bit high. However, it's hard to tell how much the beer
can be affected. You can wrap the bucket with wet towels, but I don't
think it will be enough in this case. If you can put your fermenter in
a basement, it's usually around the good temperature. The only other
way is to wait some cooler days to brew, the most critical being the
firat 3-4 days, when the yeast is at top activity.
> Also, the instructions make dire warnings about removing the airlock
> until it's time to bottle. How, then, are you meant to take samples to
> test SG?
They made this statement because they don't want you to look every hour
in your bucket and risk contamination. After a week, rack from your
bucket to your carboy. Wait two weeks, and then bottle. The only SG you
have to take is at bottling day. Unless you have a very unusual beer or
dead yeast, fermentation will be totally completed at this time.
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 14:43:21
From: John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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On 5 Jul 2006 16:56:20 -0700, <Carl_JF_Simard@hotmail.com > wrote:
> They made this statement because they don't want you to look every hour
> in your bucket and risk contamination. After a week, rack from your
> bucket to your carboy. Wait two weeks, and then bottle. The only SG you
> have to take is at bottling day. Unless you have a very unusual beer or
> dead yeast, fermentation will be totally completed at this time.
The beer should be done on bottling day (otherwise you'll have big
problems), but how do you know when bottling day is without checking the
SG more than once? Anytime you start talking about things like "wait X
number of days and then it should be done", you're just guessing and will
eventually get yourself into trouble.
The standard recommendation is to wait until you think it's ready to bottle,
and then take two SG readings spread out over a couple of days. As long as
the SG does not change any over a couple days, and it's reasonable for what
you would expect for a final gravity, then you can determine that it's
bottling time. If the SG is still changing or if it seems really high,
then wait a couple more days and check it again. If the SG seems to
have gotten "stuck" higher than you expect, post back here for help.
John.
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Date: 05 Jul 2006 16:44:32
From: Isaac
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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Dick Adams wrote:
> Isaac <isaacsorge@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > I just bought a local brew shop's complete starter kit, which comes
> > with a 30 litre bucket, 23 litre carboy, siphoning hose, bottler,
> > hydrometer, thermometer, and sanitizer. It also comes with 23 litres
> > of prepared wort, to make things easy your first time 'round. The
> > instructions say to start fermentation at 23 degrees C, but the room
> > temperature in here is hovering around 27/28C. Will the extra 4 or 5
> > degrees affect it that much? If so, what's the best way to cool the
> > bucket for a week (assuming I can't put it in the fridge)?
>
> If you have a bath tub, fill it with cold water. Or pack the bucket
> in dry ice. There's nothing wrong about fermenting colder.
>
> > Also, the instructions make dire warnings about removing the airlock
> > until it's time to bottle. How, then, are you meant to take samples to
> > test SG?
>
> My childbride calls that 'nipping'. They are probably trying to stop
> you from developing a bad habit.
>
> Dick
My bad about the top posting. Using the bathtub isn't an option, as my
roommates (unlike me) enjoy a shower from time to time. I'll probably
put it on some newspaper and put some damp towels around it, freshened
daily.
Hopefully this'll turn out alright and the roommates will allow a
second batch. I hate living with people. :)
Thanks for all the help,
Isaac
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 10:20:50
From: Don Levey
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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"Isaac" <isaacsorge@gmail.com > writes:
> Hopefully this'll turn out alright and the roommates will allow a
> second batch. I hate living with people. :)
>
> Thanks for all the help,
>
> Isaac
>
Your roommates will probably be much more understanding when the batch
is ready to drink. The chances are good that they'll be encouraging
you to make the next batch...
--
Don Levey $ cd /pub
Framingham, MA $ more beer
NOTE: email server uses spam filters; mail sent to salearn@the-leveys.us
will be used to tune the blocking lists.
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 16:15:06
From: rb
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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Isaac wrote:
> Dick Adams wrote:
>> Isaac <isaacsorge@gmail.com> wrote:
[snip]
Dick
>
> My bad about the top posting. Using the bathtub isn't an option, as my
> roommates (unlike me) enjoy a shower from time to time. I'll probably
> put it on some newspaper and put some damp towels around it, freshened
> daily.
>
> Hopefully this'll turn out alright and the roommates will allow a
> second batch. I hate living with people. :)
>
> Thanks for all the help,
>
> Isaac
>
Chances are some noisy roommate will want to open the fermenter at some
point - I would emphasise to them that that is a really bad thing. (It's
not too bad a thing to do once or twice, but anyone not understanding
the necessity for hygiene will probably want to stick their fingers in
for a taste etc).
Some sort of anti-tamper device (sticky tape?) so you know if its been
opened might be useful.
rb
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 07:32:57
From: QD Steve
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
|
"rb" <snafu_1@lycos.com > wrote in message
news:44aca9f6$0$17016$88260bb3@news-taz.teranews.com...
> Isaac wrote:
>> Dick Adams wrote:
>>> Isaac <isaacsorge@gmail.com> wrote:
> [snip]
>
> Dick
>>
>> My bad about the top posting. Using the bathtub isn't an option, as my
>> roommates (unlike me) enjoy a shower from time to time. I'll probably
>> put it on some newspaper and put some damp towels around it, freshened
>> daily.
>>
>> Hopefully this'll turn out alright and the roommates will allow a
>> second batch. I hate living with people. :)
>>
>> Thanks for all the help,
>>
>> Isaac
>>
>
> Chances are some noisy roommate will want to open the fermenter at some
> point - I would emphasise to them that that is a really bad thing. (It's
> not too bad a thing to do once or twice, but anyone not understanding the
> necessity for hygiene will probably want to stick their fingers in for a
> taste etc).
> Some sort of anti-tamper device (sticky tape?) so you know if its been
> opened might be useful.
>
> rb
Nah! A well placed sign with some suitably threatening expletives usually
does the job.
Steve W.
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Date: 05 Jul 2006 23:34:07
From: Dick Adams
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
|
Isaac <isaacsorge@gmail.com > wrote:
> I just bought a local brew shop's complete starter kit, which comes
> with a 30 litre bucket, 23 litre carboy, siphoning hose, bottler,
> hydrometer, thermometer, and sanitizer. It also comes with 23 litres
> of prepared wort, to make things easy your first time 'round. The
> instructions say to start fermentation at 23 degrees C, but the room
> temperature in here is hovering around 27/28C. Will the extra 4 or 5
> degrees affect it that much? If so, what's the best way to cool the
> bucket for a week (assuming I can't put it in the fridge)?
If you have a bath tub, fill it with cold water. Or pack the bucket
in dry ice. There's nothing wrong about fermenting colder.
> Also, the instructions make dire warnings about removing the airlock
> until it's time to bottle. How, then, are you meant to take samples to
> test SG?
My childbride calls that 'nipping'. They are probably trying to stop
you from developing a bad habit.
Dick
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Date: 05 Jul 2006 16:24:43
From: Jerry Z
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
|
You can brew at those temperatures, but you should be prepared for the
probability of some off flavors in the finished beer. Although it's
more complicated than what I'm about to say, it's enough for a beginner
to know that warmer temperatures cause most yeasts to produce esters.
In some styles of beers, a certain amount of esters is desirable --
depends on what you're brewing, and in particular, the type of yeast
you're using.
Don't you have a cellar you can utilize for stable fermentation
temperature?
Isaac wrote:
> Damn, this whole living in Canada thing is really getting me down.
> Google can help:
>
> 6.07 gallon carboy, 7.9 gallon bucket. The kit recommends 73F, but my
> room temp is about 80F.
>
> Can I go ahead and ferment anyway or should I wait till winter?
>
> Isaac
>
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Date: 05 Jul 2006 15:56:00
From: Isaac
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
|
Damn, this whole living in Canada thing is really getting me down.
Google can help:
6.07 gallon carboy, 7.9 gallon bucket. The kit recommends 73F, but my
room temp is about 80F.
Can I go ahead and ferment anyway or should I wait till winter?
Isaac
Bart Goddard wrote:
> isaacsorge@gmail.com wrote:
>
> > I just bought a local brew shop's complete starter kit, which comes
> > with a 30 litre bucket, 23 litre carboy,
>
>
> You're screwed from the get go. The metric system makes
> beer taste bad. Especially when you misspell "liter".
>
> Bart
>
> --
> The man without a .sig
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 00:01:50
From: Dick Adams
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
|
Isaac <isaacsorge@gmail.com > wrote:
> Damn, this whole living in Canada thing is really getting me down.
Just think about all the money you'll save on refrigeration by
brewing when the high for the day drops below 15C. You can come
home in the evening and put your fermentation buckets outside for
four hours. Depending on where you live, you may not need to use
a food freezer for 4-5 months each year!
Dick
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Date: 05 Jul 2006 23:26:27
From: Scott Sellers
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
|
Isaac <isaacsorge@gmail.com >:
>Damn, this whole living in Canada thing is really getting me down.
>Google can help:
>6.07 gallon carboy, 7.9 gallon bucket. The kit recommends 73F, but my
>room temp is about 80F.
>Can I go ahead and ferment anyway or should I wait till winter?
As a new brewer,
1) don't listen to Bart Goddard. He's right about the metric
system, though.
2) 80F is too high, but if you can cool it down (with an ice bath
or whatever, preferably into the mid '60Fs) for the first several
days, you should be OK.
3) Top posting is discouraged. It reminds us too much of Canada.
cheers,
Scott S
>Bart Goddard wrote:
>> isaacsorge@gmail.com wrote:
>>
>> > I just bought a local brew shop's complete starter kit, which comes
>> > with a 30 litre bucket, 23 litre carboy,
>>
>>
>> You're screwed from the get go. The metric system makes
>> beer taste bad. Especially when you misspell "liter".
>>
>> Bart
>>
>> --
>> The man without a .sig
--
Scott Sellers
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 00:07:30
From: Bart Goddard
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
|
scottsellers@mindspring.com wrote:
> 1) don't listen to Bart Goddard.
Hmmpf. I can name several people who'd be much
better off if they'd listened to Bart Goddard.
I don't mind, though. I love saying "told ya so!"
--
The man without a .sig
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Date: 05 Jul 2006 23:09:48
From: Bart Goddard
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
|
isaacsorge@gmail.com wrote:
> Can I go ahead and ferment anyway or should I wait till winter?
I forget...When it's Summer in the US, is it Fall or Spring in
Canada?
(Actually, I'm in Canada for the next couple months. Fermenting
at higher temps can change the flavor, but I wouldn't worry about
it as a beginner. If you want, you can keep wet towels wrapped
around the carboys and this will lower the temp a good 10
degrees (F)).
Bart
--
The man without a .sig
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 14:33:15
From: John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
|
On 5 Jul 2006 15:56:00 -0700, <isaacsorge@gmail.com > wrote:
> Damn, this whole living in Canada thing is really getting me down.
> Google can help:
>
> 6.07 gallon carboy, 7.9 gallon bucket. The kit recommends 73F, but my
> room temp is about 80F.
I assume Bart was just kidding. ;)
> Can I go ahead and ferment anyway or should I wait till winter?
You can go ahead and ferment anyway, but the beer will be much better
if you can ferment colder (18C - 20C would be my preference). See if you
can drop the temp and still brew during the summer (I posted a couple
tricks in my other reply). If you absolutely cannot lower the temp, you
could still give it a try and see how it comes out. If you ferment at
27C and like the beer, that's all that matters. I don't think I would,
but it's very subjective. There's nothing wrong if you like it that way.
It wouldn't be very fun to only be able to brew during the winter.
John.
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Date: 05 Jul 2006 22:29:26
From: Bart Goddard
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
|
isaacsorge@gmail.com wrote:
> I just bought a local brew shop's complete starter kit, which comes
> with a 30 litre bucket, 23 litre carboy,
You're screwed from the get go. The metric system makes
beer taste bad. Especially when you misspell "liter".
Bart
--
The man without a .sig
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 12:50:23
From: rb
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
|
Bart Goddard wrote:
> isaacsorge@gmail.com wrote:
>
>> I just bought a local brew shop's complete starter kit, which comes
>> with a 30 litre bucket, 23 litre carboy,
>
>
Reminds me of that Simpsons episode where Abe Simpson says
"The metric system is the tool of the devil! My car gets forty rods to
the hogshead and that's the way I likes it."
http://members.cox.net/mathmistakes/metrics.htm
> You're screwed from the get go. The metric system makes
> beer taste bad. Especially when you misspell "liter".
>
> Bart
>
Litre liter
http://www3.telus.net/linguisticsissues/BritishCanadianAmerican.htm
rb
who has 20 liters of IPA chugging along at 18 degrees C!
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 11:49:45
From: Gerard Eberlein
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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"Isaac" <isaacsorge@gmail.com > wrote in message
news:1152137904.481492.309280@v61g2000cwv.googlegroups.com...
> I just bought a local brew shop's complete starter kit, which comes
> with a 30 litre bucket, 23 litre carboy, siphoning hose, bottler,
> hydrometer, thermometer, and sanitizer. It also comes with 23 litres of
> prepared wort, to make things easy your first time 'round. The
> instructions say to start fermentation at 23 degrees C, but the room
> temperature in here is hovering around 27/28C. Will the extra 4 or 5
> degrees affect it that much? If so, what's the best way to cool the
> bucket for a week (assuming I can't put it in the fridge)?
>
> Also, the instructions make dire warnings about removing the airlock
> until it's time to bottle. How, then, are you meant to take samples to
> test SG?
>
> Thanks for any help, and I hope I can make my first batch without
> messing it up all too bad..
>
> Cheers,
>
> Isaac
>
Maybe after you use up the supplied wort you could do a hefe recipe or
another beer where higher temps actually can boost the flavour desired in
such types. Justbeware if you make a hefe....get a BIG blowoff hose. I
didn't my first time and had to crack the lid on my bucket for a day to let
the krausen ooze out. Tasted pretty good though on bottling day ;) Hell, my
girlfriend isn't a beer fan and even she's threatening to snitch my hefe
when it's done..lol.
good luck,
Gerard
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 14:28:41
From: John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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On 5 Jul 2006 15:18:24 -0700, <isaacsorge@gmail.com > wrote:
> I just bought a local brew shop's complete starter kit, which comes
> with a 30 litre bucket, 23 litre carboy, siphoning hose, bottler,
> hydrometer, thermometer, and sanitizer. It also comes with 23 litres of
> prepared wort, to make things easy your first time 'round. The
> instructions say to start fermentation at 23 degrees C, but the room
> temperature in here is hovering around 27/28C. Will the extra 4 or 5
> degrees affect it that much? If so, what's the best way to cool the
> bucket for a week (assuming I can't put it in the fridge)?
IMO, 23C (73F) is too warm for fermentation and 27C (81F) is way too high.
The fermentation will create heat, so the actual temp of the beer will
usually be several degrees higher than the air temp. It gets worse as
the surrounding air temps gets higher, since the yeast will be more
active at higher temps and create even more heat. Side effects of this
include a lot of by products during fermentation like esters (fruity
flavors) and fusels (cause hangovers).
Personally, I like to try and ferment my beers between 18C - 20C (64F - 68F).
One trick is to put the bucket/carboy in a tub of water and add ice, or else
wrap a tshirt around the fermenter so that it drapes down into the water.
Evaporation from the tshirt will drop the temp of the beer a little
depending on how humid your environment is (the drier the better).
> Also, the instructions make dire warnings about removing the airlock
> until it's time to bottle. How, then, are you meant to take samples to
> test SG?
Rule #1 about brewing kit beers is to ignore the instructions that come
with them. They are notoriously bad. They're trying to tell you how to
brew on one sheet of paper when it takes other authors entire books to
convey the information. Kit instructions tend to be very brief and either
skip a lot of important stuff or else over simplify things to the point of
giving bad advice.
IMO, there is nothing wrong with removing the airlock to take SG readings.
Just be a little careful and it won't hurt anything.
I would highly recommend reading http://www.howtobrew.com for some
excellent instructions on brewing beer.
John.
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 08:34:50
From: Bob
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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"John 'Shaggy' Kolesar" <spam@shagg.net > wrote in message
> One trick is to put the bucket/carboy in a tub of water and add ice, or else
> wrap a tshirt around the fermenter so that it drapes down into the water.
> Evaporation from the tshirt will drop the temp of the beer a little
> depending on how humid your environment is (the drier the better).
I seem to remember reading here about people building a large "cooler"
box out of foam or cardboard. Then place a frozen milk jug of water in
the cooler with the fermenter, swapping it with another as needed.
Bob
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 21:07:55
From: Scott Sellers
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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Bob <bobnospam@gmail.com >:
>"John 'Shaggy' Kolesar" <spam@shagg.net> wrote in message
>> One trick is to put the bucket/carboy in a tub of water and
>> add ice, or else wrap a tshirt around the fermenter so that it
>> drapes down into the water. Evaporation from the tshirt will
>> drop the temp of the beer a little depending on how humid your
>> environment is (the drier the better).
>I seem to remember reading here about people building a large
>"cooler" box out of foam or cardboard. Then place a frozen milk
>jug of water in the cooler with the fermenter, swapping it with
>another as needed.
You might be thinking of "Son of Fermentation Chiller". It uses
foam insulation board, frozen water jugs, and a computer case fan
hooked to a cheap thermostat.
If you haven't seen it, do a web search.
Scott S
--
Scott Sellers
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 04:42:56
From: Brew Man
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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You could try placing you fermenting bucket into a large pail filled
with water & ice. Between the ice and evaporation of the water, it
should cool your brew down 5-10 degrees Farenheit and your beer will
turn out just fine. You can find these pails at your local WalMart and
Home Depot. Look for the plastic type. The kind you want are wider
but shorter than your fermenting bucket. I think they go for US$5.00
and can double as a beverage cooler for parties when not cooling your
fermenting brew.
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 12:33:46
From: Isaac
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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Rick Knight wrote:
> On Wed, 05 Jul 2006 18:01:58 -0700, Isaac wrote:
>
> > A basement isn't an option as we're already in the basement, a la the
> > basement apartment. This is as cold as it's gonna get. And waiting till
> > colder weather means two or three months.. good god man. That's no good.
> >
> > I guess I'll give it a go and see what happens..
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Isaac
>
> Isaac,
>
> I'm in central California. Even in the dead of winter it hardly drops
> below 50. I've had to ferment most of my brews at between 70 and 80
> degrees and they still turn out fine. Just go ahead and brew. It will
> probably turn out fine.
>
> Rick Knight
That's what I've decided, I'm thirsty goddamn it.
Thanks for all the replies,
Isaac
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 11:37:41
From: Denny Conn
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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CarlJF wrote:
> The advantage being that you don't open your fermenter and risk
> contamination just for the sake of taking a reading.
Well, like I always say, if you can't take a gravity reading without
contaminating your beer, perhaps you should consider taking up knitting
for a hobby....:)
----------- >Denny
--
Life begins at 60 - 1.060, that is.
Reply to denny_at_projectoneaudio_dot_com
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 10:33:47
From: CarlJF
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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I agree with you that the best and standard technique is to take many
readings before bottling day. And I don't say to take only one reading,
but to compare the SG after the secondary to the SG after the primary.
After many brews and many SG readings, I just found out that after 3
weeks fermentation is usually complete for beers of standard OG (1.060
or less) and style. A fermentaion problem can be spotted when taking
the SG when racking between the primary and secondary. At this time,
the SG should be very near (4 point or less) or at the expected FG.
Higher than that, I suspect a fermentation problem and takes
appropriate measure (and more readings). If everything is as expected,
I just let sit two weeks in the secondary. After this two weeks, if the
SG is the same or only a few points lower than it was at the first
reading and is at the expected FG, I bottle.
If after two weeks in the secondary, the reading has, let say, drop
only 2 points, it would be very surprising to see any detectable drop
the day after.
Sure, I do not say that it's the "by the book" way of determining
bottling day. But, for me, it works very well with this time schedule.
The advantage being that you don't open your fermenter and risk
contamination just for the sake of taking a reading. The only readings
I take are the ones when I have to open the fermenter anyway: first OG
being the OG, second one being at racking time between primary and
secondary, and the last one being after the secondary.
John 'Shaggy' Kolesar wrote:
> On 5 Jul 2006 16:56:20 -0700, <Carl_JF_Simard@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > They made this statement because they don't want you to look every hour
> > in your bucket and risk contamination. After a week, rack from your
> > bucket to your carboy. Wait two weeks, and then bottle. The only SG you
> > have to take is at bottling day. Unless you have a very unusual beer or
> > dead yeast, fermentation will be totally completed at this time.
>
> The beer should be done on bottling day (otherwise you'll have big
> problems), but how do you know when bottling day is without checking the
> SG more than once? Anytime you start talking about things like "wait X
> number of days and then it should be done", you're just guessing and will
> eventually get yourself into trouble.
>
> The standard recommendation is to wait until you think it's ready to bottle,
> and then take two SG readings spread out over a couple of days. As long as
> the SG does not change any over a couple days, and it's reasonable for what
> you would expect for a final gravity, then you can determine that it's
> bottling time. If the SG is still changing or if it seems really high,
> then wait a couple more days and check it again. If the SG seems to
> have gotten "stuck" higher than you expect, post back here for help.
>
>
> John.
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 18:17:54
From: John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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On 6 Jul 2006 10:33:47 -0700, <Carl_JF_Simard@hotmail.com > wrote:
> Sure, I do not say that it's the "by the book" way of determining
> bottling day. But, for me, it works very well with this time schedule.
That kind of method works alright as long as you're experienced (and even
then you can still guess wrong every once in awhile). IMO, it's not a good
way of going about it for a beginner. It's one of those "do as I say and
not as I do" things. Believe it or not, I usually don't take any SG readings
when I brew. I wouldn't recommend that to others though.
> The advantage being that you don't open your fermenter and risk
> contamination just for the sake of taking a reading.
Taking a SG reading should not be any significant risk. IMO, guessing
wrong on when to bottle is far more of a risk than opening the fermenter
to take a reading.
John.
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Date: 07 Jul 2006 18:02:13
From: CarlJF
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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>
> The vet?
>
> --
> Daniel O. Miller
>
Why not ? Vets love bear!
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Date: 07 Jul 2006 20:12:13
From: Lefty Skywalker
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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CarlJF wrote:
>> The vet?
>
> Why not ? Vets love bear!
Is this the part where I make a joke about Thunderbird wine and get run
out of the group?
--
Daniel O. Miller
"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the
fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true
science. Whosoever does not know it and can no longer marvel, is as good
as dead, and his eyes are dimmed." - Albert Einstein
WWYD? (-o-) <* > Genesis 49:17
Real email address: darth dot lefty at golf mike able india lima.
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Date: 08 Jul 2006 11:44:09
From: Mark R
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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"Lefty Skywalker" <dmille15@hotmail.com > wrote in message
news:44af224f$0$17990$892e7fe2@authen.yellow.readfreenews.net...
> CarlJF wrote:
> >> The vet?
> >
> > Why not ? Vets love bear!
>
> Is this the part where I make a joke about Thunderbird wine and get run
> out of the group?
Do a google search of this group. I don't know if it was Ryan but I recall
someone mentioning something about Vets getting there medical supplies
shipped in large Styrofoam containers.
Mark R
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Date: 09 Jul 2006 19:25:13
From: Isaac
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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In case anyone was wondering I just started primary fermentation
tonight. Here's hoping it turns out alright; I'll let you all know
either way :)
Thanks for all the help,
Isaac
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Date: 11 Jul 2006 04:16:21
From: Jerry Z
Subject: Re: it's my first time, go slow..
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Lefty Skywalker wrote:
> Moved it to the secondary today. It was very cloudy due to missing the
> whole "get rid of the gunk" step. A lot of sediment still made it to
> the secondary. I snuck a coffee mug full and tasted it. It tasted...
> kind of boring actually. Which I suppose is better than the
> alternative. I skipped out on measuring the gravity. I ought to get a
> cylinder or something from work to float the hydrometer with a minimal
> sample.
>
> Here's hoping it clarifies, and that carbonation will help spark it up...
Never fear...
It's normal for the beer to be cloudy going into secondary -- after
all, it's still swarming with active yeast.
And although it's good to taste your wort as you progress to get a
better idea of how the process is affecting the ingredients, I wouldn't
be too alarmed at it's "boring" taste at this point. As you pointed
out, at least you don't have off flavors from a bacterial infection.
And, yes, carbonation and maturation from appropriate aging the bottles
will improve the flavor. You could jazz it up a bit by dry-hopping the
secondary. But, since this is your first batch, I'd recommend riding it
out and learning what the differences in taste are once it's bottle
conditioned.
I'll bet you open that first bottle a couple weeks into conditioning
and are pleasantly surprised at the quality of the beer you've brewed.
Jerry
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