What are you brewing?

[MX]

The lower temps will cause the yeast to lag a bit more.
Hold off on throwing another pack of yeast. It can take up to 72 hours for it to get going.
As long as you were clean, you should be fine.

Never trust an airlock to tell you if fermentation has started, if you need to, peek inside and see what is going on, just make sure everything is clean.

Brewing again tomorrow, might not get the Christmas beer done until after the first of Sept, but it should still have time to age....
Simcoe SMaSH will be brewed in the morning. I was gonna no chill this. but could not find the right container.
The plastic bucket I have is rated to 100C but I do not like the lack of a good seal on the lid.

Tim

 

[haguc]

Thanks for the help.. I will check it tonight and give it a peak to see what is going on if I don't see anything happening on the air lock.

I really need to brew a few more batches myself, it had been since winter since I had done anything, with the nicer weather it would be easy to do a few batches a week and get a nice stockpile for those winter months!

 

[tomthirtysix]

I FINALLY got a batch of beer going. I had originally planned on picking up a turkey fryer, but that fell through, so I put the plans to brew on the back burner. Then I found someone who had one I could borrow, so the rush to get ingredients was on. I didn't get to do the recipe I wanted for my first batch, but we grabbed a kit from the local homebrew shop. And everything went fairly smoothly until the grommet got pushed through while inserting the airlock. Good times! Now, wait and see how it turned out...

 

[Golfanatic]

My Lager is incredible! I can't believe it for my first batch! I guess I won't give up now. On to #2.

 

[haguc]

I FINALLY got a batch of beer going. I had originally planned on picking up a turkey fryer, but that fell through, so I put the plans to brew on the back burner. Then I found someone who had one I could borrow, so the rush to get ingredients was on. I didn't get to do the recipe I wanted for my first batch, but we grabbed a kit from the local homebrew shop. And everything went fairly smoothly until the grommet got pushed through while inserting the airlock. Good times! Now, wait and see how it turned out...

I had a friend that did something similar when I was helping him with a batch. If you sanitized your airlock before installing and your hands or spoon were clean (sanitized) when you fished it out then you should be good. If either of those is a no you still might be ok. My friend didn't sanitize his hands and he ended up being ok.

The turkey fryer is a must have for brewing. I did my first batch on the stove in the house and it took FOREVER to get water up to steeping temp and then up to boiling. The stove just wasn't made to brew beer on I suppose.

Good luck with your first batch!

 

[smellysell]

I brewed a Brewers Best kit (California Imperial Ale) on Friday night and got it into the fermenter. It had a dry yeast packet which I added and stirred in, but I did not pre-pitch the yeast. The airlock has not been popping yet. I have done 5 or 6 batches up to this point and it seemed like most of them had been bubbling within 8-12 hours, but this one has been 48 now without any results. I had the bucket on the concrete floor in the basement in the same room that the AC is in, so I thought it might be too cold and moved it into another room that stays about 72ish. Would the colder temperature cause it to be that slow in fermentation or do you guys think I should get another dry yeast packet and pitch it and dump it in? Guess that is what I get for being lazy, but with the other batches I had done I just threw in the dry yeast and it worked without any problems. Let me know your suggestions.

Did you aerate? Are you sure there is a tight seal other than the airlock? No krausen I'm assuming? Do you know how old the yeast was? I'd give it 72 hours before I re-pitched personally.

 

[haguc]

Did you aerate? Are you sure there is a tight seal other than the airlock? No krausen I'm assuming? Do you know how old the yeast was? I'd give it 72 hours before I re-pitched personally.

I did aerate the yeast before I closed it up. And I do have a tight seal. The container I was using was not see through so I couldn't see if it had krausen or not, but good news, we got some bubblin action!

So, the good news is that we got some bubblin goin on, I think it helped moving it into the slightly warmer room (about 72 degrees). However, had a little issue with a bit of rain we got today... 7 inches in 3 hours and got a fair bit of water in my basement! So I had the cleaners out and about 2 dehumidifiers and 10 fans going in the room and it is now 85 degrees, so I moved it upstairs to finish its bubbling action! Hopefully it doesn't ferment too fast now, we keep it about 75 degrees upstairs. I guess it is what it is, hopefully it will turn out ok. Thanks everyone the help.

 

[smellysell]

Did you aerate? Are you sure there is a tight seal other than the airlock? No krausen I'm assuming? Do you know how old the yeast was? I'd give it 72 hours before I re-pitched personally.

I did aerate the yeast before I closed it up. And I do have a tight seal. The container I was using was not see through so I couldn't see if it had krausen or not, but good news, we got some bubblin action!

So, the good news is that we got some bubblin goin on, I think it helped moving it into the slightly warmer room (about 72 degrees). However, had a little issue with a bit of rain we got today... 7 inches in 3 hours and got a fair bit of water in my basement! So I had the cleaners out and about 2 dehumidifiers and 10 fans going in the room and it is now 85 degrees, so I moved it upstairs to finish its bubbling action! Hopefully it doesn't ferment too fast now, we keep it about 75 degrees upstairs. I guess it is what it is, hopefully it will turn out ok. Thanks everyone the help.

RDWHAHB!

 

[haguc]

Outta HB for the moment, that's why I had to brew! So I cracked open a Sierra Nevada Extra Pale... relax a bit and if it wasn't raining I woulda had a cigar too, but the rain keeps coming!

 

[MX]

Did you aerate? Are you sure there is a tight seal other than the airlock? No krausen I'm assuming? Do you know how old the yeast was? I'd give it 72 hours before I re-pitched personally.

I did aerate the yeast before I closed it up. And I do have a tight seal. The container I was using was not see through so I couldn't see if it had krausen or not, but good news, we got some bubblin action!

So, the good news is that we got some bubblin goin on, I think it helped moving it into the slightly warmer room (about 72 degrees). However, had a little issue with a bit of rain we got today... 7 inches in 3 hours and got a fair bit of water in my basement! So I had the cleaners out and about 2 dehumidifiers and 10 fans going in the room and it is now 85 degrees, so I moved it upstairs to finish its bubbling action! Hopefully it doesn't ferment too fast now, we keep it about 75 degrees upstairs. I guess it is what it is, hopefully it will turn out ok. Thanks everyone the help.

Put the fermenter in a water bath with some ice.....this is what I do.
I just use a big Rubbermaid storage bin.

EDIT TO ADD:

Just finished up my SMaSH, great brew day, started some new record keeping, it is good to finally be able to start dialing in my system profiles.
I need to build a heat stick, I waste more time waiting to boil.....

Tim

 

[smellysell]

Making some candi syrup right now for a wheatwine I'm planning on doing this weekend. :thumbs:

 

[MX]

Guys, I am always looking for a new and better online LHBS....finding one that will ship to me at my APO is the hardest part.

Over on one of the brew boards I found Rebel Brewer

The owner, Tom, is a great guy and will do what it takes to keep you happy. Give them a look.

Tim

 

[Q_The_Cop]

I've got an oatmeal stout in the fermenter for about a week and a half. I'll be bottling it Friday. I can't wait!

 

[haguc]

Bubbling stopped last night, so had about 24 hours of active primary fermentation. Since it took so long to start, how long should I wait to bottle it. Normally I follow the directions and bottle at about a week, but I have also had my active primary a lot sooner. Maybe I should hold off until early next week!??!

 

[Martin2D]

Bubbling stopped last night, so had about 24 hours of active primary fermentation. Since it took so long to start, how long should I wait to bottle it. Normally I follow the directions and bottle at about a week, but I have also had my active primary a lot sooner. Maybe I should hold off until early next week!??!

Definitely wait 2 weeks in the primary before bottling.

 

[MX]

Take a gravity reading
Take a gravity reading
Take a gravity reading
Take a gravity reading
Take a gravity reading
Take a gravity reading
Take a gravity reading
Take a gravity reading

When it does not change for 3 days in a row, then you can bottle it

Tim

 

[Martin2D]

I'm going to have to disagree a bit. I believe longer fermentations allow for the byproducts of fermentation to be cleaned up. I really don't believe that will change gravity readings much, but will give you a better product.

Of course none of this is based in any sort of definitive fact, but just some food for thought!

 

[haguc]

Take a gravity reading
Take a gravity reading
Take a gravity reading
Take a gravity reading
Take a gravity reading
Take a gravity reading
Take a gravity reading
Take a gravity reading

When it does not change for 3 days in a row, then you can bottle it

Tim

Yeah, I have always cheated and not done gravity readings.... haven't done too many batches though and they turned out alright. I have no problems waiting a couple weeks... general consensus would be 2 weeks in a primary and no secondary? Thanks for the help.

 

[MX]

The best thing about home brewing is that are so many ways to do it right.....and really only a few ways to get it wrong.

You should only rack to a secondary or bottle after primary fermentation is complete.
The best way to know if fermentation is complete is to pull a sample and take a gravity reading.
If it stays the same over a 3 day period, then you know that fermentation is done.

If you bottle and fermentation is still active, when you add the priming sugar, you are risking over carbonation and issues with overpressure in your bottle.
Also, your beer will not be a clear as it can be, because there will still be active yeast in suspension.

As for how long....I used to leave my beer on the yeast for 21 days, minimum....but I have moved that to 14 days now, only because I need the primary's.
As long as you keep the temps down in the low 60's you can leave it on the yeast for a month or more with no real issues.
The longer you leave it the longer the yeast have a chance to clean up after themselves.

I hope this helps

If you do not have a hydrometer then please do yourself a favor and pick one up. The are only a few bucks and will help you in so many ways.
Taking gravity readings, to me. is one of the best ways to check you process, esp brewing all grain.
But IMHO a pre-boil, post-boil (OG) and post fermentation (FG) are three reading that you really need to track.

again, just my thought, hope they help

Tim

edit: to many typo's

 

[smellysell]

Take a gravity reading
Take a gravity reading
Take a gravity reading
Take a gravity reading
Take a gravity reading
Take a gravity reading
Take a gravity reading
Take a gravity reading

When it does not change for 3 days in a row, then you can bottle it

Tim

Yeah, I have always cheated and not done gravity readings.... haven't done too many batches though and they turned out alright. I have no problems waiting a couple weeks... general consensus would be 2 weeks in a primary and no secondary? Thanks for the help.

Not taking a gravity reading is asking for bottle bombs. The rest of the reasons are more personal preference, but that's a safety issue. Spend the $5-10 and get yourself a hydrometer. If you ever step up to all grain you'll want one so you can figure out what kind of efficiency you're getting and I like to know what kind of attenuation I'm getting from my yeast personally. A lot of people don't worry about that, but it's important if you plan on doing your own recipes ever.