First time brew is done!! (some questions)

SliverXZennon · 11-19-2008, 02:22 AM

Well, I just completed my first brew. It's sitting downstairs getting ready to ferment (hopefully). But I have some questions that I am curious about during my brewing process...

1. Re-hydrating the yeast, I've read that you need to put 1/3 cup of water and put the yeast in before putting it in the wort. Is there a certain amount of time that needs to sit in the water before putting it in? I read 15, but I let it sit for 20..

2. I never had a problem with a boil over at all... should I be worried or grateful? I hope it was a powerful enough boil.

3. Does the time from 212 down to 110 and to 77ish in temp matter? Like I said, I've read alot of different things. What I did was bring it to 110 and then added my water that was around 40 degrees...

4. There shouldn't be any more air touching the beer now correct? I'm confused in how I am going to get the beer from the carboy to the secondary fermenter to the bottles. I have a racking cane and tubing.

Hopefully I made SOME sense, I have to say now that I've done this I'm hooked! But I'm worried about "wasting" the natural gas being that it's SO damn expensive! So I'll be moving to propane here soon...

telemarc · 11-19-2008, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SliverXZennon

Well, I just completed my first brew. It's sitting downstairs getting ready to ferment (hopefully). But I have some questions that I am curious about during my brewing process...

1. Re-hydrating the yeast, I've read that you need to put 1/3 cup of water and put the yeast in before putting it in the wort. Is there a certain amount of time that needs to sit in the water before putting it in? I read 15, but I let it sit for 20..

2. I never had a problem with a boil over at all... should I be worried or grateful? I hope it was a powerful enough boil.

3. Does the time from 212 down to 110 and to 77ish in temp matter? Like I said, I've read alot of different things. What I did was bring it to 110 and then added my water that was around 40 degrees...

4. There shouldn't be any more air touching the beer now correct? I'm confused in how I am going to get the beer from the carboy to the secondary fermenter to the bottles. I have a racking cane and tubing.

Hopefully I made SOME sense, I have to say now that I've done this I'm hooked! But I'm worried about "wasting" the natural gas being that it's SO damn expensive! So I'll be moving to propane here soon...

1) Right on rehydrating the yeast-no worries. What temp. was you water when you rehydrated?
2)Be grateful. Boiling is boiling! 212F
3)I think how you cooled your wort is fine. What temp. was the wort when you pitched?
4)You don't have to be too anal about your beer coming in contact with air. Just don't slosh it, stir it or blow bubbles in it. You will siphon (rack) it to your secondary and then siphon it into bottles. Do you have a bottling wand? I highly recommend one. My first bottling session was a nightmare without it!

Last, congrats on your brew, now step away from the fermenter and don't get anywhere near it for at least seven days. RDWHAHB!

**fat x nub** · 11-19-2008, 03:41 AM

Sounds like you did everything right. Don't worry about air coming in contact when racking to secondary but during fermentation you don't want any air to come into contact with it.

SliverXZennon · 11-20-2008, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by telemarc

1) Right on rehydrating the yeast-no worries. What temp. was you water when you rehydrated?
2)Be grateful. Boiling is boiling! 212F
3)I think how you cooled your wort is fine. What temp. was the wort when you pitched?
4)You don't have to be too anal about your beer coming in contact with air. Just don't slosh it, stir it or blow bubbles in it. You will siphon (rack) it to your secondary and then siphon it into bottles. Do you have a bottling wand? I highly recommend one. My first bottling session was a nightmare without it!

Last, congrats on your brew, now step away from the fermenter and don't get anywhere near it for at least seven days. RDWHAHB!

The yeast was rehydrated at 38-40 degrees as required by the packet....

The wort was pitched to the carboy at around 95 degrees and it was cooled down with the water that was 40 degrees, so I didn't get to check it but I'd imagine it would be around 70ish. It was cool to the touch on the outside after we put all the water.

And yes, the kit came with a bottling wand so that shouldn't be too bad let's hope.

Also, I just got home from work and it's going crazy!!! I love it! I just sat there for like 10 minutes and stared at it! I'm mesmerized!

**Yooper** · 11-20-2008, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SliverXZennon

The yeast was rehydrated at 38-40 degrees as required by the packet....

I don't know the celsius scale at all- is that about 90 degrees farhenheit? It seems closer to 100 F and that is a bit high. If you followed the package directions, though, I'm sure it'll be fine. Especially since it's fermenting now. Hopefully you've got it at a nice steady comfortable temperature (66-68 degrees is ideal) for the yeast. What are you making, by the way?

Watching the carboy and listening to the airlock is better than TV, isn't it!?!

SliverXZennon · 11-20-2008, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YooperBrew

I don't know the celsius scale at all- is that about 90 degrees farhenheit? It seems closer to 100 F and that is a bit high. If you followed the package directions, though, I'm sure it'll be fine. Especially since it's fermenting now. Hopefully you've got it at a nice steady comfortable temperature (66-68 degrees is ideal) for the yeast. What are you making, by the way?

Watching the carboy and listening to the airlock is better than TV, isn't it!?!

It was closer to 90 and it actually said to put the carboy in the sink with cold water, and I wasn't about to do that so I took a chance. And yes, it's sitting in 68 degrees right now.

I'm making an Irish Red Ale. I just can't believe how much action is in the carboy, its going crazy. Which I'm sure is a good thing..