NScooknet

Recipes 

OK, I'd better ask you, what do you mean "likes it cold"??

I don't want to bugger this one up, and following those darn instructions that come with the Brew House kits are obviously of no great help.

What temp should the wort be when I pitch the yeast, what temp should it be fermenting at over the first primary part of the fermentation, and what temp should it be while in the primary for the next 2-3 weeks?

Thanks!!

Chris

PoppinCaps

Recipes 

Well, I'm not sure about the yeast used in that kit, but traditionally Oktoberfests are fermented in the mid-50's. These are true Oktoberfest yeast strains, so depending on what's in the kit, you could get away with a higher temp. I've done a few 'fests with German/Euro strains, ones that leave a very malty dry flavor, at mid 60's, and they come out very well. True to the style? Good enough for me, probably not a judge.

Overall, you can't really go wrong with low 60's for most ales, including oktoberfests, alts, Kolsch...well most German beers. If you keep the temperature out of the equation of things to worry about, you can experiment a little more with yeast strains and recipes.

Go for the Oktoberfest using their yeast, aim for the mid-low 60's, and see how it turns out. It's really difficult to bugger up a brew, unless you do something stupid. We've all done it, but yeast are very forgiving if given a comfortable place to go all asexual.

Ozzfest05

Recipes 

Oktoberfest style beers are sometimes lagers , The brewhouse kit comes with coopers yeast which is an ale yeast , just don't let it get over 68 although I would recommend a us-05 yeast and 62f fermenting temp you can't always get what want.

NScooknet

Recipes 

Thanks guys, again, great info!

I'll start it up and see how it goes, and in the mean time, watch the Festa kit I've got going now to see what ti does.

Thank god I've at least got a Brew House Pale ale kit in bottles conditioning now...lol

Chris

NScooknet

Recipes 

OK,
This is just getting a bit confusing for me!

After I took a sample of the Festa Weat Coast IPA wort to get the SG today, I replaced the airlock, and lo and behold, 15 minutes later, activity in the airlock started again!

The OG was 1.054, and today's reading was 1.018, and it actually had a huge head on the wort as I poured it into the graduated cylinder, and tasted slightly carbonated, and still a little sweet, but that may just be the way the wort is, never had it before.

What's going on here? There is a substantial bubble in the airlock every 5 seconds or so now for the past few hours after NO activity for days now.

Could opening the fermeter have allowed oxygen in there to wake up the yeast or something like that?

I didn't stir it or disturb it at all, I just removed the air lock, took a sample with a thief, and replaced the airlock, that's it.

I'm actually discussing this on a different message board as well, it wasn't intentional actually, (sorry to be repetitive if your reading both!) but someone else is having some festa brew weirdness as well, so I'm wondering now about this brand a bit.

I'm really trying to understand this fermentation process, so any explanations would be very welcome!
Thanks!

Chris

Ozzfest05

Recipes 

Straight from Festa Brew

OG: 1.0560 – 1.0600, FG: 1.0120 – 1.0160, Yeast: Safale US-56, Bitterness: 42 IBU, pH: 5.04, Colour: 14 SRM

Your in range of FG. Your beer is probably at its FG now you leave it for another few weeks it may hit .0160 if it stays the same in 3 days its done and that sweet taste will fade out as the yeast finishes up.

Its normal for your airlock to bubble after removing it and replacing it. Perfectly normal for any beer. For example I leave a beer for 2 weeks and then I dry hop. Now after dry hoping the air lock goes crazy for a a few hours.

NScooknet

Recipes 

So why is that exactly?

Just trying to get a handle on what is happening and why.

Thanks!

Ozzfest05

Recipes 

Because the wort gets disturbed and C02 gets released from the liquid.

NScooknet

Recipes 

Hi All,
Just a question about possible air infection or oxidation.

About a week ago, I pulled the airlock outta my carboy of Festa West Coast IPA to check the fermentation level, and I was wondering if by doing this, and letting air in, and CO2 out if this has any ill effect on the brew?

Is there a set time that I should be racking/bottling if my wort becomes exposed to the air after the seal is broken for such reasons as checking the SG?

Thanks!

Chris

boo boo

Recipes 

I usually let my primarys go a few weeks for ales before checking SG and then let it age in primary for a week or 2 after. Then I keg/bottle.
You should be fine as long as you don't keep messing with it.
Those Festa kits are the best kits I have ever tasted, and as long as you keep fermenting temps in check, you'll make great beer, everything else being equal.

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