My First Brew

hellbender · 01-27-2008, 12:51 PM

As an initial foray I am attempting an Irish Red Ale. Particulars as follows:

6# Light DME

Steeped:
2 c. Crystal 10L
1/2 c. Roasted Barley
2 c. Wheat

1 oz. Cluster bittering at start of boil
1 oz. Cascade Aromatic near end of boil

11 gm.Windsor ale yeast

OG was 1.06 as predicted by recipe. Fermentation temperature about 65-66 deg F. Airlock activity began within 3 hours of pitching. Peaked at about 120 bubbles/minute after about 36 hours. Down to 10 bubbles/minute after 42 hours.

What I saw:

After about 12 hours of fermentation, about an inch of foam accumulated on the top of the wort. The wort was very turbulent. Is this motion caused simply by the CO2 rising in the vessel? As time went by an increasing portion of the foam took on a cinnamon brown color. The foam has now subsided somewhat leaving a brown rim of material adhering to the fermenter. There is about a half-inch of sediment (dead yeast?) in the bottom of the fermenter. Turbulence has subsided. The wort has taken on a reddish-brown hue.

Everything seems normal to me, but obviously my practical knowledge is limited, this being my first brew. No matter what else happens, I plan on waiting about week before taking gravity readings. I plan on racking to secondary once stable.

I appreciate any comments regarding the course of my first attempt. Thanks.

Poindexter · 01-27-2008, 01:25 PM

So far so good. Leave what you got on the yeast as long as you can stand it, three weeks would not be out of line.

Now that "most" of the fermentation is complete the yeast are starting to clean up after the party. Give them some time, they are breaking the diacetyl down into stuff that doesn't taste bad and so on.

Considering you have an apparently clean ferment, I would A) not rush pulling the brew off the yeast cake and B) wait and get a gravity sample when racking.

RDWHAHB

hellbender · 01-27-2008, 03:59 PM

. . . . for the advice. Glad to hear all sounds normal. I was surprised the bulk of the fermentation went so quickly.

**RichBrewer** · 01-27-2008, 04:23 PM

It sounds like you are right on track! You have done your research and that has helped. I can tell.
Keep us up to date!

hellbender · 01-27-2008, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichBrewer

It sounds like you are right on track! You have done your research and that has helped. I can tell.
Keep us up to date!

Thanks for the encouraging words. I presume that at this point I can look forward to the krausen continuing to settle and increasing clarification of the beer. (I guess I can call it beer now). It's getting kinda boring now since I have few bubbles to watch and I am facing a few days of doing nothing. I need more bottles. . . . . I have a feeling I am going to want to start another batch as soon as I empty the primary.

**Warped04** · 01-27-2008, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellbender

It's getting kinda boring now since I have few bubbles to watch and I am facing a few days of doing nothing. I need more bottles. . . . . I have a feeling I am going to want to start another batch as soon as I empty the primary.

You could always turn to airlock sniffing.

hellbender · 01-27-2008, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warped04

You could always turn to airlock sniffing.

LOL! So I'm not the only one! Marvelous clean yeasty aroma early on but I swear I can detect alcohol in there now.

**Warped04** · 01-27-2008, 05:48 PM

I try to justify it by saying I'm hoping I will get insight to when it's done, when in all reality my wife says (and she is right), that I'm obssessed with sniffing.

hellbender · 02-02-2008, 12:28 PM

Well, after 8 days in the primary my Irish Red was looking pretty good. About 3/4" of trub, the krausen practically gone except for a few small floating yeast clumps. The beer seemed clearer and darker and airlock activity was absent.

I racked to the secondary this morninmg. Everything went well. When I was cleaning the primary vessel, I took a whiff . . . . yeah, definitely beer. I was gratified to observe that the color of the beer in the syphon hose was more what I was expecting as compared to looking at 5 gallons in the primary. I plan on leaving it in the secondary for at least a couple of weeks. Thanks for all the help.

hellbender · 02-26-2008, 10:05 PM

My Irish Red Ale Has been in the bottles for a week and my Boston Stock Ale was bottled today. I had my act much more together this time than last. I have resisted the urge to taste my first attempt until bottle-conditioned for 3 weeks.

So I've got 4 cases of hand-crafted brew sitting around. I can hardly wait to crack open the first one for tasting. Planning on relaxing a bit first. I don't want to get to far ahead of myself. Thanks to all for help!