BillTheSlink
Well-Known Member
OK,
I had an overdue vial of White Labs Edinburgh. I made a starter for it Monday night. Nothing ever happened to indicate activity of any sort. I had to brew today because of impending weather since they had changed the forecast. To see if anything at all was happening I put an airlock on to watch for bubbles this afternoon. NOTHING. The only time it did anything is if I shook it really good I would get bubbles for maybe three seconds. I decided to try the dry yeast I had (this is for a Scottish 80 1.050 OG and it was the first time I got the OG right. I'll tell how in a moment). I went to the manufactures web site and they said to rehydrate it. I screwed up I think by stirring right away because it never turned to cream. In all honesty they need a better English translator (Safbrew S-33). I decided "What the heck I got a bubble or two" and pitched my White Labs starter. Since the wort had increased in temp since aeration with a stone in the carboy, I set it in my big dish pan, threw in a six pack blue ice cube, filled with water and covered with an old tee shirt. I come in 30 minutes later and I'm getting some bubbles slowly out of the blow of tube in the bucket. Now tell me, if it couldn't get off the ground in 30 hours in a foil covered flask how can it have started in a 5 gallon carboy with a fairly high gravity wort?
Now about the OG, I just thought I'd say something because a lot of newbies like me are posting here they never hit it. I do full boil, which when the 15% evaporation is counted in by BeerSmith, it says after steeping bring the water level up to six gallons before boil and then add malt, hops, etc.. Well I drew five gallons in my stock pot, covered and set aside. Lucky for me everyone was posting today to steep in a small quantity of water. I had one pound so I brought 3 quarts of water in another pan up to 150, removed from heat, and steeped according to kit instructions as far as time. I then poured into my measuring jug the "tea" and it was only 2 quarts worth. Now, I added 2 quarts warm water to it, but before dumping it into my kettle I took a measuring tape and measured three inches from the handle rivets to the water line, so I would know if I need to add more water before the end of the boil to get 5 gallon. I dumped in my grain tea and measured again; it was 1 inch from the handles for the 6 total gallons. Flamed out the blowtorch burner and got to boil ASAP. I added the 3.15 lbs Golden LME and hops which were to boil for 45 minuets before adding another 3.15 lbs Golden LME. I did so and saw I was going to be under five gallon so I added some more water (a bit of guess work) put in the chiller and boiled the last 15 minutes. I had marked my carboy earlier and I hit my five gallon mark on the nose. I was too short before that was the problem. Northern Brewer called for 1.050 OG and I got 1.051 and that was with my sample chilled to the temp the hydrometer is good at. Over all I'd say a good day.:rockin:
Bill
I had an overdue vial of White Labs Edinburgh. I made a starter for it Monday night. Nothing ever happened to indicate activity of any sort. I had to brew today because of impending weather since they had changed the forecast. To see if anything at all was happening I put an airlock on to watch for bubbles this afternoon. NOTHING. The only time it did anything is if I shook it really good I would get bubbles for maybe three seconds. I decided to try the dry yeast I had (this is for a Scottish 80 1.050 OG and it was the first time I got the OG right. I'll tell how in a moment). I went to the manufactures web site and they said to rehydrate it. I screwed up I think by stirring right away because it never turned to cream. In all honesty they need a better English translator (Safbrew S-33). I decided "What the heck I got a bubble or two" and pitched my White Labs starter. Since the wort had increased in temp since aeration with a stone in the carboy, I set it in my big dish pan, threw in a six pack blue ice cube, filled with water and covered with an old tee shirt. I come in 30 minutes later and I'm getting some bubbles slowly out of the blow of tube in the bucket. Now tell me, if it couldn't get off the ground in 30 hours in a foil covered flask how can it have started in a 5 gallon carboy with a fairly high gravity wort?
Now about the OG, I just thought I'd say something because a lot of newbies like me are posting here they never hit it. I do full boil, which when the 15% evaporation is counted in by BeerSmith, it says after steeping bring the water level up to six gallons before boil and then add malt, hops, etc.. Well I drew five gallons in my stock pot, covered and set aside. Lucky for me everyone was posting today to steep in a small quantity of water. I had one pound so I brought 3 quarts of water in another pan up to 150, removed from heat, and steeped according to kit instructions as far as time. I then poured into my measuring jug the "tea" and it was only 2 quarts worth. Now, I added 2 quarts warm water to it, but before dumping it into my kettle I took a measuring tape and measured three inches from the handle rivets to the water line, so I would know if I need to add more water before the end of the boil to get 5 gallon. I dumped in my grain tea and measured again; it was 1 inch from the handles for the 6 total gallons. Flamed out the blowtorch burner and got to boil ASAP. I added the 3.15 lbs Golden LME and hops which were to boil for 45 minuets before adding another 3.15 lbs Golden LME. I did so and saw I was going to be under five gallon so I added some more water (a bit of guess work) put in the chiller and boiled the last 15 minutes. I had marked my carboy earlier and I hit my five gallon mark on the nose. I was too short before that was the problem. Northern Brewer called for 1.050 OG and I got 1.051 and that was with my sample chilled to the temp the hydrometer is good at. Over all I'd say a good day.:rockin:
Bill
