Lbarney516
Member
This may sound silly but was just wonder if it is necessary to cover your carboys to limit sunlight exposure during fermentation? I have done this for years, what does everyone else do?
Fermenting in carboy and sunlight?
- Thread starter Lbarney516
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
You really should cover your carboys if they're going to be hit by the sun. Sun + the hops in fermented beer = Heiniken.... (Skunk)
I always cover mine with a dark tee shirt. When it gets cold,like this time of year,I place an old fleece lined CPO over that. Def helps stabilize temps fairly well.
Lbarney516
Member
Does anyone have experience with skunking during active fermentation?
Hang Glider
Beer Drinker
Google search "Beer and Sunlight"
first hit:
Enemy #1 – Sunlight!
Beer has several natural enemies. The first is light, especially direct sunlight. Nothing will get a beer to go bad faster than days of direct sunlight. This is reason that most beer bottles are dark brown color. Although the clear Corona bottles show off the beautiful yellow color of the beer, the bright Mexican sunlight can get in and turn the beer against you.
The hops flowers used to give beer its flavor are extremely sensitive to the ultra-violet radiation streaming from the Sun. Even if exposed to sunlight for less than an hour, beer will undergo a chemical reaction that creates an organic compound called 3-methyl crotyl mercaptan. Give that a sip, and you’ll understand why a beer can be called “skunky”.
Most supermarkets use display cases lit by fluorescent light. They’re bright, and cheap to operate, but they blast out the ultraviolet radiation that can set a beer going skunky. If you want to best beer you can buy, look for bottles kept in a dark box, away from the sunlight and fluorescent lights. Cans are safe too.
Brewers can battle this process by using hydrogenated hop extracts instead of fresh hops, but then you’re not getting the best quality beer.
first hit:
Enemy #1 – Sunlight!
Beer has several natural enemies. The first is light, especially direct sunlight. Nothing will get a beer to go bad faster than days of direct sunlight. This is reason that most beer bottles are dark brown color. Although the clear Corona bottles show off the beautiful yellow color of the beer, the bright Mexican sunlight can get in and turn the beer against you.
The hops flowers used to give beer its flavor are extremely sensitive to the ultra-violet radiation streaming from the Sun. Even if exposed to sunlight for less than an hour, beer will undergo a chemical reaction that creates an organic compound called 3-methyl crotyl mercaptan. Give that a sip, and you’ll understand why a beer can be called “skunky”.
Most supermarkets use display cases lit by fluorescent light. They’re bright, and cheap to operate, but they blast out the ultraviolet radiation that can set a beer going skunky. If you want to best beer you can buy, look for bottles kept in a dark box, away from the sunlight and fluorescent lights. Cans are safe too.
Brewers can battle this process by using hydrogenated hop extracts instead of fresh hops, but then you’re not getting the best quality beer.
Yup. Like my wife told me one evening last summer,after a skunked batch of HB original-thou shalt not buy beer in clear or green bottles. So sayeth SWMBO...
You can always do like this guy did, and class up your carboys.
Though concrete geese costumes could be fun as well.
Though concrete geese costumes could be fun as well.
You can always do like this guy did, and class up your carboys.
Very nice. I have some ties that might actually skunk my beer they're so ugly. LOL!
B
I cover my carboys with the hoodies my wife wants me to get rid of. Maybe that's why she covers HER carboys (wine) with my favorite t-shirts.
Fermenting: Razor Wit
Bottling: Matanuska Wildberry
Drinking: As American As... Ale
Fermenting: Razor Wit
Bottling: Matanuska Wildberry
Drinking: As American As... Ale
Well,they do say that revenge is a dish best served cold. She doesn't like your hoodies,so she'll likely use your best tees till you 86'em. Worse yet when it's cold outside & that cold plate of revenge is put before you...just tell her you've found a way to recycle them,& you're just trying to do your part!
And matanuska wildberry? That reminds me of the stuff my bro in law used to get from up there called Matanuska Thunder f***! lolz
And matanuska wildberry? That reminds me of the stuff my bro in law used to get from up there called Matanuska Thunder f***! lolz
