First Brew- Progress so far (with pics)...what's next?

Here are some of my notes so far, with the problems that have occured...

4 lbs. extra pale ale (syrup extract)
3lbs. amber (dried extract)
1 oz. galena bittering pellet hops (boiiled 60 mins)
1 oz. cascade finishing hops (.5 oz- 30 mins; .5 oz- 12 mins)
2 pkgs. Coopers ale dry yeast
5 7/8 gallons water

-pitched yeast at 10:20 p.m. April 20th
-initial gravity- 1.040
-saw first bubble in airlock at 8:15 a.m. April 21st
-very active fermentation at 1 p.m. April 21st (very warm- 80 F)
-added blowoff hose at 3:30 p.m. April 21st
-placed fermenter in ice water at lowered temp to 73 F- 3:30 pm. 4/21
-fermentation slowed, removed blowoff hose, replaced with airlock- 9 p.m. 4/21
-no bubbles after 3 p.m. 4/22
-hydrometer reading and pics- 4:45 p.m. 4/25 (FG- 1.009)




Problems thus far...
-small boil over
-added yeast while wort was still 85 F or more
-foam into airlock
-warm fermentation temps. (80 F+)
-primary ferementation temp not constant

I'll take another gravity reading tomorrow afternoon. If it's still the same (1.009) should I move to secondary? Or can I leave it in primary until I'm ready to bottle? Either way, how long should I leave it in one or the other until I do bottle? Any other suggestions or any other problems that you notice, please feel free to inform me. Thanks in advance

the hydrometer reading looks very low.

It looks like your fine. Hot fermentation probably sped things up. I'd get another 2 gravity readings over 2 days, and if it hasn't changed then transfer to your secondary. Wait at least 2 more weeks and bottle. RDWHHB.

Well, you made beer for sure! How does it taste?

You can leave it in primary for 2-3 weeks, and then bottle, or, if you're using a clearing tank ("secondary"), you can rack it over at any time. I've often mentioned the 1-2-3 method- one week in primary, two weeks in the clearing tank, 3 weeks in the bottle before drinking. But those aren't hard and fast rules. Since your beer is about done fermenting, you can move it anytime. However, it is always good to keep it on the yeast cake at least one full week. During that time, fermentation is over, but the yeasts are busy cleaning up after themselves, even "eating" their own waste products like diacetyl.

It's hard to see your hydrometer reading, but it looks like 1.010 to me. Remember to read it at the level of the beer, not on the sides of the hydrometer. I'll see if I can find a picture.

Edit- found this one in Beerthoven's gallery:


Now, we don't use the brix/balling scale much, so you'd look at the SG scale. I just put this here so the graphic shows the line where you read the hydrometer.

smells like beer, tastes like flat beer...and yooper i believe youre right, looks a little more like 1.010

tonymont said:

Problems thus far...
-small boil over
-added yeast while wort was still 85 F or more
-foam into airlock
-warm fermentation temps. (80 F+)
-primary ferementation temp not constant

Click to expand...

boil over is fine, happens to the best of us
85 degrees is fine. I have pitched at that temp numerous times with no problems
airlock is fine, just sanitize and replace

However, the fermentation temps are going to be a problem. The only beer that is typically suited to 80+ degrees is Belgians and personally I still dont like it. Your beer will likely have a lot of fruity characterisitcs to it. Almost "grapey" or "winey". This is going to be something you are going to want to remedy for future brews.

Just a note- my hydrometer is calibrated to read at the TOP of the meniscus, I even double checked its directions after reading this thread.