New from Virginia Beach...

FRESH NEWB here! Started my first brew last night. Bought a kit from a local store for a "light American Ale"... I read "how to brew" on the website of the same name, so we'll see how it goes...

Well... While I'm here, I might as well make my first post worth while!

My one concern is... I rehydrated the yeast then mixed with a sugar/water mix and it didn't do much of anything within a half hour. Only one packet of yeast came with kit so I didn't have much choice but to go with it. So fast forward to today...
This morning the airlock was showing some bubbles every couple seconds. It's about 5:30PM now and there is no action in the airlock. This concerns me a bit... Should I be concerned?
Here is a detail that might explain something...

I boiled the first 2.5 gallons or so and put it in the fermenter then boiled the malt extract/ hops... Then I cooled the wort quickly in an ice bath and got it down to below 80 degrees, but the boiled water that was already in the fermenter was still pretty hot! I thought I should get the wort in fairly quickly so I went ahead and combined everything... it cooled to below 80 after a couple hours. Did the hot temperatures effect the yeast negatively? Did I "botch" this first batch?
Sorry for the long first post! I'm glad to be a part of this forum!

welcome from a few hours west...

what was the temp of the wort that you pitched the yeast into? Temps over 105f will almost certainly kill brewing yeast.

Also, you don't need to put the sugar in there with the dry yeast. Just rehydrate it with water and nothing else. Or just pitch it right into the wort without rehydrating.

The temperature of the water I rehydrated the yeast with was at 100 which is what the book suggested.
Everything I've read said to rehydrate the yeast then, in a separate jar, mix some sugar (or other stuff) with some water. After the yeast has mixed well with it's water, put the sugar solution in... I'm guessing this is just to test the yeast. It didn't rise like some pictures I've seen, but it did have some slight foaming. I don't think I killed the yeast at all.

The wort mixture was probably in the 90's when I put it in... If I somehow did kill the yeast can I just get the same packet and put it in tomorrow? Couldn't hurt, could it?

yeah, you could definitely pitch another packet directly into the wort if there's no activity.

I don't know what book you're reading, but I rehydrate my dry yeast with cooled water. I don't want to risk killing it.

actually.... now that I think of it... I might've poured the yeast mixture into the pre boiled water for about a minute before I put the cooled wort in...
It was probably just about 105.... Would it kill the yeast immediately?

Welcome aboard.

Have you taken hydrometer readings?

Some dry yeast can easily ferment out completely in 24 hours. Don't rely on your "bubbler" though.

Get a hydrometer and take readings. When the reading stops changing, you've reached finaly gravitya nd that is when your beer is done fermenting.

thanks for the help!
I won't be able to get more of the yeast until tomorrow, so hopefully my mistakes won't ruin the beer!

I couldn't help but take a quick peek down the airlock hole (i'm such a rookie...haha).... The foaming action looks like things are on track...
I'm going to sanitize the hydrometer and start taking readings....
I don't quite understand that whole concept yet, but I'm learning.

Thanks again for the help!

burton178 said:

thanks for the help!
I won't be able to get more of the yeast until tomorrow, so hopefully my mistakes won't ruin the beer!

Click to expand...

Don't be in too big a hurry to throw more in. Sounds like your beer is fermenting just fine.

Rely on those hydrometer readings.

okay... I think you are right that it's fermenting. I think I'll let it run it's course and see what happens... And keep taking measurements, of course!

Hey from Roanoke.

Welcome to the board!

Thanks! Good to be here!

Welcome aboard, from all grain brewer from VAB as well.