First brew-brewers best summer ale

I've read quite a bit and thought I knew what to do, then I read the directions that came with the kit. It says fermentation will be done in 4-6 days It then suggest transferring to a secondary fermentation vessel for 2 weeks after primary fermentation runs 5-7 days. This will get me a better results.

Problems I have with this is possibly adding oxygen into my fermenting wort by transferring needlessly and the possibility of contamination.

Can I simply cool after the boil and ferment in a carboy for a few weeks, and know that fermentation is complete when my hydrometer readings level off for a few days in a row as I have read in numerous other articles.

Any help would be appreciated.

I also plan on dehydrating my spices(orange and lemon peels?) before adding them to the boil.

I'm sure you've no doubt done a search on using a secondary, and the opinions are vast... But if you would like to leave your beer in the primary like you have indicated, you will be just fine. It may even turn out a little better since you are giving the yeast some more time to clean up an off flavors caused by the fermentation. Let that sediment layer get nice and compact and be careful not to stir it up when you siphon over to your bottling bucket. Young Jedi, it seems you have learned the ways of the force.

p.s. If you are boiling the orange and grapefruit peels why would you need to dehydrate them first? Just make sure to get all the white pith off, and throw them in. A zester might work for you, but it's putzy...

I meant rehydrated them first.....spell check.....

All of the Brewers Best kits that I have ever done suggest using a secondary, I never did. The only time I ever do a secondary is if I am adding fresh fruit, dry hopping, or aging my beer in excess of 6 weeks prior to kegging.

I avoid secondaries mainly because I am lazy. The benefits simply don't justify the extra work. Although I agree with your concern about contamination, I wouldn't be at all concerned about oxidation from racking to a secondary.

Also, I agree with mcbethenstein. I wouldn't bother hydrating your spices, just toss them in the boil.

When adding more water to the cooled wort can does it also need to be boiled? I think I will boil it then let it set as I would like to use that water to cool off the boil.....

If there is a risk of contamination by bacteria it's not a bad idea. If it's filtered or municipal water it may be ok. Municipal water is treated to kill bacteria. If you ever go all grain look into the mineral content of your water before losing several batches of light/delicate flavored beers to too high a mineral content and an off flavor. Typically extracts do not have this issue with water. The rule for extracts is if the water tastes good, so will the beer.

Well hopefully it all turns out well. I added a few quarts of tap water to the batch to get a few degrees off the post boil temp and to get my gravity right according to the recipe in the kit. I hit .044 while the recipe called for .042-.046

The carboy is in the basement at abbot 70 degrees and I already see some bubbles.

My concern is I ran out of ice for cooling. The pot sat in a cooler waiting for more ice for about 45 minutes. I was captive at home since the wife decided to get her hair colored right as I started my boil and left me at home with our 5 month old. She eventually came home with two sacks of ice and the temps came down from over 100 to 70 in about 10minutes. The pot stayed covered with te lid on the cooler while waiting for more ice in an attempt to keep out the nasties.


We'll see what happens. Was a good time nonetheless and I need to buy another carboys I can brew another batch.

still bubbling down in the basement. The bubbles out the airlock are constant.

What should I be doing in the meantime, besides convincing the wife i need another carboy to make another batch.

levon15 said:

still bubbling down in the basement. The bubbles out the airlock are constant.

What should I be doing in the meantime, besides convincing the wife i need another carboy to make another batch.

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Have a beer in the meantime. Now is the time to relax. Closer to bottling day, make sure you have enough bottles, caps, a capper, etc. And figure out how you want to sanitize your bottles, and set aside about 1 1/2 for sanitizing, boiling priming sugar and filling and capping. Once you do that... Then is the time to plot your next batch!

levon15 said:

still bubbling down in the basement. The bubbles out the airlock are constant.

What should I be doing in the meantime, besides convincing the wife i need another carboy to make another batch.

Click to expand...

Learn the art of patience. Let the beer do it's thing.

Get two more fermenters so you can brew other beers and still let them age. You will eventually get a good pipeline going and not be tempted to drink your beer to soon.

Well I brewed a second batch on Saturday (Taddy Porter Clone), more on that later. I popped the top on the first bottle of Summer Ale. Could use a little more carbonation but it had only been bottled for a week, will more time mean more bubbles?

Taste was good, more importantly the wife loved it so I was given the green light to keep brewing.

I brewed that BB summer ale twice, the second time I left it in the primary for 3 weeks and it was fine. I also ditched the spice pack the 2nd time around, and I thought it tasted better with out it. It tasted more like a beer all around, yet still had that light summer feel.

The spice pack I figure is what is giving the beer its sweet/sour taste. Its very citrus-y for me right now. We'll see how it ages out.

levon15 said:

When adding more water to the cooled wort can does it also need to be boiled? I think I will boil it then let it set as I would like to use that water to cool off the boil.....

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I use 2.5 gallons of tap water for the boil. When topping off, I use jugs of purchased purified or distilled water. Almost frozen.. This also helps cool the wort quickly. I never had an issue.

My wife brewed that kit twice, with the spice pack in hop socks the last 10-15 minutes of the boil. Came out kinda light on the back.

Was my first batch ever, i think adding orange peel late maybe last 5-10 and let steep after flame out has gave me good results