Just brewed my first batch... a few questions

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jrabenhorst

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Hey everyone... I just brewed my first batch of beer last night, an American Light Ale- I know a pansy beer, but I wanted to start easy and cheap to make sure I understood the process before I got to the good stuff. I have a few questions...

While boiling the wort should you keep the lid on, or take the lid off, also once you place it in the ice bath- lid on or off?

I was following directions that called for 2.5 gallons of water to make the wort, then another 2.5 gallons to add to the wort in the fermenter. When I placed everything in the fermenter I noticed that I had boiled away about half a gallon of water. Did the recipe account for this or next time should I begin with three gallons?

After I placed everything in the fermenter I took a gravity reading and it only showed about 1.036. The recipe said it should be around 1.040-1.045. What could have caused this, and how will it effect my beer?

Finally, I checked the fermenter today (12 hours later) and I noticed a 1/2 inch head on top but no bubbles yet, am I still in the clear? I used a yeast starter to make sure I had enough yeast.

Sorry for all the questions, I'm new to this and I want to learn all I can before I attempt another batch in two weeks. Thanks for all of your help.
 
jrabenhorst said:
While boiling the wort should you keep the lid on, or take the lid off, also once you place it in the ice bath- lid on or off?

I was following directions that called for 2.5 gallons of water to make the wort, then another 2.5 gallons to add to the wort in the fermenter. When I placed everything in the fermenter I noticed that I had boiled away about half a gallon of water. Did the recipe account for this or next time should I begin with three gallons?

After I placed everything in the fermenter I took a gravity reading and it only showed about 1.036. The recipe said it should be around 1.040-1.045. What could have caused this, and how will it effect my beer?

Finally, I checked the fermenter today (12 hours later) and I noticed a 1/2 inch head on top but no bubbles yet, am I still in the clear? I used a yeast starter to make sure I had enough yeast.

Sorry for all the questions, I'm new to this and I want to learn all I can before I attempt another batch in two weeks. Thanks for all of your help.

hey, welcome to the addiction! :D

you want to leave the lid off during a boil. this helps prevent a boil over (nasty and a pain to clean up!) and this allows some of the harsher water chemicals to boil off.

if you can, get a kettle that will allow you to boil as mush of the wort as possible. a full wort boil enhances the hot break (protiens to fall out of the wort) and aid in the clarity of the finished brew and hop utilization. it's tuff to do in a kettle that fits on the stove top. some (like me) have moved to outdoor propane cookers.

the lower OG was probably due to the addition of the extra water in the fermenter. it'll be fine. this kinda goes back to doing a full wort boil. that way you don't have to top up the primary to get the 5-5.5 gallons. it'll still taste good, just havea lower alcohol %.

nice job on the starter. not too many newbies come out of the gates w/ that trick! it sounds like it's working if you see the kraeusen forming (foam on top). you should see activity in the lock very soon.

don't appologize for the questions! that's what we're here for.
good luck and keep us posted!:D
 
Sounds like you are off to a great start. You are really going to enjoy your american light. Next time you should try the "continental light". It's the european version of the "american light". I boil with the lid off because you want the nasties that evaporate to escape, you don't want them going back into your pot. When I cool, I put the lid on to protect the wort from any nasties in the air. As for the boil off, you are ok. Did you top off to make it 5 gallons or are you still at 4.5 gallons? Your gravity reading is pretty accurate. What temp did you take the reading at? Only 4 points off will not effect your brew too much. As for the bubbles today....patience grasshopper, you should be alright. No doubt, it will turn out to be the best brew you have ever tasted, until you try your second batch.

loop
 
Thanks for the help guys. As we were brewing a friend of mine asked why I didn't add the top off water to the boil (a full boil) I didn't know why, that's just the way the instructions listed it. But next time I'll try a full boil. I took the gravity reading at 70 degrees and adjusted it .001 as per the chart in the hydrometer instructions. . I also don't think I got all the syrup extract out of the bucket it came in, that also probably accounted for the low gravity reading as well. And no I decided to leave the finished wort at 4.5 gallons. I didn't want to water it down. Thanks for all of your help. I'll let you know what it taste's like.
 
i used to set my bucket of extract in a hot water bath. that way it was easier to got almost every bit of it out.

sounds like your moving in the right direction and did a good job!
 
jrabenhorst said:
. . I also don't think I got all the syrup extract out of the bucket it came in, that also probably accounted for the low gravity reading as well.


that syrup can be a pain to get out, what i used to do is place the extract bucket or pail whatever it comes in, in the sink filled with the hottest tap, water about 15 minutes prior to using it. the idea is that the hot water surrounding the bucket will loosen up the syrup making it easier to get out.
after getting as much goop out as you can then dip the bucket into the wort and essentially rinse it clean into the kettle.

or you could just use dry extract, its more expensive, but you dont need as much, and its lighter in color.

p.s. a good euphamism for 'american light ale' is 'english ale' just tell people its an 'english ale'
 
Since I have a tap on my kettle, I just fill the extract bucket with hot water to get the last bits out (this is tricky when the LME is in a bag). I suspect the lower OG is mainly due to poor mixing in the fermenter, a common problem. Don't worry, all of the malt is there and will ferment.
 
jrabenhorst said:
Thanks for the help guys. As we were brewing a friend of mine asked why I didn't add the top off water to the boil (a full boil) I didn't know why, that's just the way the instructions listed it. But next time I'll try a full boil. I took the gravity reading at 70 degrees and adjusted it .001 as per the chart in the hydrometer instructions. . I also don't think I got all the syrup extract out of the bucket it came in, that also probably accounted for the low gravity reading as well. And no I decided to leave the finished wort at 4.5 gallons. I didn't want to water it down. Thanks for all of your help. I'll let you know what it taste's like.


Don't do a full boil with extract. Next time do the same, with the exception of topping off to 5 gallons after you boil the 2.5 gallons. So, boil the 2.5 gallons, you will end up with about 2 gallons in the end. Top off to 5 gallons total. Cool, pitch yeast and you are set.


loop
 
So I'm getting mixed advice here. Next time should I boil all 5 gallons with the extract, or should I only do 2.5 gallons, then top off to 5 gallons. Or does it matter. Thanks for all the help guys.
 
jrabenhorst said:
So I'm getting mixed advice here. Next time should I boil all 5 gallons with the extract, or should I only do 2.5 gallons, then top off to 5 gallons. Or does it matter. Thanks for all the help guys.

the object is to boil as much of the 5 gallons as possible. so, if you have a brew kettle that can handle a full boil of 5-5.5 gallons, it's best to do that. the least amount of water you have to add after the wort is cooled and in the primary, the better. but either way works. :D
 
I know this has been debated on here many times before. As usual, there is no right and wrong and I am pretty sure if you stacked up identical recipes with one doing partial boil and one doing full boil, you wouldn't be able to know the difference. (at least not me, anyway) So don't sweat it and do what works for you. Either way, you will still end up with beer.


loop

Edit....I think it is an all extract kit that jrabenhorst is talking about??? If not, then I'm off track. Full boils for all grain = good. Full boils for extract = not necessary.
 
loopmd said:
I know this has been debated on here many times before. As usual, there is no right and wrong and I am pretty sure if you stacked up identical recipes with one doing partial boil and one doing full boil, you wouldn't be able to know the difference. (at least not me, anyway) So don't sweat it and do what works for you. Either way, you will still end up with beer.


loop


One advantage of a full boil is you need less hops. Otherwise with extract I don't see much difference, it's been boiled once already at factory. Extract with grains, another story.
 
The kit I was referring to was an all extract kit. However, my next beer, an American Amber does have some grains. Maybe another advantage to a full boil might be that you don't have to worry about keeping the additional water you would place in a partial boil sterile? What do you think?
 
The 3 drawbacks I've seen referenced with respect to partial-wort boils are wort darkening/burning, lower hop utilization, and poor hot break. However, if I didn't have a big pot I wouldn't let it prevent me from brewing!
 
If you can do them and can chill your wort down fast enough (thats key) do them. If not then don't worry to much about full boils. I made good beer for years without doing full boils. Just started full boils when I went AG.

If you do do full boils then make yourself a chiller. And imersion style is cheap to make.
 
I'm still waiting on bubbles in my airlock. It's been about 20 hours and no activity. I used a yeast starter to get a good amount of yeast in the fermenter, but to no avail. Also, there has been a thick layer of foam forming at the surface, a kraeusen, indicating that the yeast are doing their job, and when I press on the lid of my bucket I do get bubbles so I know I have a good seal. Is it normal to have to wait this long for bubbles?
 
jrabenhorst said:
I'm still waiting on bubbles in my airlock. It's been about 20 hours and no activity. I used a yeast starter to get a good amount of yeast in the fermenter, but to no avail. Also, there has been a thick layer of foam forming at the surface, a kraeusen, indicating that the yeast are doing their job, and when I press on the lid of my bucket I do get bubbles so I know I have a good seal. Is it normal to have to wait this long for bubbles?
it's working! just be patient. make sure the lid is sealed good too. that maybe why no activity is seen in the lock.
 
ok... so I'm an idiot. I got home today and checked the beer after 20 hours and still noticed no bubbles. Then I took a temperature reading- 63 degrees. A little cold. So I put it in a warm bath to warm it up to 73 degrees and waited, still no bubbles. Then after a while I examined my air lock and I realized that it wasn't full up to the line. The gas was escaping, but not passing through the water! I opened the lock, poured in a little more water, and viola! I'm getting a bubble every second. I tried to be careful as I moved the fermenter, so I hope I didn't ruin anything in there. I guess you live and learn. Thanks for the help guys.
 
Just like a new baby, eh? Or a new car, gotta keep checking to see if it's OK. Well I think you are hooked, my friend...BTW, you will really like that english ale. Just remember, it's not the same crap you buy outta the cooler at the store. Believe me, you will be surprised, at how fresh it tastes, and when you get around to doing grain batches, you'll never go back to commercial beers. I even got into the habit of trying at least something different at resturants when I go out with the wife.
Welcome to the forum, and a lifetime of better beer.
 
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