Hello there!! Thanks for the welcome. I'm fermenting my first batch I made last Saturday & I'm kind of nervous. My CO2 valve on top of my fermenter has become covered on the inside with residue from my batch. What should I do, if anything?
Ferment Issues
- Thread starter jpwilcox
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
deepcdan99
Well-Known Member
What are you using as a primary? Are you talking about the airlock? As long as it is still doing its job I would leave it. I have had airlocks fill with krausen before and I have popped them off and rinsed them in some sanitizer (starsan) and popped them back on.
deepcdan99
Well-Known Member
You could probably get away with leaving it in primary for a month or longer with no ill effects. Couple days is not going to matter much/if at all. Its hard not to rush when your first getting started, but I have learned that waiting has turned out a better product 9/10 times.
The fermenter is filled with CO2 right now, if you pull the airlock off to clean it off, the bed of CO2 will continue to protect your beer and keep the oxigen out.
The fermenter is filled with CO2 right now, if you pull the airlock off to clean it off, the bed of CO2 will continue to protect your beer and keep the oxigen out.
deepcdan99
Well-Known Member
+1. I do 2 week primary when I am rushing my beers. If im not rushing it, it depends on the beer I am making, but usually 4 weeks.
Look into getting a blow off tube for your fermenter. I clogged airlock will allow pressure to build inside your fermenter until it blows out the stopper or blows off the lid. Then you have a real mess to clean up. There are plenty of stories of washing the krausen off of the ceiling.
I start every fermentation using a blow off tube. It is better to be safe than splatter the ceiling.
I start every fermentation using a blow off tube. It is better to be safe than splatter the ceiling.
Awesome advice & thank you all!! Why would the directions say to take it out so early when you can leave it in longer & get a better product?? I used the Brewers Best English Brown Ale & I'm stoked to try it but I refuse to rush it & screw up things up.
jakegreen58
Well-Known Member
Wait two weeks for fermentation to finish. Then bottle and wait another 3 weeks, check a bottle two weeks later just in case they are ready early (as one of my batches was). I only have a few brews under my belt, but I have learned that waiting really is the key. With my first batch, I rushed to bottle it after 4 days and got a horrible flavor and very bad carbonation. Bottling it early wasn't my only mistake, things like shaking the fermenter right before bottling and uncontrolled fermentation temps were also big factors. I learned a lot from that brew. The next one tried, I fermented for 3 weeks before bottling and the beer turned out fantastic. I would never bottle sooner than 2 weeks post brew day, speaking as a noob. Get the process down with your equipment then you can try to deviate and experiment. You can also use the hydrometer to decide when to bottle. It seems to me that it takes some experience to know how to bottle condition and hone flavors.
jakegreen58
Well-Known Member
+1. My blow off tubes also get kraeusen in them. I switch to an airlock after 3 - 5 days.
jpwilcox said:
I would leave it where it is until you are ready to bottle. The yeast cake is still working on fermenting. Plus, if you move it now, you will loose the CO2 blanket that is protecting it.
It also makes it easier to mix in the priming sugar!
If you leave it in primary longer the yeast cake will pull everything down tight and you will end up with a clearer beer. On bottling day is when you should transfer to the bottling bucket. I boil my priming sugar in 1/2 cup of water and put it in the bottling bucket first and let it cool a bit. Most people use more water, 2 cups seems pretty standard. With the cooled priming solution in the bottling bucket you rack the beer, usually with a siphon on top. Be careful not to splash so you don't introduce oxygen. The swirling motion of racking the beer in will mix it with the priming solution good enough...you're ready to bottle at this point. Bottle it and store at 70 degrees for 3 weeks.
Now, for the anxious new brewer, I have a suggestion. After it has been in the bottles for one week, stick one in the fridge and drink it the next day. It's most likely gonna be flat, but this way you can try one the next week and get a feel for how it matures. Keep trying it weekly and by week 3 it should be getting really good. Most would agree your last one out of the batch is gonna be the best.
Cheers!!
JW
Now, for the anxious new brewer, I have a suggestion. After it has been in the bottles for one week, stick one in the fridge and drink it the next day. It's most likely gonna be flat, but this way you can try one the next week and get a feel for how it matures. Keep trying it weekly and by week 3 it should be getting really good. Most would agree your last one out of the batch is gonna be the best.
Cheers!!
JW
