Hi,
I just brewed my first batch ever last Saturday, using the Brewers Best American Cream Ale kit and boiling/cooling went well.
The directions in the kit said to just sprinkle the dry yeast packet over the cooled wort, but I had read other literature about rehydrating and proofing the yeast, so I attempted that on the side while I was boiling. Didn't see a whole lot of activity, but the kit directions said that it could take up to 24 hours so I pitched the rehydrated yeast and sealed up the fermenting pail. Temperature on the pail is between 65-68F. Gravity reading is at 1030, which seems a little low, but I'm assuming that I might have boiled too long and boiled off some of the wort and then had to add more water at the end to get the batch up to 5 gallons.
As of yesterday (3 days after brew day), I was seeing no activity in the airlock, and opening the lid showed nothing in terms of fermentation. I talked to the local brew shop, and they sold me another packet of dry yeast and said to add that and if it doesn't take off, then it's time to dump it.
This morning (4 days after brew day), I opened the pail to add the yeast, and now I'm seeing way more activity than I did yesterday. I didn't add the new yeast yet. Unfortunately I'm not sure if this is normal fermentation, or if it's mold. Here are a couple pictures that I just took:
http://aldenalmagro.com/beer1.jpg
http://aldenalmagro.com/beer2.jpg
So what are your thoughts? Should I keep waiting this batch out? Add the additional yeast? Dump it and try again this weekend?
I've never done this before, so I don't know what I'm looking for and how to remedy any problems. Still trying to rdwhahb.
Thanks,
alden
I just brewed my first batch ever last Saturday, using the Brewers Best American Cream Ale kit and boiling/cooling went well.
The directions in the kit said to just sprinkle the dry yeast packet over the cooled wort, but I had read other literature about rehydrating and proofing the yeast, so I attempted that on the side while I was boiling. Didn't see a whole lot of activity, but the kit directions said that it could take up to 24 hours so I pitched the rehydrated yeast and sealed up the fermenting pail. Temperature on the pail is between 65-68F. Gravity reading is at 1030, which seems a little low, but I'm assuming that I might have boiled too long and boiled off some of the wort and then had to add more water at the end to get the batch up to 5 gallons.
As of yesterday (3 days after brew day), I was seeing no activity in the airlock, and opening the lid showed nothing in terms of fermentation. I talked to the local brew shop, and they sold me another packet of dry yeast and said to add that and if it doesn't take off, then it's time to dump it.
This morning (4 days after brew day), I opened the pail to add the yeast, and now I'm seeing way more activity than I did yesterday. I didn't add the new yeast yet. Unfortunately I'm not sure if this is normal fermentation, or if it's mold. Here are a couple pictures that I just took:
http://aldenalmagro.com/beer1.jpg
http://aldenalmagro.com/beer2.jpg
So what are your thoughts? Should I keep waiting this batch out? Add the additional yeast? Dump it and try again this weekend?
I've never done this before, so I don't know what I'm looking for and how to remedy any problems. Still trying to rdwhahb.
Thanks,
alden