First Time Brewing - White Sediment on the Bottom

Hello all,

I am new to this form, I've been trying to read a lot of the fourms on the site to learn as much as I can. I started my first batch tonight, I went with the Barons - Canadian Pilsner.

I added the water to the premixed wort and the bentonite in the primary fermenter and mixed it up. I added the yeast and the hops then went upstairs to wash off some equipment. When I came back downstairs I noticed a white 'sediment' in the bottom of the primary. (As seen in the picture below). Is this normal? And what is it?



Thanks in advance,
MIke

That's just yeast, silly!

That thar is money in the bank. You just turned $5.00 worth of yeast into $20 worth of yeast.

Siphon that white gold off into a sanitized jar and use/reuse/reuse/reuse...

I haven't purchase yeast in nearly 7 months.

Yeast you say, I didnt think it would settle to the bottom so quickly. Will it grow from there? Or stay about the same ammount? How do I reuse it? After I transfer it to my secondary? Add the wort and water to that?

Also, my hops floated to the top, is that susposed to happen?

Thanks, and sorry for all of the stupid questions.

I have always used "ale pails" for fermentation, and I think that's a good thing since I can't see inside it! Leave it alone at a nice 65-68 degrees and it'll know what to do!

I've never heard of using bentonite before with beer- your kit must have had you do that, I assume. Bentonite is a clearing agent made from clay that I use occasionally with wine. I wonder if that's why you have so much trub right away, but I guess it really doesn't matter. The yeast should get going just fine.

Anyway, after the fermentation is done, you'll rack off the big yeast cake by siphoning the beer from above that sludge. You can either wash it and save it (search for "yeast washing") or dump your next batch right on top of it. You can do this a couple of times without worrying.

Hi rohovie -- welcome to HBT! Where in Alberta are you?

Given that this is your first batch of beer, I suggest you not worry about washing your yeast. If it was a Baron's kit, I guess you used the generic dry yeast in the kit, right? You don't want to reuse that yeast (in fact, I have brewed those Baron's kits and you don't really want to use that yeast at all!). If you are in Calgary or Edmonton, I can point you to some homebrew shops that will sell you a really good dry (or liquid) yeast that will improve those kits.

Regarding Yooper's question about the bentonite -- I believe it is included to raise the pH of the no-boil wort kit. They drop it to help prevent against infection, and then when you use it the bentonite raises it back up to the correct pH for fermentation.

Anyways, it *LOOKS* like your kit might be fermented out. But you need to use a hydrometer (did you get one with your beer equipment kit?) to be certain. Once you know it is done, you can either leave it for a week or two and then bottle it, or you can wait a few days and then rack it to a secondary vessel to clear it before bottling.

Best of luck!

FlyGuy said:

Anyways, it *LOOKS* like your kit might be fermented out.

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That is the fastest-fermenting yeast I have ever seen, if it did it whilst washing equipment upstairs. After all, OP said that he mixed it up, went upstairs, came back down, and saw it like pictured in the photo.

I'm wondering if the bentonite fell out of solution, maybe? Something is odd here.

Please take this good naturedly...but HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA.....*wipes tears away*
I never get tired of these questions. I know we have a newbie sticky, but could we get a "do NOT ask us what the white sh*t in your primary is" sticky? God knows I did it too, and the charm hasn't worn off, but we see one of these a day it seems like!

chriso said:

That is the fastest-fermenting yeast I have ever seen, if it did it whilst washing equipment upstairs. After all, OP said that he mixed it up, went upstairs, came back down, and saw it like pictured in the photo.

I'm wondering if the bentonite fell out of solution, maybe? Something is odd here.

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That is most likely the bentonite. It just grabs onto particulate and whatnot while it's being stirred around and them immediately falls out as soon as you stop agitating it. It will also be yeast since it will fall to the bottom before it starts to work (in my experience anyway).

It's no big deal and nothing to worry about. Just rack off the beer carefully when you go into secondary and you won't have any problems.

Let it ferment for at least a week, I bet it's going to be fine.

chriso said:

That is the fastest-fermenting yeast I have ever seen, if it did it whilst washing equipment upstairs. After all, OP said that he mixed it up, went upstairs, came back down, and saw it like pictured in the photo.

I'm wondering if the bentonite fell out of solution, maybe? Something is odd here.

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I see what looks to be krausen residue stuck to the fermenter wall. I assumed he meant that a day or two later he came down to check it. But now that I read this again, I don't know. Hopefully he checks in again to let us know.

And those betonite packets are about the size of a dry yeast packet, so that doesn't explain the sediment. I have also never seen any cold break in those kits.

He must have come back after a couple of days to check the fermenter and snapped the photo.

And let's have a little patience with the new guys. His post was very humble and he was very clear that he had no idea what was going on given this was his first batch. If his LHBS is like nearly ALL of the ones I know if in Alberta, they wouldn't be much help. So he is on his own here. Remember, we were all n00bs at one time....

FlyGuy said:

...And those betonite packets are about the size of a dry yeast packet, so that doesn't explain the sediment. I have also never seen any cold break in those kits...

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When we make wine with fresh from the vineyard juices we see sediment like that from a small amount of bentonite. I'll admit I've never added any to a wort so I have no idea how much trub it would generate.

Thanks for all of the response guys.

Flyguy - I'm from Lethbridge, about 2 hours south of Calgary. I used the generic yeast from the kit. At the time of the picture, there isn't much foam on top, just from when I stirred the wort/water together. About 1 hour later the hops floated to the top. Today (approx. 1 day) there is about 1-2 centermeter's of foam.

Criso/Flyguy - That picture was taken after approximatly 10-15 minutes after adding the yeast and hops.

Cheezydemon - I'm sorry, I tried to look for some information and pictures, but came up short.

Should I be stiring the mixture in the primary fermenter? Or just leaving it alone?

Thank you, Mike

rohovie said:

...Should I be stiring the mixture in the primary fermenter? Or just leaving it alone?

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Leave it alone! The yeast will find the sugars and mix it together for you, don't worry about that.

Just leave it be for another week and you'll be fine.

bradsul said:

Leave it alone! The yeast will find the sugars and mix it together for you, don't worry about that.

Just leave it be for another week and you'll be fine.

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Thanks,

I have another question as well, after looking at many pictures of home brewing on the internet. How come sometimes the primary has an air lock or the primary is sealed with a tube going into a bucket full of water (im assuming it does the same thing)? My primary is in a big bucket, not sealed, air can come in, or go out. What is the difference?

Thank you.

The tube is called a blow-off tube. Often you will get a fermentation that is extremely aggressive and will cause that foam (called krausen) to come up out of the airlock. This could allow an infection in so you have a blow-off tube instead that goes into a container of sanitizer.

In your case since you're using a really large fermenter I can't see you ever having to use a blow-off if you're only doing 23L batches.

You Ruined Your Beer!

bradsul said:

The tube is called a blow-off tube. Often you will get a fermentation that is extremely aggressive and will cause that foam (called krausen) to come up out of the airlock. This could allow an infection in so you have a blow-off tube instead that goes into a container of sanitizer.

In your case since you're using a really large fermenter I can't see you ever having to use a blow-off if you're only doing 23L batches.

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It is used in place of a traditional airlock, particularly during times when vigorous fermentation is producing significant krausen which would clog a typical airlock, potentially blowing the top off the fermenter

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That quote is from the webite.

I understand the reasoning behind that, you do not want it to overflow and clog the airlock or risk infection from the foam that is overflowing.

Why do some only fermenters use an airlock/blow off valve? While ones like mine do not, even if the krausen does not reach the top and risk infection?

For instance, can you please explain the difference between this primary/fermenter with a airlock:



And then mine with no airlock, where air is able to get in, and out.



Thank you, Sorry for all of the stupid question.

PS I hope that guy was kidding about ruining my batch.

Yes he was kidding. Or I assume he was since you definitely didn't ruin your batch.

An airlock isn't totally necessary strictly speaking, it's just the most common device used to act as a barrier to infection. My mother who makes wine does her primary in a bucket and simply leaves the lid on loosely, no airlock at all. So the only real difference is; they decided to do it that way and you did it another way.

The main point is, do SOMETHING to keep critters and dust from falling into your fermenter.

Okay that makes sense. So while in the primary, outside air does not need to come in for the fermentation process to occure, only the air (CO2) needs to escape?

Thanks for all your help.

If you have not yet read www.howtobrew.com it's highly encouraged. Lots of reading, learning, and math in this hobby.

rohovie said:

Okay that makes sense. So while in the primary, outside air does not need to come in for the fermentation process to occure, only the air (CO2) needs to escape?

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Correct, you definitely don't want outside air getting in (ever). The airlock is just to let the CO2 vent so that inside pressure doesn't blow the lid off and re-paint your ceilings.

bradsul said:

Correct, you definitely don't want outside air getting in (ever). The airlock is just to let the CO2 vent so that inside pressure doesn't blow the lid off and re-paint your ceilings.

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Why does the lid on my fermenter allow air exchange? It is not fully sealed.

Thanks,

During fermentation it is not actually exchanging air, the CO2 produced by fermentation is pushing any air out. Since CO2 is heavier than air, it doesn't let any back into the fermenter.