I need to ask because I just dont know...plz help

Hello,

I brewed AG for the first time last week with great success on my newly built RIMS. I have incorrect information that needs to be rectified by those that know.

After reading for a while, I realized that I am on a path that I do not want to continue so I need help. For the last month I was under the impression that during the fermentation process the beer (I ferment in a sanke with stuff from brewershardware.com) SHOULD NOT be exposed to open ambient air (ie dry hopping, sampling for gravity by sticking a sanitized pipette in etc).

Now I come to the realization that I am incorrect and it is relatively hard to contaminate and ruin beer during the fermentation primary. I am a sanitation freak and use StarSan for everything so I think I have that part under control....but.....

The following will be my new method for brewing my next batch...please let me know if I am incorrect or any advice would be welcomed.

So let me see if I have this correct (feel free to correct me please)

Brew beer
Chill beer to pitching temps with plate chiller
Empty finished beer into sanitized keg fermenter
Add yeast
Seal fermenter, attach blow off tube into my gallon container filled with water/starsan
Ferment beer in primary for XXX number of days
Use a pipette (sanitized) throughout primary duration and take samples for gravity readings
Once gravity is constant, fermentation is done
Sanitize cornies
Rack beer into cornies
Finish aging process at appropriate temperatures and time frame
Carbonate beer
Drink beer

Does this sound correct or is there something I am missing...feel free to correct me I am still learning.

Thanks for all the help.

Joe

You're missing aeration, prior to pitching yeast.

Your process looks good other than one thing. You should definately calm down. It's not hard to make beer. RDWHAHB. Thats Relax Don't Worry Have A HomeBrew. Control the temperature during primary fermentation and keep everything clean and you'll be fine. You've thought it out well and you'll be fine.

"You're missing aeration, prior to pitching yeast."

-actually I didnt mention I have an oxygenator stone with a thermometer (morebeer) that I use and medical grade oxygen that is connected with SS QD's on the output side of my plate chiller, dumping into my sanke fermenter.


"Your process looks good other than one thing. You should definately calm down."

-Thanks...I actually tend to overthink things. but that is just who I am. My main concern was getting into the fermenter during the primary and ruining my beer.....but from what I am seeing and hearing...the chances are unlikely AS LONG AS I KEEP THINGS SANITARY.

Does this sound correct?

Thanks for the help
Joe

Use a pipette (sanitized) throughout primary duration and take samples for gravity readings

yes but it sounds like you are doing this alot. I take a reading when the bubbles stop to see if the yeast attenuated fully. Basically just wait about a week and check the gravity. If it's stuck then you can warm it up and suspend the yeast. If it is fully attenuated, it's still best to leave it for about three weeks. Don't transfer it the moment it hits FG. The yeast will still clean up.

jmo88,

Actually I have never done it since I was nervous about infecting my beer. Now that I have the correct way to do stuff, I will use a pipette to draw up a sample or rack some into my hydrometer sampler.

"I take a reading when the bubbles stop to see if the yeast attenuated fully"

-attenuation...is this short for fully fermented and checked with a gravity reading?

I personally would let it condition more in the primary than in the keg. I let my beer sit for at least a few weeks and then transfer directly to keg to either force carbonate or condition further. Racking "after a week" is too early IMO, even if you have reached final gravity. The longer you leave it, the more yeast will settle out and the more the yeast that are active have time to clean up after themselves.

But it sounds like you got it under control.

-attenuation...is this short for fully fermented and checked with a gravity reading?

Click to expand...

are you asking what attenuation means? Attenuation is the amount of sugar the yeasts eat, usually expressed as apparent attenuation as a percentage. For instance an OG of 1.060 that has attenuated to 1.015 has the attenuation of 75%. I hope that helps

Don't forget to purge the keg before you load it with beer.

You really need to mellow out a bit...you are working yourself into a "frenzy of overthinking."

this is a hobby not anything to freak out about. Our beer is much more resylant than most new brewers believe. It was brewed for thousands of years before anyone even heard of sanitization or germ theory, and long before we had roofs, running water, and SOAP.

That doesn't mean that you want to skip sanitization, it just means that if you f- something up, more than likely your beer will turn out just fine.

Just read through some of these stories and you'll see....https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/wh...where-your-beer-still-turned-out-great-96780/

You'll see how our beer manages to turn out OK, despite the stupid things we manage to do to it.

"You really need to mellow out a bit...you are working yourself into a "frenzy of overthinking." "


Ain't that the truth!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was learning from a coworker and he became paralyzed in an accident in August. He was my only contact for beer making....now he is indisposed at the moment. He comes home this month and then he has alot of relearning to do and I don't think I want to bother him with these elementary questions.

I hope that kinda explains my panic....since I built a RIMS, brewed my first AG last week with the only real help being this site and you guys.

Thanks
Joe