All Quiet on the Eastern Front...

So, I am making my second batch ever (my first was a brew on premise). I decided on an Oatmeal Stout kit from Midwestern Supplies. I made all kinds of mistakes! After reading a lot of posts on this site, and fumbling through the process, I have already learned a lot.

1) Started brewing late in the evening (didn't think it would take THAT long!)
2) All of the brewing seemed to go ok (steeping grains, hops, extract, etc).
3) Did a 5 gallon boil
4) Tried to cool down the wort in the sink full of ice. Ice melted in 5 minutes, and wort barely cooled! Took it outside (22degrees out) and lit a cigar/opened a few beers and waited.
5) My thermometer didn't go below 120 degrees. No way to see if wort was cool enough
6) When wort "seemed" around 80 degrees, I put in the dry yeast.
7) Through the wort back an forth between primary and cooking pot (by the way, didn't strain out ANY of the junk.
8) by 3am, and several beers later, pitched the rehydrated dry yeast, I thre on the lid, put vodka in the airlock, and tossed put it in the unused bathroom (70 degrees?) Saw bubbles in airlock about 1 per 2 seconds almost immediately. Continued for 24 hours.
9) No more action - thought I pitched the yeast too hot and killed it. Two days later, pitched another packet of dry yeast (didn't rehydrate, didn't disturb the beer). No action -
10) Never checked the Original Gravity, but supposed to be 1.040.
11) Racked to Secondary after a week (try to get it away from all of the trub I didn't remove on day one
12) Took gravity reading of 1.020 - tasted like beer to me...
13) One week later...looks like a carboy full of coffee
14) Planning on waiting one more week, before sending to the bottle.

I am thinking not sure what this is going to end up as. I am chalking up to a learning experience. The FG is supposed to be around 1.010. I will check before I bottle.

I am open to suggestions here. I am willing to see this through, just to see if I am missing any other tools. I already bought thermometers, made a wort chiller, bought some Starsan (instead of usng the one step), etc.

I want my next batch to be right. I am committed for the long term. Any thoughts on wheter this beer will be right? If I measure in a week and it is still 1.020, is it beer?

Thanks!

Most beers need at least 2 weeks to finish up with fermentation, although I've had quite a few that needed 3-4 weeks to get down to their final gravity. At one week, the yeast have done their heavy lifting but over the next week to two weeks they will be taking care of nasty byproducts and chewing up the remaining sugars. You WANT to let them do their cleanup, as this will make your beer taste that much better. Let those yeasties do their work for another 1-2 weeks...your mouth will thank you later!

well first off you let the hydrometer NOT time be your guide

I left a Porter in primary 6 weeks

came out crystal clear

no need for secondary

So, I measured it a week ago, and it was 1.020. Should I measure it tomorrow (one week later), and see if it is lower? Or should I wait another week, and measure, then wait an aditional week after that?

I am new to this, so bear with me. Should I measure every couple of days, or wait a week each time? When it stops going lower, is it time to bottle? Or, do I leave it even longer than that, in the secondary?

when you get the same reading on 3 trys and has not changed time to bottle

:rockin:

Take a reading. It's good for the soul.

Oh.. and by the way...a pot full of hot wort will "never" cool in cold air. Air is not a good conductor of heat.

Next time place the pot in a sink of cold water and just keep replacing the cold water.

Sounds like you're doing fine! Rock on:rockin:


The guys ahead of me are right. Take your readings and relax.

It is definitely beer.

All that matters is how it tastes and you said it tastes like beer. You WIN!

Good work.

Sounds like a typical brew day to me! It's most definitely beer. If that gravity doesn't change any more, time to bottle (if you want)

OK....I measured it again tonight and got the same reading I got the same reading I got when I moved it to the Secondary...1.020.
1/3/2009 - pitched Yeast (didn't take a OG reading)
1/10/2009 - moved to secondary (Gravity reading of 1.020) - tasted like beer
1/20/2009 - took another reading = 1.020 - still tastes like beer

I planned on 2 weeks in the secondary (if gravity doesn't change) before moving to bottles. Then leaving alone in the bottles for 3 weeks to start.

Thoughts? Wait longer in secondary? Chalk up my "NEAR BEER" to a lesson learned?

I am learning a LOT more on this site, than from the books I have!

As an update, this beer keeps getting worse! Started out with a lighter fluid taste...a week later, tasted like someone dropped some hard candy in it. Two weeks after that, sorta tastes like someone used it for an ash tray.

I learned a lot while makint this batch (hydrometer, thermometer, and patience!) I am putting this one away for a few weeks. It has been in the bottle since Feb. 19th (almost 2 months). Still tastes like crap. I will serve this one, when I want the party to end!

On the bright side, I made an awesome Kolsch and Brown Ale after this mess, so it was a good lesson(s) learned.

I admire your attitude towards your brewing! This guarantees that you have much success with beer in the near future. Keep reading up and getting picky about your process.
In regards to pro/con secondary, a great brewer once said "It's that yeast that makes the beer". I leave mine on the yeast now throughout fermentation. With great results

Cheers and best of luck!