Low carbonation does not sound like it was contaminated with wild yeast or bacteria, but if that changes over time to over carbonated then maybe.
Well I may have found out why my beer has a sour tasted. I went to rack my IPA to a secondary and I saw a bunch of stuff floating on top. There is also a opaque film covering the beer. I believe I saw the same floaters on my red ale. Well I think I will no longer be using this specific bucket. I am pretty good with cleaning and sanitizing. I soak the bucket with a cleaner overnight and fill the entire bucket with Star San. Still sort of thinking the acid malt was behind this since its around a year old (vacuum sealed).Low carbonation does not sound like it was contaminated with wild yeast or bacteria, but if that changes over time to over carbonated then maybe.
Still sort of thinking the acid malt was behind this since its around a year old (vacuum sealed).
Well I may have found out why my beer has a sour tasted. I went to rack my IPA to a secondary and I saw a bunch of stuff floating on top. There is also a opaque film covering the beer.
Well I may have found out why my beer has a sour tasted. I went to rack my IPA to a secondary and I saw a bunch of stuff floating on top. There is also a opaque film covering the beer. I believe I saw the same floaters on my red ale. Well I think I will no longer be using this specific bucket. I am pretty good with cleaning and sanitizing. I soak the bucket with a cleaner overnight and fill the entire bucket with Star San. Still sort of thinking the acid malt was behind this since its around a year old (vacuum sealed).
Depending on how cheap you are, there are a few other options available for sanitizing (UV light, iodopher, boiling water or bleach) that will kill things StarSan doesn't get.Well I think I will no longer be using this specific bucket. I am pretty good with cleaning and sanitizing.
Yes, I am replacing my bucket, lid and cleaning sponge. Going to clean the heck out of funnel, spigot and coil (SSBrewtech FTS) I use for temperature control.If your acid malt(or any malt) came into contact with the boiled and cool wort that could cause trouble. Being in the mash then boiled should not cause problems.
If that is a plastic bucket I would retire it. Should give what ever else that came into contact with the red ale a extra good cleaning too. Racking canes and transfer tubes are cheap, I would retire those as well.
Well, I am pretty impressed with this uKeg, from Growlerwerks, and with my latest 1-gallon brew: an Earl Grey Tea Pale Ale.
Here's my process when I brew one gallon batches, (actually closer to 1.25 gallons). Like you I'm also fermenting in the 1.4 gallon Little Big Mouth Bubblers. I bought a smaller siphon from my LHB shop and I siphon into a 2 1/2 gallon food-safe bucket I picked up at Lowes. I drilled a hole in it and installed a spigot. I have a two or three inch long hose coming off the spigot and a bottling wand attached to the other end of the small piece of hose. I rack to the bucket (no sugar at this point). Using a tip I picked up from @TwistedGray I use a sanitized funnel and measuring spoon to add between 1/4 and 1/2 tsp of table sugar (depending on style), to each empty bottle. I rack the beer on top of the sugar, usually getting 10 to 12 bottles per batch, and then cap the bottles.
I haven't really had an bubbling issues with the siphon as long as I keep it fully submerged. Have you tried a different siphon?
get a standard racking cane and cut to size for your small fermentor. You can use some of the cut off part as the bottling wand.
I put a sanitize glass pipette(any sort of straw like thing will work) into the transfer tube and start a siphon. I remove the pipette after beer is well down the tube but before beer gets to the end of the tube. Allow a little beer to leave the tube then Pinch off the tubing. Hold the tubing and install your bottling wand. Pinch the tube to stop flow between bottles.
edit:this requires sugar be pre-measured and put into the bottles
I put bottling spigots on my fermenters.
I am really digging these "1 gal" fermenters (they have about 1.5 gals of total room...some 3/4 gal hop sampler batches going now). The containers are from Walmart (around $14 each) and they were easy to drill for the stopper and spigot. The very edge of the picture shows a glimpse of a fermenter using a 2 gal stainless pot from Walmart that did not turn out as well as I had hoped...but did make me realize that I want to ferment in clear fermenters.
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I am really digging these "1 gal" fermenters (they have about 1.5 gals of total room...some 3/4 gal hop sampler batches going now). The containers are from Walmart (around $14 each) and they were easy to drill for the stopper and spigot. The very edge of the picture shows a glimpse of a fermenter using a 2 gal stainless pot from Walmart that did not turn out as well as I had hoped...but did make me realize that I want to ferment in clear fermenters.
The lid doesn't have a gasket but I was thinking about putting a bead of silicone unless somebody could suggest something better.
I have one of these too! The uKeg 128 in copper, my father in law gave it to me for Christmas and I absolutely love it. Mine has worked flawlessly and I've had it filled probably 6 or 7 times, typically I bring home two growlers from the local brewery and fill it up myself since "by law" they can't fill a vessel that's larger than 64oz. I've had beer in mine for up to 3 weeks and the last glass has always been as fresh as the first. The uKeg's aren't cheap but they're pretty killer.
I've attempted home brew in it as well but as I learn things along the way, I prefer bottles...and I don't like tying the uKeg up for weeks waiting for beer to condition if I don't have to.
Sounded like a good idea but I think the lid is a little bigger than the gallon canning jar lid.
Maybe this: Silicone Rubber Sheet 6x6-inch
I bought something similar for my 1.4 gallon Little Big Mouth fermenters. I work at a school district and had one of the Tech teachers laser cut new gaskets for me. They now seal much better and are less problematic.Maybe this: Silicone Rubber Sheet 6x6-inch
I brewed a brown ale with rye this past weekend. Brew day went okay. After 2 days, I noticed that my airlock was not showing any signs of fermentation. Great now what! I checked my bucket lid to make sure it was on and sealed properly. That checked out. I did get a shorter thermowell because my other one went to the bottom of the bucket. My new one stops about the middle of the batch. I am hoping to get a more accurate temperature reading. Any ways, the previous thermowell used a larger hole. The new one was loose however each nut has a rubber o-ring and covered the existing hole. I thought I tightened it enough. I took a gravity reading to see if the yeast was doing its job. I started at 14.8 and the reading was 10.6, so I know its doing something. I also took out the airlock and saw krausen on top. Crossing my fingers.Yes, I am replacing my bucket, lid and cleaning sponge. Going to clean the heck out of funnel, spigot and coil (SSBrewtech FTS) I use for temperature control.
Although I have not yet brewed anything smaller than 5 gallons in my entire 25 year brewing odyssey, that may be changing. My SIL just called to tell me she was organizing a yard sale for the VFW where she works and today someone dropped off this...
https://m.kohls.com/product/prd-3430495/hammer-and-axe-beer-brewing-kit.jsp
It may be too good to pass up and should be about ten bucks.
Score!
Had a big blow off. Filled up my whole blow off glass. Going to cold crash and see how the beer tastes.
I recall the post but did not think you were going to drink the stuff in the glass. I thought you would talking about crashing the beer you were fermenting.To anyone that read this post and didn’t warn me not to do this, you’re not cool. If this could be considered beer, it is the number one worst sip of beer I’ve ever had. I am not very picky when it comes to beer and the taste of this actually made me queasy.
I recall the post but did not think you were going to drink the stuff in the glass. I thought you would talking about crashing the beer you were fermenting.
If you had starsan in the blow off glass I would expect the taste to be tart and soapy.
Yep, I thought the same myself. Didn’t realize it was the blown off beer itself haha
It was extremely bitter, but not in a good way and it seemed like there were fusal alcohols, it was very hot. Then there was a deep and insidious funk, like rotten flesh.
@CascadesBrewer Have you had a chance to try your lemondrop sampler? I recently made a simple ale with it as well, just tried the first one. Not too bad imo.
I have heard that Sorachi Ace has a stronger lemon character so I am interested in trying that hop.
What are your guys’ solution to controlling your fermentation temps?
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