Brewing my first batch tonight--Some questions.

[RMitch]

So I'm reading the instructions and it says to add "Burton's Water Salts". In the kit I got, it does not include this, but it has a tiny bag of "Water Crystals". Is this the same thing? I understand these water crystals are used as a water hardener, but what are water salts?

 

[scrambledegg81]

From memory, water salts are used to add minerals to regular tap water which, depending on the makeup of your local system, can alter the taste of the finished beer (usually a good thing). If your tap water is poorly treated (or over treated with chemicals), those tabs can be a life saver.

 

[h22lude]

^ I agree.

If you are using all extract, taste your tap water. If it is good enough to drink it is good enough to brew. If you don't like the taste of it, I wouldn't use it to brew.

I like using store bought spring water. I don't have to get my water tested, it is still pretty cheap and it is pre-measured for you.

 

[RMitch]

My tap water is disgusting. Comes out white.

So I'm using gallon-jugs of bottled water.

So I should not use these water crystals? And so these are the same thing as the water salts?

 

[h22lude]

They wouldn't hurt but an all extract brew should have all the minerals you need in the extract itself.

 

[RMitch]

I'm about 24 hours in. Already smells amazing. :rockin:

 

[bgrayson726]

I don't bother using the salts. I haven't used them, but they come in the free packs of Irish Moss at my LHBS. I use spring water out of bottles because the tap water here has pretty decently high levels of chlorine and sulfates

 

[RMitch]

So my fermentation was really strong between 16-24 hours, but now at ~28 hours, it seems to have slowed significantly. Is this normal?

At 16 hours it was bubbling about 6x, every 2 seconds.
At 28 hours, it is bubbling about 2x, every 30 seconds.

 

[Wiezer]

Sounds like it's doing fine. Most here leave the beer in primary for 2-3 weeks and then take a sample for a hydrometer reading to determine if FG has been reached.

 

[petey_c]

If you were making a recipe close to Bass ale you'd want to use those salts.
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_21_187_398&products_id=448

 

[RMitch]

So as it looks now, I have 0 fermnetation taking place. :/ (No bubbling in the air lock all day)

Should I repitch the yeast? Its only 2-days in to the fermentation.

It didn't seem like there was enough yeast when I originally pitched it, (2 little packets) but I don't know much about it.

Edit: The fermenter should be at about 55-60 degrees right now, but I'm going to try and up it to 65 to see if anything happens.

 

[RM-MN]

You should let the beer warm up as 55 is pretty low for this stage in the ferment. No, you shouldn't repitch the yeast, you have sufficient yeast for fermenting. It isn't uncommon for the yeast to tear through the easy sugars in a couple days but it isn't done yet even though there are no more bubbles. Give it time for the yeast to work on some of the byproducts it created in that sugar eating frenzy. Total time from pitching the yeast to being ready to bottle at those temperatures will be between 3 and 4 weeks. Warming it might speed that up a little but for good beer, give it time.

 

[RMitch]

I put three blankets around it, and threw a couple towels under it. Lets see if it warms up any.

This must be a lot easier in the summer. haha

 

[RMitch]

Just checked the gravity, its at about 1.018.
Color, clarity, and smell are good.

I just got the bucket warmed up enough to start fermenting again, it just started bubbling again.

 

[RMitch]

Its now been fermenting for about 7 days, but there's no significant fermentation taking place. No air bubbles, no foaming inside the carboy, etc. Is the yeast dead?

Beer/wort smells somewhat sour.

 

[petey_c]

No, probably not dead, just busy doing other things and not producing any more gas.

 

[scrambledegg81]

Its now been fermenting for about 7 days, but there's no significant fermentation taking place. No air bubbles, no foaming inside the carboy, etc. Is the yeast dead?

Worry not. The yeast are just cleaning up after the party, so there won't be any visible activity (i.e. bubbling). 1.018 is almost done for many basic styles, but let it sit for another week or two & let the yeasties clean up their mess.

 

[RMitch]

Just brewed my 2nd batch...went all grain this time..had no problem getting 5 gals to boil on stovetop...not sure why most people can barely get 3 gals...


Thanks for the help guys.

 

[Wiezer]

Not all stovetops are created the same..

 

[o4_srt]

If you're having trouble keeping fermentation temperature up, buy a rubbermaid container big enough to fit the fermentor in, fill it with water, and add an aquarium heater. Sit the fermentor inside this container. By controlling the temperature of the water in the rubbermaid container, you will indirectly control fermentation temperature