First batch done - poss problems?

[blade_420]

Ok so first brew is now in the fermentor. Came out at 1.052 ish. Had a couple of problems through the day...

1. Used to much water in the boil before the extracts, took some out and slowly added it as I had some boil off. Managed to put most of it back into the boil.

2. Added my 20 min addition at 40mins so reduced the boil time by 10 mins. Making my 60 mins 50 mins and my 40 (should have been 20) min 30.

3. After putting the fermentor into its resting place with airlock attached I pulled a bit off to bottle and take in for our brewer to taste and ended up pulling some liquid from the airlock into the fermentor. I got told to use some vodka or something in the airlock, but all I had was a little gin so now expecting some ****ing odd tasting beer lol

At the very least it's my first batch down, bring on the next one.

 

[WhiteEagle1]

Ahhh.....you'll be good dude... Congrats!

 

[Strangelove]

It'll still be good. It's yours! I'll bet even the guys with hundreds of brews are still learning. When I goof up I just try not to do it again.

Cheers!

 

[ScoRas]

Don't worry about the gin, it won't go from your airlock into the fermenter. I don't think you had to take water out of your boil if it fit in the pot without boiling over. The more you can boil and efficiently cool, the better.

I did a full 5 gallon boil for my first batch, without a wort chiller, but I was able to cool to 70º F in about 30 minutes in my double sink filled with ice and light whirlpooling.

 

[IffyG]

It won't be exactly as you expected, but you will still get beer in the end. The only suggestion I have for you based on your photo is to invest in a standard bucket without a spigot for your primary. Those things can harbor all sorts of nasties that can spoil your beer.

 

[blade_420]

Cheers for the input guys. I took water out cause with the extract it was about an once from the top of the pot. With the hops added I was worried when it boiled it would just boil over, I got slightly higher SG than I was expecting anyway. And trust me, I got some gin in the beer lol. So far it's ****ing dark (but I can deal with that) and v bitter. Hoping it smooths out a bit when the yeasts done its work.

And cheers for the tip on a fermentor. I'm looking at buying one or two more anyway. Wanna do another batch thursday ;-p

 

[blade_420]

Right, I've just checked on my beer and there seems to be **** all happening. There's no 'head' of any sort and no movement from my airlock. Any chance it's just being slow or is it just not gunna happen? It's. Been about 17 hours since I pitched the yeast.

 

[Strangelove]

Relax. Sometimes takes a while. One of the many things I learned to improve was pitching big starters of yeast. Smaller starter = slower start.

 

[blade_420]

It was a wyeasy activator pack so it should be ok....I hope. Had a quick chat with the head brewer at work and he said don't worry unless its not going by late tonight. Also said the only time he tried home brewing it turned to **** and he dumped it. Hahahhaa

 

[unionrdr]

Don't worry about the spigots on the fermenters. you just have to remove them & clean/sanitize them & the mounting hole after every use. Then use a sanitizer right before filling with wort/top off water by draining the sanitizer through the spigot back into your storage container.
I do this every time,& not one infection yet. You won't get infections mearly due to having a spigot. But they must be kept clean. Not at all hard to accomplish.

 

[IffyG]

I do this every time,& not one infection yet. You won't get infections mearly due to having a spigot. But they must be kept clean. Not at all hard to accomplish.[/FONT]

This is true, but I'm all for minimizing the number of steps required to make beer. Having to sanitize a spigot every time is one more thing to forgot about (easy to do when you are just getting started with the hobby).

 

[unionrdr]

It was easy for me,since I'm picky about keeping it all clean. After taking it apart for the first time to clean it & seeing how grody it was,I wasn't gunna let nasties eat that stuff & cause trouble.
It doesn't take much to clean,just soak it in a mug of PBW for a short while. Then I use an aquarium lift tube brush to clean the inside. A soft cloth soaked in PBW or starsan to clean the seals & mountin hole. Goes pretty quick too. Never leave out steps just to make things get over with quickly. Just make the steps themselves quicker with no wasted movements. One thing I got from the Germans.

 

[blade_420]

On that note anyone know where I can get some starsan in the uk?

 

[unionrdr]

The only advice I can give you on that note are to check your local home brew shops,& any websites available. Someone should have it,as it's one of the most popular sanitizers,being one step.

 

[blade_420]

Right now coming up for 33hours since I pitched the yeast, no airlock activity as far as I can tell but there's a very slight 'head' on the top of the beer. Literally just tight enough to not see beer through it. I'm not doing anything till the morning so I'll report back then. Should I still hold out hope?

 

[blade_420]

Shows what a night does.....

 

[dhoyt714]

What is the ambient temp. My first brew the temp in my apartment varied so much and wax constantly checking to make sure it wasn't to hot or cold.

 

[blade_420]

House usually sits at 21C, not sure the exact temp of the room it's in. Need to get a max/min temp thing so I can tell

 

[HopHeadGrady]

12 brews under my belt. 3 out 4 fermenters have taps. Not one infection. Just clean your gear and be smart and you'll be fine. My buddy doesn't even use an airlock... just rests the lid on top. He's been doing it for years.

Main thing is don't touch it, let it do it's thing for about 3 weeks, take a Gravity sample and then let it go another week, take another og and then rack if ready.

 

[blade_420]

Long time but just to update those that might be interested, I bottled this 2/3 weeks ago now. Having now sunk a few bottles of the stuff I've got very mixed reviews, some people like it (probably cause it's alcoholic and they got it free) but I'm not keen. Might try something like this again but not for a while yet. Gunna stay away from wheat beers for a while. This one is way too wheaty for my pallet and the bitterness is all wrong. Very little aroma.

I did "bottle hop" about 6 bottles of it with citra and the same with Sorachi ace. The citra ones smell beautiful, the SA is less prominent but much nicer than the bottles with ought.

At the very least here, I made beer and it got me drunk. It might not be the nicest but it's the first step. Cant expect perfection the first time.

Now my second beer, that ones nice lol.

Ben