First batch in the fermenter....A reflection.

[laiced]

So I just finished up my first ever batch of homebrew this morning!
Of course now is when I begin second guessing myself.

I brewed a clone of Magic Hat #9 and my end product was much darker than what I remember drinking from their bottles. Is this due to the beer not being finished yet?

Also, when I was siphoning from the brewpot to the fermenter bucket, there was a lot of sediment in the bottom of the brewpot - I just threw this down the drain...was that a mistake?

Finally, my fermenter is now sitting in my bedroom in a protective cabinet that I made and the temp is reading 66....this is about 10 degrees cooler than it should be, so what will that do to my beer and what can I do to change it (besides up-ing the temp in the whole house, as that is not an option)?

 

[Yooper]

Congrats on the first brew! The beer may be darker because extracts tend to darken with boiling. Also, it'll look darker in the fermenter than in a glass so it won't be terribly noticeable when it's finished.

As far as temperature, 66 degrees sounds perfect! Which ale strain are you using? That's how you decide on fermentation temperature, but most ale yeast do best between 64 and 68 degrees. That's not air temperature, though- that's beer temperature.

If you have a stick-on thermometer on the fermenter, that can help you see at a glance if the beer is at the right temperature. Active fermentation can cause the beer temperature to be as much as 10 degrees higher than ambient air temperature, so I like to start a bit cooler to begin with.

 

[laiced]

As far as temperature, 66 degrees sounds perfect! Which ale strain are you using? That's how you decide on fermentation temperature, but most ale yeast do best between 64 and 68 degrees. That's not air temperature, though- that's beer temperature.

I am using White Labs English Pale Ale WLP002

Also, I forgot to get a tube for using my hydrometer, so I wasn't able to take a reading...is there anything that I can do now to take a reading?

BTW, GO WINGS!!!!!!!

 

[Yooper]

I am using White Labs English Pale Ale WLP002

Also, I forgot to get a tube for using my hydrometer, so I wasn't able to take a reading...is there anything that I can do now to take a reading?

BTW, GO WINGS!!!!!!!

The OG should be whatever your kit said, so don't worry about it!

The great thing about the yeast manufacturers (well, one of the great things) is the information they provide right on their website.

Here's the info on WLP002:

WLP002 English Ale Yeast
A classic ESB strain from one of England's largest independent breweries. This yeast is best suited for English style ales including milds, bitters, porters, and English style stouts. This yeast will leave a beer very clear, and will leave some residual sweetness.
Attenuation: 63-70%
Flocculation: Very High
Optimum Fermentation Temperature: 65-68°F
Alcohol Tolerance: Medium


So, you can see that 65-68 degrees is the optimum temperature. If it gets above 68 degrees, it'll get fruitier and not as good tasting.

 

[laiced]

The OG should be whatever your kit said, so don't worry about it!

The great thing about the yeast manufacturers (well, one of the great things) is the information they provide right on their website.

Here's the info on WLP002:

WLP002 English Ale Yeast
A classic ESB strain from one of England's largest independent breweries. This yeast is best suited for English style ales including milds, bitters, porters, and English style stouts. This yeast will leave a beer very clear, and will leave some residual sweetness.
Attenuation: 63-70%
Flocculation: Very High
Optimum Fermentation Temperature: 65-68°F
Alcohol Tolerance: Medium


So, you can see that 65-68 degrees is the optimum temperature. If it gets above 68 degrees, it'll get fruitier and not as good tasting.

Thank you for this...I am obviously very new and I just worry about stuff too much. I went in to my local brew store Saturday and the guy was joking with me and telling me to breath because of all the variables that I was trying to plan for. He told me that this process should be a fun one.

I read my sticker thermometer (fermomenter?) and it was sitting pretty at about 68°...a little fruitier may not be a horrible thing if it were to get hotter, as the beer is an apricot infused pale ale anyways...

 

[adamlikesbeer]

Congratulations on your first brew! I've only been brewing for 6 weeks and just brewed my 5th batch this weekend, so I hope your ready to get addicted to it ; )

I did the same thing on my first batch, I worried a ton and was sure I had screwed up somewhere, but there are a lot more variables when you jump to all grain. If you followed directions, keep your temps in the proper range, and sanitize everything correctly along the way, I'm sure you'll end up with delicious beer.

You can't be too cautious though. I've been lucky enough to have a fairly experienced friend tell me a TON of tips along the way, so if you don't have a mentor of some sort, just be sure to read a ton of threads here.

Your beer will be much lighter in the glass than in the fermenter, but if our worried about color try this on your next extract batch.

When you start heating for your boil, rather than add all the extract before you start, add 1/4 of the extract. bring to rolling boil and pitch your bittering hops. Add some of your hot wort to your bucket or extract(AHS uses buckets, Midwest uses half gallon jugs) which will dissolve it quickly.

Pour what has been liquified into the wort about 20 minutes in, and repeat until all your extract is added.

By waiting to add it, the extract shouldn't darken as much, and by dissolving it partly in the bucket, it is less likely to sit on the bottom of your kettle and burn.

This should result in a lighter colored beer with the same intended O.G.

The only thing I question is doing this in the half gallon jugs that Midwest uses. It may potentially release some BPA's from the plastic jug depending on the heat of the wort. You could avoid this by pouring your extract from the half gallon jug into a different bucket for dissolving.

My first batch was a Belgian wit and it turned out fairly dark because I followed directions and added all extract before bringing to a boil. I followed the method described when brewing a blond ale which I bottled this weekend, and it has a much lighter color with the proper O.G. And F.G. Still.

Happy brewing!

 

[laiced]

So I just could not resist texting my wife to tell me my fermenter temp and it was reading 64...She said that she placed a heater near it to try and warm it up a bit....

I think I will have her turn it off as we are pretty close on the optimal temp.

 

[pietro75]

I am new also and also worried a bit about my first batch! It came out great. I read a how to brew by John Palmer and it was very helpful.

I have learned that extracts don't need a full 60 min. boil.

There is an article in the March April 2004 issue about extract brewing. Here is an excerpt from the part about hopped extracts:

A full wort boil: My definition of a full wort boil is boiling the entire volume, less evaporation losses, of wort that will go into the fermenter. A full wort boil lets you extract more bitterness from your hops and darkens your wort less. If you can manage a full wort boil, this is the way to go. To boil your full wort, you either need a pot big enough to hold your entire wort or to boil the wort in shifts. If your boiling pot is not large enough to hold all your wort, plus a few gallons of headspace for foaming, see Chris Colby’s “Texas Two-Step Method” article (October 2003 BYO) for a way to produce your wort in two steps.

Add the extract late: Even if you’re saddled with a small brew pot, you can still tweak some boil variables to get a better boil. If your kit contains liquid malt extract, you can add the bulk of it at or near the end of the boil. To do this, add one or two pounds of your malt extract to the kettle at the beginning of your boil, but withhold the rest. Add your hops at the times specified in the recipe. With 15 minutes left in the boil, turn off the heat and stir in the remainder of the extract. Resume heating for the remaining 15 minutes, but don’t worry if the wort doesn’t return to a boil. See Steve Bader’s “Boil the Hops, not the Extract,” (October 2002 BYO) for another variation on this theme, in which you add the liquid malt extract at knockout.

Adding the extract late lets you brew pale ales that are actually pale, not red. Plus, you don’t have to add a whole hopper of hops to get the degree of bitterness you want. This advice runs counter to much homebrew lore, but many liquid malt extracts are already boiled during their production. Remember the mantra, “Don’t fix what ain’t broke?” In this case, it translates to “Don’t boil what don’t need boiling.”

Or the whole article can be found here:
http://***********/feature/1175.html

Well worth the read if you are going to continue w/ Extract brewing.

 

[laiced]

Thank you so much for this.

I actually added my LME at 15 minutes, stirred until completely dissolved, added my Irish moss, and then my immersion chiller. This was the way the recipe instructed me, and I would have added the LME at 30 min otherwise due to how much reading I have done on the forums about using LME later in the boils to prevent darkening of the color.

I have a feeling that the color is going to turn out close but a shade darker....now I just have to wait as I refuse to open the fermenter prematurely on my first batch.

 

[pietro75]

Sounds like you are spot on for a great first batch

Your First batch is going to blow you away!

It is going to be great...cause YOU made it! You are going to get the fever and want to brew as much beer as you can as soon as possible. This is just a friendly warning!

If you can get a big pot and do a full boil, you will be even more pleased.

My wife and I couldn't believe how good our first couple batches were. Now she is hooked as well, so I am IN!!!

 

[AustinBrewDawg]

I'm in a similar boat. My first batch went in the fermenter Sat. night. Since then, I can't stop myself from watching the airlock and sticking my nose over it to get a whiff of the gases that are released! Is there someone I can see about that compulsion?

 

[laiced]

I'm in a similar boat. My first batch went in the fermenter Sat. night. Since then, I can't stop myself from watching the airlock and sticking my nose over it to get a whiff of the gases that are released! Is there someone I can see about that compulsion?

You would think this website should have a support group, but all they do is fuel the obsession.

 

[pietro75]

I'm in a similar boat. My first batch went in the fermenter Sat. night. Since then, I can't stop myself from watching the airlock and sticking my nose over it to get a whiff of the gases that are released! Is there someone I can see about that compulsion?

Just go with it,Man!!!

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

I've been brewing for only 6 months now, and find Charlie Papazian's advice very helpful 'relax, don't worry, have a homebrew'
Needless to say when your first ever batch is fermenting, you can't quite follow those tips, so ya worry, and worry. I did. But my beer turned out great. It was a Diamond Knot IPA clone kit from homebrewheaven.com. I've since brewed that one 3 more times.
Moral, if you follow the directions on a beer kit and have sanitary equipment, your beer is going to be a tasty treat!!!!
Best of luck and enjoy the lifelong obsession that is homebrewing

 

[wedge421]

Congrats on the first brew! The beer may be darker because extracts tend to darken with boiling. Also, it'll look darker in the fermenter than in a glass so it won't be terribly noticeable when it's finished.

As far as temperature, 66 degrees sounds perfect! Which ale strain are you using? That's how you decide on fermentation temperature, but most ale yeast do best between 64 and 68 degrees. That's not air temperature, though- that's beer temperature.

If you have a stick-on thermometer on the fermenter, that can help you see at a glance if the beer is at the right temperature. Active fermentation can cause the beer temperature to be as much as 10 degrees higher than ambient air temperature, so I like to start a bit cooler to begin with.

Yep thats extract darkness. One of the only ways to actually match beer colors for commercial brews is going AG. But its not that big of a deal as long as the taste is there. Cheers

 

[rycov]

I actually added my LME at 15 minutes, stirred until completely dissolved, added my Irish moss, and then my immersion chiller. This was the way the recipe instructed me, and I would have added the LME at 30 min otherwise due to how much reading I have done on the forums about using LME later in the boils to prevent darkening of the color.

the times for the boil are actually backwards. if your doing a sixty minuet boil, then 60 minuet additions are added right at the begining of the boil, 30 mins. halfway threw, 15 mins = 15 minuets left, 5 mins = 5 mins left. and 0 or flame out is when you turn the heat off.

 

[laiced]

There was no way I was going to post another 'Stalled Fermentation' thread on here, but I do have a small worry.

I have totally resisted the urge to open my fermentation bucket, so I have no idea on the krausen or flocculation, but my airlock was been slow but steady since sunday evening when I brewed my beer. I was getting 1 bubble every second at first, yesterday I was down to 1 bubble per three seconds, and this morning I have nothing.

I used WLP002 vial of yeast but i did not make a starter.

Is there anything to worry about?

 

[Yooper]

There was no way I was going to post another 'Stalled Fermentation' thread on here, but I do have a small worry.

I have totally resisted the urge to open my fermentation bucket, so I have no idea on the krausen or flocculation, but my airlock was been slow but steady since sunday evening when I brewed my beer. I was getting 1 bubble every second at first, yesterday I was down to 1 bubble per three seconds, and this morning I have nothing.

I used WLP002 vial of yeast but i did not make a starter.

Is there anything to worry about?

Not at all! It sounds the the majority of active fermentation is winding down, and it will continue to slow until it's finished. If you want to check the SG, you can, but I'd wait another week and then check it. Remember to not put the sample back in the fermenter- you just drink it! That should give you an idea of green beer. It will taste like warm, flat, maybe green-applish, beer.

 

[laiced]

Yooper, your wisdom is much appreciated!

I am still just a bit concerned however, as my recipe calls for 3 days in the primary at 72 degrees followed by 5 days in secondary racked over apricot puree/flavoring....

Does this seem too short? (intended for everyone, not just Yoop)

 

[pietro75]

Yeah, way short! at least 7-14 days in primary. Your hydrometer will tell you when the main fermentation is done. This is an in depth discussed subject on this site. I used the search bar and have read for days about this and other questions I had.

Start w/ this one.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/secondary-fermentation-rack-not-rack-155255/

 

[logan3825]

You really are not supposed to but I brew on a schedule. I brew every other week and bottle during the boil. I have 2 batches fermenting at a time so every beer I do ferments for 4 weeks. If I do something with a little higher gravity, 1.060 or higher, I check it a week ahead of time. I have only had one bad batch so far out of 14. I think that one got sloshed around to much during a move.

 

[laiced]

So as I read the debate between long primaries versus racking to secondary, I realize that it does not matter for my first batch. I have to add apricot to the mix and I am looking to do that tonight if possible.

I understand that a little fermentation is desirable so that some C02 can be generated in the secondary, so I am racking tonight despite it not being in primary for a week.

My question is, do I just pour the apricot flavoring into the bottom of my carboy and then just use my auto-siphon to bring my wort over to the carboy and just let it fill up over top of the apricot? OR, do I siphon first and then just pour my apricot flavoring into the wort?

 

[Daktylo]

Rack on top of the fruit or flavoring.

 

[laiced]

So I took a reading of my batch before transferring it to the secondary, where I racked in on top of apricot flavoring, and I got 1.010...does this sound right?!

I used a Thief and did the super spin on the hydrometer....twice.

 

[pietro75]

Maybe you should type in Beersmith.com and get a trial of the software/ Download the software and then open it and click on new recipe. Type in your ingredients and it will give you an estimate of the starting gravity(as well as final). It will be close. Then you can type in your FG and see what you got for ABV. 1010 sounds pretty good. probably a pretty strong beer. My Stone started at 1068 and is around 1011 right now @ 2.5 weeks. Take readings for a couple days and see if it's the same, if it is...then it is probably reading to bottle.


*edited to include ABV

 

[pietro75]

ps- you can check your hydrometer by using 60 degree water and the reading should be 1.00. If it isn't 1.000 then you will know how to adjust your readings based on where your Hydrometer sets @ 0

 

[kinghellsfire_NZ]

based on what you said with darkening of colour most likely a little of the sugar caramelized so a FG of 1.010 sound good (mine often finish around 1.016-1.022).

Personally i never use a secondary as i only bottle (and a lot of the cleaning up that is done in the secondary can also be done in the bottle), i think it is a luxury to use a secondary and i would rather have another beer in primary. I also never bottle before 10 days in the primary.

 

[laiced]

So, I bottled this batch on 5.15 and last night I cracked my first bottle to see how carbonation was going...I was satisfied to hear a moderate hiss when I cracked the cap, and I had about 1/4-1/2 inch of head on the pour (it did not last that long though).

I must say, I was not expecting the beer to be as good as it is! I would chalk that up to being my first brew and being biased as to wanting my outcome to be excellent, so I made my brother taste it, as he would tell me the truth...bluntly. He loved it too (except for tasting somewhat flat).

I am now not touching the cases until my family takes a trip to Yellowstone on 6.3, where I will crack another when basecamp is set up.

This is an amazing process!

 

[pietro75]

It just good fresh beer. No suprise to me that it was that good. It was hard to believe that my first beer was so good as well. Face it, you make good beer

 

[gurrback]

I love that feeling of being pleasantly surprised by your own beer. What's even better is seeing the satisfied look on a friends face after they sip your most recent batch. So gratifying!

 

[Daktylo]

This is a dangerous hobby, you realize. Soon you will be looking into more equipment, more materials, and of course, more refrigerator space. I've since run out of the latter, and am trying to find the mystical magical fridge that holds all.

 

[pietro75]

Man, I just bought 16 sanke kegs and I don't even know why(other than they were $30 a piece) I am thinking of converting a couple into fermenters and maybe dispensing out of a couple.