First batch, yeast die out?

[olBigBass]

Hello everyone! I am a new member and just started my first batch (Thanks to Alabama finally making it legal to brew here a few months ago) about a 15 days ago. I am really concerned if the first batch will be any good.

So first off, I got a complete "deluxe" kit from a buddy for free in agreement that I share the beer I make with him. He has had this kit in his Garage for a few months. When I got it, I noticed it already had all the ingredients for a "light ale." So I followed the directions to a tee boiled the wort and put it in the first ferminter. I then pitched the yeast when I got the wort down to 82 degrees (directions called from 70-80?).

Then I waited, about 14 hours later the airlock was going nuts, which I thought was a good thing. Then at about 24 hours it stopped completely. So, I waited a few more days and went ahead and transferred to the secondary (glass carboy). It was a brown with a milky white color through out it. After about a week this all settled down to the bottom and was kind of a amber color.

Next I added about 3/4 cups of priming sugar (boiled and cooled first) then added it to bottles. Its been a few days and it doesn't look like its doing anything.

So I have a few concerns.

1st Did my yeast die early?? I was told by other people that it should ferment at least 3-5 days. I really hope after all this work I don't have to pitch all this beer.

2nd Is there a way to tell if my beer is even carbonating?

Oh, I did use a hydrometer. My OG was 1.048 and my FG was 1.014. (I think I'm not really sure if I'm reading them correctly.)

Thank y'all so much for any hints, I'm really worried this batch is ruined!

 

[Pratzie]

FG looks correct, it was prob just a fast ferment.

Now that its bottled, give it a good 4 weeks or so to condition. Make sure its at or above 72 degrees while its bottled.

Sounds like u did everything good though, the hard part now is just waiting. You'll learn this very soon, the longer u wait, the better the beer (at least most of the time).

Congrats on ur first batch and welcome to home brew.

 

[freisste]

Hello everyone! I am a new member and just started my first batch (Thanks to Alabama finally making it legal to brew here a few months ago) about a 15 days ago. I am really concerned if the first batch will be any good.

So first off, I got a complete "deluxe" kit from a buddy for free in agreement that I share the beer I make with him. He has had this kit in his Garage for a few months. When I got it, I noticed it already had all the ingredients for a "light ale." So I followed the directions to a tee boiled the wort and put it in the first ferminter. I then pitched the yeast when I got the wort down to 82 degrees (directions called from 70-80?).

Then I waited, about 14 hours later the airlock was going nuts, which I thought was a good thing. Then at about 24 hours it stopped completely. So, I waited a few more days and went ahead and transferred to the secondary (glass carboy). It was a brown with a milky white color through out it. After about a week this all settled down to the bottom and was kind of a amber color.

Next I added about 3/4 cups of priming sugar (boiled and cooled first) then added it to bottles. Its been a few days and it doesn't look like its doing anything.

So I have a few concerns.

1st Did my yeast die early?? I was told by other people that it should ferment at least 3-5 days. I really hope after all this work I don't have to pitch all this beer.

2nd Is there a way to tell if my beer is even carbonating?

Oh, I did use a hydrometer. My OG was 1.048 and my FG was 1.014. (I think I'm not really sure if I'm reading them correctly.)

Thank y'all so much for any hints, I'm really worried this batch is ruined!

Sounds like you did everything fine with the exception of maybe pitching a little warm. It depends on the exact yeast you use.

As far as your concerns:

First, your yeast did not DIE at all. Likely fermentation was pretty fast because you pitched a little warm. Hotter fermentation results in more activity, which results in more heat (and the cycle continues). That is part of the reason that temp control is so critical.

Second, no, there isn't a very good way to know if it is fermenting if it is in glass bottles. In plastic bottles, you can give it a squeeze.

Hydrometer numbers sound good. Did the recipe give a range for OG and FG?

Don't worry that it is ruined. It almost certainly is not. You will probably have some extra flavors from esters produced during the warm fermentation, but you may have gotten lucky. Also, there could be some fusel alcohols, which give a "hot" alcohol flavor and gives some (me included) BAD headaches. Again, cross your fingers that it didn't happen that way.

Congrats on your first brew. I guarantee you made beer.

 

[olBigBass]

Thats good to know, the guys at my work told me that if there wasnt any C02 coming out of the airlock that fast then then the yeast died. Good to know it was just the temperate. What temp should I be pitching yeast?

I know its kind of late... But I just started my second batch (I just couldent stand seeing my fermenter do nothing!) and I tried a different method of cooling the wort. I purchased 3 gallons of water (the kind in the gallons) and put them in the freezer a few hours before I started the boil. Then I added to the wort and the temp dropped to like 62 degrees in like 10-15 minutes!? I pitched the yeast after I let it warm to about 64 (its a wheat beer and I used a wheat yeast)

 

[BigFloyd]

Thats good to know, the guys at my work told me that if there wasnt any C02 coming out of the airlock that fast then then the yeast died. Good to know it was just the temperate. What temp should I be pitching yeast?

The yeast didn't die. Those guys at work have shown that they're pretty darn ignorant about brewing and fermentation. Whatever they tell you about homebrewing in the future, ignore it completely.

It sounds like you pitched and fermented that first batch about 15*F too warm. That can cause the ferment to take off and finish quickly, but at the cost of getting off-flavors and maybe fusel alcohol (which gives you a wicked headache). The yeast finished eating the fermentable sugars quickly. They then dropped out and went dormant (not dead). Some yeasts, like Windsor, normally do this faster than others.

For most ales, if you can pitch around 62*F, start fermenting about 64-65*F (as measured on the fermenter bucket, not air temp), keep it there about 5 days and then let it come up to about 68*F, you'll be in good shape.

Make sure to bottle condition a good 3 weeks at room temp, followed by 3+ days in the fridge before opening.

If you notice that the first batch is giving you headaches, simply share the rest of it with the guys at work who claimed that your yeast had died because the airlock wasn't bubbling fast.

 

[freisste]

I know its kind of late... But I just started my second batch (I just couldent stand seeing my fermenter do nothing!) and I tried a different method of cooling the wort. I purchased 3 gallons of water (the kind in the gallons) and put them in the freezer a few hours before I started the boil. Then I added to the wort and the temp dropped to like 62 degrees in like 10-15 minutes!? I pitched the yeast after I let it warm to about 64 (its a wheat beer and I used a wheat yeast)

Sounds just about perfect to me. As far as the ideal temp to pitch, its a little different for every yeast. Sometimes kits come with unmarked "mystery yeast," in which case you should follow what the previous poster said. Those temps are pretty good. If you have a yeast with a given range, I prefer to cool to the bottom end of just below, pitch the yeast, and allow it to slowly rise into the fermentation range. Then after a few days (longer than it took your first batch of hot yeast ), let it warm to the top if the range and above, basically stop controlling it and let it go with your room temp.

Search swamp cooler to get a good idea of how to control temps pretty easily.

 

[olBigBass]

Thanks a ton guys! Im excited for the first batch to finish then. I will wait.. as best as I can anyways lol.