krowta2004
Member
Hello all,I started a new batch of beer using an old extract in a can from 4 years ago. I used new yeast though. It's been 2 weeks and hasn't started to bubble yet. So, I'm wondering, will this still turn into beer?
Is using old extract okay
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Hello all,I started a new batch of beer using an old extract in a can from 4 years ago. I used new yeast though. It's been 2 weeks and hasn't started to bubble yet. So, I'm wondering, will this still turn into beer?
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have you taken a reading? The extract is still sugar.
krowta2004
Member
I have not taken a reading. I've never taken one so early...what would an east coast style IPA read at this point?
krowta2004
Member
....and what would that tell me?
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It will read a direct reflection of it's gravity. That's the only way you tell if anything is or has happened. Bubbles don't mean anything except that there is no other opening for CO2 to escape.
krowta2004
Member
What would I compare it to? I didn't take a reading before adding the yeast. Doh!
ChshreCat
Well-Known Member
Old extract will ferment just fine. It just won't taste as good. If this didn't ferment, it's not because of the age of the extract. There's some other issue. If you post the recipe, someone can tell you what the expected starting and finishing gravity should be.
krowta2004
Member
I'll look when I get home and post again then. Thanks.
The only thing old extra will be is darker, NOT UNFERMENTABLE. You are using a silly notion, airlock bubbling, as a gauge. All you know is that your airlock is bubbling NOT the state of your fermentation. Airlock bubbling starting suddenly doesn't necessarily mean fermentation has started, nor does airlock bubbling stopping suddenly mean that fermentation has stopped. You really need to grasp this fact and seperate airlock bubbling in your mind from fermentation.
Now you asked what you compare it to, since you didn't take an OG reading. you compare it to your recipe. Your recipe should tell you what your intened OG was supposed to be, as well as your target final gravity. This reading will tell you where on the journey from OG to FG your yeasts are on. How close or far you are from your final gravity. If you don't have a recipe, and just dumped a bunch of hops and the extract in your kettle, then you can use brewing software including free onles like beercalculus to give you a rough idea of what you made. If it is a big can of extract, then that is 3.3 pounds of extract. 2 of them is 6.6 pounds...so you can figure out what your recipe's numbers are, adn your hydrometer for what your beer is at.
Your airlock is not a fermentation gauge, it is a VALVE to release excess co2. To keep your beer off your ceiling. Nothing more.
That's why you need to take a gravity reading to know how your fermentation is going, NOT go by airlocks, or size of krausen, or a calendar, the horoscope or the phases of the moon (those things in my mind are equally accurate).
The most important tool you can use is a hydrometer. It's the only way you will truly know when your beer is ready...airlock bubbles and other things are faulty.
The only way to truly know what is going on in your fermenter is with your hydrometer. Like I said here in my blog, which I encourage you to read, Think evaluation before action you sure as HELL wouldn't want a doctor to start cutting on you unless he used the proper diagnostic instuments like x-rays first, right? You wouldn't want him to just take a look in your eyes briefly and say "I'm cutting into your chest first thing in the morning." You would want them to use the right diagnostic tools before the slice and dice, right? You'd cry malpractice, I would hope, if they didn't say they were sending you for an MRI and other things before going in....
Thinking about "doing anything" like repitching, or bottling, or racking, without first taking a hydrometer reading is tantamount to the doctor deciding to cut you open without running any diagnostic tests....Taking one look at you and saying, "Yeah I'm going in." You would really want the doctor to use all means to properly diagnose what's going on?
Sorry but that really is the only answer that is accurate or consistant, the numbers on the little stick. I have had evrey airlock bubbling/non bubbling/slow bubbling/fast bubbling/little krausen/big krausen/slow forming krausen/krausen staying 3 weeks after the hydro showed terminal gravity scenario imaginable in nearly 1,000 gallons of beer, and none of that stuff is as accurate as 30 seconds with a hydrometer.
Now you asked what you compare it to, since you didn't take an OG reading. you compare it to your recipe. Your recipe should tell you what your intened OG was supposed to be, as well as your target final gravity. This reading will tell you where on the journey from OG to FG your yeasts are on. How close or far you are from your final gravity. If you don't have a recipe, and just dumped a bunch of hops and the extract in your kettle, then you can use brewing software including free onles like beercalculus to give you a rough idea of what you made. If it is a big can of extract, then that is 3.3 pounds of extract. 2 of them is 6.6 pounds...so you can figure out what your recipe's numbers are, adn your hydrometer for what your beer is at.
Your airlock is not a fermentation gauge, it is a VALVE to release excess co2. To keep your beer off your ceiling. Nothing more.
That's why you need to take a gravity reading to know how your fermentation is going, NOT go by airlocks, or size of krausen, or a calendar, the horoscope or the phases of the moon (those things in my mind are equally accurate).
The most important tool you can use is a hydrometer. It's the only way you will truly know when your beer is ready...airlock bubbles and other things are faulty.
The only way to truly know what is going on in your fermenter is with your hydrometer. Like I said here in my blog, which I encourage you to read, Think evaluation before action you sure as HELL wouldn't want a doctor to start cutting on you unless he used the proper diagnostic instuments like x-rays first, right? You wouldn't want him to just take a look in your eyes briefly and say "I'm cutting into your chest first thing in the morning." You would want them to use the right diagnostic tools before the slice and dice, right? You'd cry malpractice, I would hope, if they didn't say they were sending you for an MRI and other things before going in....
Thinking about "doing anything" like repitching, or bottling, or racking, without first taking a hydrometer reading is tantamount to the doctor deciding to cut you open without running any diagnostic tests....Taking one look at you and saying, "Yeah I'm going in." You would really want the doctor to use all means to properly diagnose what's going on?
Sorry but that really is the only answer that is accurate or consistant, the numbers on the little stick. I have had evrey airlock bubbling/non bubbling/slow bubbling/fast bubbling/little krausen/big krausen/slow forming krausen/krausen staying 3 weeks after the hydro showed terminal gravity scenario imaginable in nearly 1,000 gallons of beer, and none of that stuff is as accurate as 30 seconds with a hydrometer.
krowta2004
Member
Well, I know what my problem was. I added the ale extract, but I forgot to add the amber. So, I boiled the amber, added it to the fermenter already containing the fermented ale (in a secondary fermenter) and added a new dose of yeast. It's been bubbling like crazy for a couple of days. Now, my fingers are crossed hoping this doesn't turn out too bad.
Revvy, I took a hydrometer reading and will continue to use that as my gauge. Once the hydrometer reading is the same for several days, I will bottle.
Does anyone thing this pale ale I'm making will be decent or did I destroy it by forgetting to add the amber and repitching?
Revvy, I took a hydrometer reading and will continue to use that as my gauge. Once the hydrometer reading is the same for several days, I will bottle.
Does anyone thing this pale ale I'm making will be decent or did I destroy it by forgetting to add the amber and repitching?
Brewers add extra sugar after the initial ferment quite often (example: fruit). Adding the additional sugars will not hurt the beer. It will start the clock again on the cycle as you have basically started the beer off all over again.
There was no need to add more yeast. The yeast that was already in there would have eaten the additional sugars. You didn't hurt anything either.
There was no need to add more yeast. The yeast that was already in there would have eaten the additional sugars. You didn't hurt anything either.
Justibone
Well-Known Member
I always brew by moon phases, Revvy! There has to be a full moon while carbonating so that the beer fairies can see in the night. Then they can find my chimney, fly down and put magic bubbles in my beer. How do you guys do it?
sittingturbo
Well-Known Member
Years ago, I found an old kit that I had bought from www.williamsbrewing.com I decided to brew it for fun, it was the Summer Ale.
The final product was nothing like I would have gotten if it were fresh but my friends drank it regardless. It came out much darker then it should have, it also had a much higher FG and tons of residual sweetness. Needless to say it had a very low alcohol percentage. But it was beer... Not just to my standards. (Note: I only used old extract in this experiment, I replaced the hops and yeast.)
The final product was nothing like I would have gotten if it were fresh but my friends drank it regardless. It came out much darker then it should have, it also had a much higher FG and tons of residual sweetness. Needless to say it had a very low alcohol percentage. But it was beer... Not just to my standards. (Note: I only used old extract in this experiment, I replaced the hops and yeast.)
petey_c
Senior Member
krowta2004, My second through fifth brews were made with expired (4 - 5 years expired) Mr. Beer kits and yeast (also expired). It was okay brew, but nothing to write home about.
I always brew by moon phases, Revvy! There has to be a full moon while carbonating so that the beer fairies can see in the night. Then they can find my chimney, fly down and put magic bubbles in my beer. How do you guys do it?
I just leave a little thimble full of wort out near my ferementers. I figure they just went by smell.
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