Just bottled my first batch, one quick question tho..

[Riddick]

Complete n00b here, just bought a simple kit from a local homebrew place, an English Special Bitter. I have no idea if i did *any* of this right, guess ill find out in two weeks or so. fermenting finished way faster than i thought it would have(about 2.5 days), but the gravity was in the range they said it should end at so bobs yer uncle.

anyways, couple of questions if someone can help:

how the hell do you regulate the temperature when fermenting, more exactly the cooling aspect? We dont use the A/C in my apt but it stayed about 75ish the whole time, figure this was not ideal but ok.



Anyways, i can see this turning into a very expensive hobby but one i already love. My girlfriend is already starting to moan about how i tell her i need to get way more bottles for the beer lol.


also anyone have any recommendations for what beer to make next? I was thinking fat tire as ive never had it but i read some people here saying 'oh there are 50 beers better that i would clone before fat tire' so im open to suggestions/recommendations.


thanks!

 

[Baldy_Beer_Brewery]

also anyone have any recommendations for what beer to make next? I was thinking fat tire as ive never had it but i read some people here saying 'oh there are 50 beers better that i would clone before fat tire' so im open to suggestions/recommendations.

I'd recommend brewing something you like and are familiar with. Fat Tire is not a bad beer. But if you have never had one you won't know if you care for it and you can't judge your results against it.

 

[Riddick]

good point. im just kinda interested in it since almost everyone i know that has had it says its one of teh best beers they have ever had. bold statements..

i kinda want to make a summerbrew and add some lemon peels to it after i kill the boil for a bit to give it a bit more zest. my main problem is i love beer to much to figure out what i want to make haha.

 

[HItransplant]

Complete n00b here, just bought a simple kit from a local homebrew place, an English Special Bitter. I have no idea if i did *any* of this right, guess ill find out in two weeks or so. fermenting finished way faster than i thought it would have(about 2.5 days), but the gravity was in the range they said it should end at so bobs yer uncle.

anyways, couple of questions if someone can help:

how the hell do you regulate the temperature when fermenting, more exactly the cooling aspect? We dont use the A/C in my apt but it stayed about 75ish the whole time, figure this was not ideal but ok.

Anyways, i can see this turning into a very expensive hobby but one i already love. My girlfriend is already starting to moan about how i tell her i need to get way more bottles for the beer lol.

also anyone have any recommendations for what beer to make next? I was thinking fat tire as ive never had it but i read some people here saying 'oh there are 50 beers better that i would clone before fat tire' so im open to suggestions/recommendations.

thanks!

1. Even if the gravity is at fg in 2 days, I'd still let it sit for at least 2 weeks...more (3-4 weeks) if you plan to go straight to bottle.


2. I use a swamp cooler for fermentation control.. Not maintenance free, but cheap. Put your fermenter in a plastic tub w water and rotate frozen water bottles. Takes some work to figure out the rotation (I keep a thermometer in the water to monitor the temp of water bath)... Just make sure fermometer isn't submerged. If the water bath ist enough then put a t-shirt over the fermenter and submerge in water...add a fan for even more cooling power. I do this in a bath tub or garage cause it can be a mess.

3. Not sure what you should make... What do you like? I say keep it simple for a while. But if you are having fun...youre doing something right!

 

[unionrdr]

Typically,you'll get through initial fermentation in 2-4 days. The airlock will slow down or cease,but the ferment is by no means done. It just slows down for the long haul to FG. It usually takes 2-3 weeks to completely finish fermenting (Final Gravity,or FG).
Then prime & bottle for minimum of 3 weeks,on average,at room temp. The 4-6 days in the fridge,or until chill haze settles.
Maybe try a pale ale next.

 

[JayWeezie]

anyways, couple of questions if someone can help:

how the hell do you regulate the temperature when fermenting, more exactly the cooling aspect? We dont use the A/C in my apt but it stayed about 75ish the whole time, figure this was not ideal

I just used a swamp cooler for the first time. I use a large rubbermaid storage bucket. Put a few inches of water in the bottom with a few ice packs or even frozen water bottles. Put your carboy in with a tshirt over the carboy and the cool water will wick up the shirt and keep the carboy at 70°. Devilishly simply and it works.

 

[HItransplant]

I just used a swamp cooler for the first time. I use a large rubbermaid storage bucket. Put a few inches of water in the bottom with a few ice packs or even frozen water bottles. Put your carboy in with a tshirt over the carboy and the cool water will wick up the shirt and keep the carboy at 70°. Devilishly simply and it works.

If your ambient temp is 70, a swamp cooler can even get you into the upper 50s...lots of ice bottles.

The water tub is also a nice buffer if you ferment in a place with temp swings...

 

[Riddick]

ohhhh..... so if i didnt leave it for those extra time and bottled it, am i screwed with this batch? Or should i just leave it alone in the bottle longer? I plan on leaving it alone for 3 weeks bottled already.

btw, great ideas with the cooling, many thanks!

 

[unionrdr]

It might take longer than 3 weeks,since at 75F,yeasts start making off flavors. Maybe 4 or 5,depending on how harsh the off flavors are,if any. Put one in the fridge at 3 weeks for a few hours at least. Then give it a try. I had my 1st clean up nice at 3 weeks bottled,4 days in the fridge.

 

[Riddick]

gotcha, many thanks!

 

[tvtoms]

I actually put my swamp cooler tub in the huge box that a 42 inch tv came in. Two swamp cooler rigs fit like a glove with a bit more room for coffee cans with ice bottles in them, or blow off jugs if you needed. I swear it's like a free double fermentation chamber with the purchase of a plasma TV.

 

[JayWeezie]

If your ambient temp is 70, a swamp cooler can even get you into the upper 50s...lots of ice bottles.

The water tub is also a nice buffer if you ferment in a place with temp swings...

My ambient temp is about 76° I can't imagine I could get it in the 50's. I have a tshirt over mine with about 4" of water in a rubbermaid tub. Replacing ice packs to keep it between 68° and 70°

 

[mhenry41h]

If you have no A/C and no fridge for temp controlling, I would stick with Belgians or any other beers with strong yeast derived flavors until fall. You certainly can't do a lager and you will get too many esters or perhaps diacetyl in the low 80's with many traditional ale strains.

 

[Thehopguy]

Ehh, the thought of a swamp cooler makes me cringe. I don't know what I'd do without my chest freezer. Thinking of having to constantly replace bottles and check temps would drive me nuts! I can just see it being the first thing I do in the morning and worrying about it all day and even messin with my sleep. But then again...im Crazy!

 

[arobotsanus]

You bottled after 3 days? I would worry about bottle bombs..

 

[Riddick]

yeah thats what i was wondering aboot too, the bottle bombs. theyre tucked away tho, so unless they go when i open the most theyll do is just make a mess under the bench.

 

[Riddick]

just re-read all this, how do you measure the temp? im guessing electric thermometer? you dont have the sensor in the fermenter the whole time do you?

 

[tvtoms]

I have a wireless remote thermometer thing and I keep the "outdoor" sensor on top of the fermenter. Not perfect but all I need to see is when the temp starts to rise and go replace a frozen bottle.

 

[HItransplant]

Ehh, the thought of a swamp cooler makes me cringe. I don't know what I'd do without my chest freezer. Thinking of having to constantly replace bottles and check temps would drive me nuts! I can just see it being the first thing I do in the morning and worrying about it all day and even messin with my sleep. But then again...im Crazy!

You may be crazy, i cant comment on that...but the reason you have a freezer is you had the space and money to get one

 

[HItransplant]

just re-read all this, how do you measure the temp? im guessing electric thermometer? you dont have the sensor in the fermenter the whole time do you?

First off, in your first post, you said you were at FG..if that's truly the case, no worries about bottle bombs.

I measure temp of my Brew w a fermometer... The sticky LC thermometers...mount it high so you don't have to worry about getting it wet in the tub...but nit too high or it'll be above your liquid. I also use a reg brewing dial thermo in the water bath so I can watch that temp...helps me know when to swap bottles