new to brewing

[sweendogg82]

Well, i made my first batch last week. An american light box kit. It was fermenting well, about 25nseconds between pops on the airlock. I read in the directions that i should rack to a secondary before fermentation was complete. I racked tonight and im womdering if i did too early and what can be the rrsults of it. My SG was 1.030 and my SG now is 1.010.

 

[W0GWT]

Well, i made my first batch last week. An american light box kit. It was fermenting well, about 25nseconds between pops on the airlock. I read in the directions that i should rack to a secondary before fermentation was complete. I racked tonight and im womdering if i did too early and what can be the rrsults of it. My SG was 1.030 and my SG now is 1.010.

It's possible you could interrupt fermentation and/or get a stuck fermentation, but I wouldn't sweat it.
In the future, ignore the instructions. Read Palmer's "How to Brew" (available for free online); he won't steer you wrong. The traditional thing is 1-2-3 (as in 1 week primary, 2 weeks secondary, 3 weeks in the bottle), but I think that's carryover from Papazian. Many people say secondary is unnecessary. I only use one if I'm bulk aging. Use one if you want, I'm just lazy.

Congrats on your first brew!

 

[BobBailey]

When it comes to brewing, patience comes right after clean and sanitary. You will hear and read a lot of misinformation about brewing. WOGWT has given you some of the best advice as many here will. Read Palmer: http://www.howtobrew.com/

Welcome to a great hobby and Happy Brewing.

 

[sweendogg82]

Well i checked this morning and it is still bubbling out the airlock. It seems a lot darker though. The brew was a lot more straw colored before. Maybe its jsut my lighting. Idk. It has been in my primary for a week today so maybe just a day early. Any ideas why it would look darker? Its supposed to be straw colored at finish.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I only use one vessel for fermenting one for conditioning and one for serving

it always looks darker in the carboy, it also will lighten up after aging

 

[RM-MN]

Well i checked this morning and it is still bubbling out the airlock. It seems a lot darker though. The brew was a lot more straw colored before. Maybe its jsut my lighting. Idk. It has been in my primary for a week today so maybe just a day early. Any ideas why it would look darker? Its supposed to be straw colored at finish.

When your beer is actively fermenting there is a lot of yeast being stirred up and it reflects the light making your beer look light. When the yeast starts to drop out the beer clears and looks much darker since you don't have the reflected light and you have such a big quantity of beer for the light to pass through. When you pour it into you glass it will become light again.

 

[sweendogg82]

Thanks for the info. I did notice that my beer is still fermenting so im pretty thrilled. Just have to wait at least 2 weeks now before bottling. Going to make a batch of wheat beer next. Possibly add some orange zest. Idk any suggestions?

 

[RM-MN]

Thanks for the info. I did notice that my beer is still fermenting so im pretty thrilled. Just have to wait at least 2 weeks now before bottling. Going to make a batch of wheat beer next. Possibly add some orange zest. Idk any suggestions?

Add some crushed coriander seeds with the orange zest. Much of the orange flavor will come from the coriander seeds.