Please be prepared for incoming "newb" questions

[4arrows]

Howdy there all,

First of all, I appreciate the help and courtesy given by all on this forum, it is pretty cool to see people that are so helpful and forthcoming with their knowledge and experience and do not seem to get tired of answering the same questions over and over again.... I hope.

I am working towards and saving for first brewing setup, wanting to do a few extract batches and then move towards some partial mash. I have my eye on some used equipment on craigslist for some reasonable prices and hope to be boiling water this weekend, maybe weekend after.

Questions:

1) What is the purpose of transferring to a different vessel for secondary? As far as I can tell you aren't adding anything to the mixture and you are trying not to agitate it, so why transfer at all?

2) Are kegs listed as"soda kegs" interchangeable with beer kegs?

3) I know everyone has a preference to what style of beer they like best, but for a starting brewer, what is a good solid extract kit that is not too fermentation temperature dependent (73F in the house) to start with? There are too many online at northernbrewer.com all with good reviews to pick a good one to start with. Trying to do something my lovely wife will like as well to encourage additional funding, so no triple IPA's, or dark as death stouts until i get a second keg up and running.

4) How much is enough? I know this is a loaded question, like asking which is better 9mm or 45acp. But in reality, if you have 2 beers a night and your wife/husband has 1-2 a night a your friends have a few on the weekend, how often do you need to brew just to keep your supply topped up? I like beer, but would be hard pressed to go through 5 gal a week to need to brew every weekend. But if i was doing a brew club and competitions and giving as gifts and experimentation, I can see it being more and more. Just to keep the fridge full for me, the wife, and an occasional freeloader, how often do you brew?

That's all for now, gimme a few minutes and I will think of more.

4>---->

 

[mrgrimm101]

1) The old-school thought was that you wanted to transfer the beer off the yeast cake that settles in primary. This was because yeast strains were much weaker and prone to dying (autolysis) and would impart off-flavors in the beer. However, with the more hearty yeast strains we have available today, this isn't really a concern anymore.

Today, there is a debate between using secondary or not. Many people use them, many don't. It's a preference thing. Most home brewers would recommend using secondaries if you are doing oak, spice, or fruit additions. Many home brewers dry hop straight in primary and never use a secondary. It's your call. Try it both ways and see how you like. I personally find secondaries to be one extra step that I ultimately don't want to deal with.

2) I'm not sure on this one lol. You can find many kegs that are new or refurbished online or at your LHBS.

3) I would say that pretty much all beer is temperature dependent when fermenting. You want the correct temperature range for the yeast that you use, as well as consistency..try not to let it sway too much up or down. That is one of the biggest factors to making good beer. 73F is pretty high on the ideal spectrum for most ale yeasts. You might be ok, but at the higher temperatures you have more chances of off-flavors being developed. If you can find a spot that's closer to 66F-68F that would be better IMO.

I would recommend an amber or pale ale. You can find pale ale recipes that aren't too hoppy, so SWMBO may like it. Midwest Supplies has an Autumn Amber Ale kit that I've heard is good and easy for beginners.

4) That honestly depends on way too many personal factors. I brew once every month or 2, but I don't go through a whole 5 gallon batch before I brew again..there's lots of times where my batches overlap. Sometimes I go several months in between brew days. I still buy a lot of commercial beers, so I don't just drink my home brews. It really depends on how much you want to give away and how fast you drink it.

 

[theseeker4]

Howdy there all,

First of all, I appreciate the help and courtesy given by all on this forum, it is pretty cool to see people that are so helpful and forthcoming with their knowledge and experience and do not seem to get tired of answering the same questions over and over again.... I hope.

I am working towards and saving for first brewing setup, wanting to do a few extract batches and then move towards some partial mash. I have my eye on some used equipment on craigslist for some reasonable prices and hope to be boiling water this weekend, maybe weekend after.

Questions:

1) What is the purpose of transferring to a different vessel for secondary? As far as I can tell you aren't adding anything to the mixture and you are trying not to agitate it, so why transfer at all?

2) Are kegs listed as"soda kegs" interchangeable with beer kegs?

3) I know everyone has a preference to what style of beer they like best, but for a starting brewer, what is a good solid extract kit that is not too fermentation temperature dependent (73F in the house) to start with? There are too many online at northernbrewer.com all with good reviews to pick a good one to start with. Trying to do something my lovely wife will like as well to encourage additional funding, so no triple IPA's, or dark as death stouts until i get a second keg up and running.

4) How much is enough? I know this is a loaded question, like asking which is better 9mm or 45acp. But in reality, if you have 2 beers a night and your wife/husband has 1-2 a night a your friends have a few on the weekend, how often do you need to brew just to keep your supply topped up? I like beer, but would be hard pressed to go through 5 gal a week to need to brew every weekend. But if i was doing a brew club and competitions and giving as gifts and experimentation, I can see it being more and more. Just to keep the fridge full for me, the wife, and an occasional freeloader, how often do you brew?

That's all for now, gimme a few minutes and I will think of more.

4>---->

For your temperature question, don't forget that while the room temperature might be 73F, during peak fermentation your beer could be at 80 or even higher, since fermentation gives off heat. This is going to hurt your flavor for just about every yeast strain. Look into swamp coolers on here (basically a water bath for your fermenter with some wet towels or shirts over the fermenter to help cool it with evaporation), or throw frozen 2 liters of water into a water bath a few times a day, to keep the temperature down.

 

[vincentAlpha]

Howdy there all,
1) What is the purpose of transferring to a different vessel for secondary? As far as I can tell you aren't adding anything to the mixture and you are trying not to agitate it, so why transfer at all?
2) Are kegs listed as"soda kegs" interchangeable with beer kegs?
3) I know everyone has a preference to what style of beer they like best, but for a starting brewer, what is a good solid extract kit that is not too fermentation temperature dependent (73F in the house) to start with? There are too many online at northernbrewer.com all with good reviews to pick a good one to start with. Trying to do something my lovely wife will like as well to encourage additional funding, so no triple IPA's, or dark as death stouts until i get a second keg up and running.
4) How much is enough? I know this is a loaded question, like asking which is better 9mm or 45acp. But in reality, if you have 2 beers a night and your wife/husband has 1-2 a night a your friends have a few on the weekend, how often do you need to brew just to keep your supply topped up? I like beer, but would be hard pressed to go through 5 gal a week to need to brew every weekend. But if i was doing a brew club and competitions and giving as gifts and experimentation, I can see it being more and more. Just to keep the fridge full for me, the wife, and an occasional freeloader, how often do you brew?

1. In some cases it is to get the beer off of the trub that accumulates during fermentation, but unless you are dry-hopping or adding something in secondary you are typically better off leaving it be then transferring to a bottling bucket.
2. That depends, quite possibly but ask for pictures, you ought to be able to tell about them from the posts (how you connect gas and beer lines to them). I'd hold off on picking up kegs until you decide if homebrewing is worth it for you since kegging can be an expensive start to things.
3. Without temp control and those kind of temperatures I'd lean towards a Belgian or saison style (if such things are available, haven't looked at kits in ages) and pick up a better dried yeast then whatever they'll give you (probably just 'brewing yeast').
4. Sounds like you and the missus could kill off a 24 pack in a week or so (with freeloaders included) so I'd say to keep a steady line going you'd need to brew every 2-3 weeks.

 

[mrgrimm101]

I'd hold off on picking up kegs until you decide if homebrewing is worth it for you since kegging can be an expensive start to things.

Another great point. Stick with bottling for a little while until you get the process down, then decide if it's worth it to get into kegging.

 

[Rhumbline]

Welcome aboard.

1. I've always used secondaries and been happy with the results, but as was stated above, it's a personal preference thing.
2. I don't know about kegging. I continue to bottle and I agree that kegging adds a layer of complexity and cost that maybe you don't need right now. Kegging v bottling is another personal choice thing.
3. It's primarily the yeast that drives the requirement for temperature control and the Belgian style yeasts are the most forgiving of higher temps. This will also let you brew some lighter tasting beers that may appeal to your wife.
4. I don't think you'd want to brew every week. That's about nine 6-packs per week and a lot of money and time. But it's your choice.

 

[beergolf]

3. It's primarily the yeast that drives the requirement for temperature control and the Belgian style yeasts are the most forgiving of higher temps. This will also let you brew some lighter tasting beers that may appeal to your wife.

I see this advice given quite often but be careful about that generalization. Most Belgian yeasts do need temp control for the beginning of fermentation or they WILL produce fusels. They do need to be kept cooler for the first part of fermentation. Then they can be left to get warmer. A 73 degree room will have the brew fermenting as much as 10 degrees warmer if it really takes off.

I took that advice when I first started and put a Belgian brew in a 75 degree room. Guess what? I ended up with some rocket fuel that never aged out. I do brew a lot of Belgians and now know that temp control at the beginning is very important.

The only yeast that I would put in a 73 degree ambient temp for the beginning of fermentation is a Saison yeast. They can handle the heat and not produce off flavors and fusels like other yeasts do. In fact 3724 likes it even hotter. But yeasts like Belle Saison and 3711 will do just fine at those temps.

 

[rich5665]

1: I don't see the need for a secondary, that may change for my purposes. But really it's an unnecessary step as stated by others.

2: I have seen refurbished soda kegs being used for beer. Just clean them out really well. Soda Syrup is a PIA.

3: I tend to brew beers that ferment well in the 68 - 72 degree range. Colder fermenting beers go to the cellar where the temp never goes above 60. If I need warmer temps I have a closet on the second floor that never drops below 75.

4: There is no such thing as to much beer. I currently have 16 gallons of beer conditioning and fermenting along with 2 gallons of mead. I'm planning my next mid-size (4.5 gal) batch now. It's become a relaxation thing for me.

 

[4arrows]

I appreciate all y'alls input and advice. Picking up some second hand brewing equipment and ingredients from LHBS on Friday. Working on finding the coolest area of the house and possibly building small fermentation chamber out of an old entertainment center and some insulation foam I can get from work. Hope to be boiling wort on Saturday if all plans go well. Looking at trying a Brewer's Best, Kolsch as first extract brew kit. Very excited to get started and happy that there is a good community out here for new brewers.

Thanks again for all the help.

4>---->

 

[Gavin C]

Soda kegs is often used interchangably with cory kegs. It doesn't mean that there was soda in it. It is more used to make the distinction between these and sanke kegs which usuall have had beer in them and have different sizes to soda kegs.

I too would start with bottles. See how you go. I switched to kegs after 1 batch.

Kolsch: I would not recomend that as a starter brew. A very delicate style that will be very unforgiving of errors. Off flavors from inadequate yeast management,badly controlled ferment temperatures or any oxygenation will shine through.

I would do a pale ale, brown ale, a red ale or an amber ale. Something with an OG of 1.050 or less. More forgiving and likely to result in tasty beer.

 

[Calypso]

Kolsch: I would not recomend that as a starter brew. A very delicate style that will be very unforgiving of errors. Off flavors from inadequate yeast management,badly controlled ferment temperatures or any oxygenation will shine through.

I would do a pale ale, brown ale, a red ale or an amber ale. Something with an OG of 1.050 or less. More forgiving and likely to result in tasty beer.

Agreed 100%. Kolsch is very finicky and doesn't hide mistakes well. I'd go with the Irish Red or American Amber as a first. They're simple and tend to use yeast that is fairly forgiving. Plus they're not very hoppy, so (without knowing her exact tastes) your wife might like them.

 

[jekeane]

Kegging is great. That being said fermentation temperature control is way better.

For your initial batches look into a swamp cooler fermentation chamber 73° ambient with even the most forgiving yeasts has the potential to cause alot of off flavors.

 

[4arrows]

I have seen some people talking about using a temperature control with a fridge or freezer, it seems like a great way to manage fermentation temperatures in a very consistent way, any thoughts? I have an unused fridge that I was planning on using for a kegerator at some point but seems that fermentation chamber is a higher priority. I have no cellar in Dallas TX to keep cool in.

 

[4arrows]

I have sen some people on these forums talking about using a temperature controller with a fridge or freezer. Is that something that I could use to achieve a consistent temperature for fermentation? I have an extra fridge that I was planning on converting to a keggerator at some point, but a proper fermentation chamber seems to be a higher priority. Any thoughts?

And I do appreciate the warning about Kolsch being temperamental. Looking into some other recipes to start with. I just picked Kolsch because my wife likes it and there was a extract kit available from my LHBS.

 

[4arrows]

Thanks all for the warning about Kolsch being temperamental.
I have been reading about using a temperature control with a fridge or freezer to maintain consistent temeratures for lager ing and fermentation. I have an extra fridge I was planning on keggerating later on ,but proper fermentation temperature control seems much higher on the priority scale.

What think y'all?

 

[rich5665]

I vote Irish Red or Brown Ale for your brew

 

[GHBWNY]

Most everything has been answered, so here's my 2 cents on a couple points:

I'd brew a brown ale. Tasty, easy, malty, not too hoppy.

To get your ferm temp down and consistent, put your ferm bucket/carboy in a plastic storage tub filled with cold water. Drape wet t-shirts over the fermenter and let them hang into the water. They will wick up the water and evaporate unwanted warmth. If and when needed, you can toss in a Ziplok bag or two of ice. Not a perfect temp-control system, but short of sacrificing a batch to high ferm temps, it's cheap and better than doing nothing.

 

[4arrows]

Thanks a lot y'all for the advice and insight into Kolsch fickleness. Looks like I am picking up some used brewing equipment on Friday morning and hope top head to the LHBS on the way home and may be brewing my first batch as early as Saturday.

I am looking into using a temperature control and a refrigerator to make a fermentation chamber. I had intended to convert the fridge into a keggerator, but proper fermentation temperature seems like a much bigger priority instead.

 

[Michigan_Wolfman]

Welcome aboard and happy brewing. +1 on all the suggestions, especially concerning the use of a swamp cooler. You definitely want to maintain a consistent temperature during fermentation. Temperature spikes can lead to all sorts of off flavors and the formation of fusel alcohols, which isn't a good thing.

 

[dpatrickv]

Howdy there all,

First of all, I appreciate the help and courtesy given by all on this forum, it is pretty cool to see people that are so helpful and forthcoming with their knowledge and experience and do not seem to get tired of answering the same questions over and over again.... I hope.

I am working towards and saving for first brewing setup, wanting to do a few extract batches and then move towards some partial mash. I have my eye on some used equipment on craigslist for some reasonable prices and hope to be boiling water this weekend, maybe weekend after.

Questions:

1) What is the purpose of transferring to a different vessel for secondary? As far as I can tell you aren't adding anything to the mixture and you are trying not to agitate it, so why transfer at all?

2) Are kegs listed as"soda kegs" interchangeable with beer kegs?

3) I know everyone has a preference to what style of beer they like best, but for a starting brewer, what is a good solid extract kit that is not too fermentation temperature dependent (73F in the house) to start with? There are too many online at northernbrewer.com all with good reviews to pick a good one to start with. Trying to do something my lovely wife will like as well to encourage additional funding, so no triple IPA's, or dark as death stouts until i get a second keg up and running.

4) How much is enough? I know this is a loaded question, like asking which is better 9mm or 45acp. But in reality, if you have 2 beers a night and your wife/husband has 1-2 a night a your friends have a few on the weekend, how often do you need to brew just to keep your supply topped up? I like beer, but would be hard pressed to go through 5 gal a week to need to brew every weekend. But if i was doing a brew club and competitions and giving as gifts and experimentation, I can see it being more and more. Just to keep the fridge full for me, the wife, and an occasional freeloader, how often do you brew?

That's all for now, gimme a few minutes and I will think of more.

4>---->

Im pretty sure everybody has this covered before me but...

1) I don't secondary anything unless Im putting something on fruit or aging a big beer(Typically in a keg) or sour. It isnt really necessary anymore IMO.

2) For the most part. Yes. Soda kegs are beer kegs(Corny kegs).

3) I think a lot of people start with a normal American brown. I started AG and creating my own recipes so I can't really speak from experience on this one.

4) Thats all relative I think. I have 12 kegs, 9 of which I can fit in my fridges. I don't drink much at all at home unless people come over but I do take beer places quite a bit and share pretty openly. I tend to brew a couple times a month and most of my supply is always fresh. I would say I average going through a keg of beer every couple weeks. It also depends heavily on what I have on tap. For example, right now three of my taps are a variation of a 4% golden sour I brew as a sort of house beer. Those beers will end up going quicker than most as I really enjoy those beers. I also have a 4% porter on tap, that will probably go a bit slower than the sours.


All in all, its a great hobby but it's certainly a slippery slope once you get on it.

 

[dpatrickv]

Thanks a lot y'all for the advice and insight into Kolsch fickleness. Looks like I am picking up some used brewing equipment on Friday morning and hope top head to the LHBS on the way home and may be brewing my first batch as early as Saturday.

I am looking into using a temperature control and a refrigerator to make a fermentation chamber. I had intended to convert the fridge into a keggerator, but proper fermentation temperature seems like a much bigger priority instead.

You can but you will need a temp controller for that. the STC 1000 is great as is the Inkbird one. You can also make a swamp cooler from a bathrub or a big plastic tub. Add cold water around the fermenter with a few ice packs or frozen water bottles. Change them out once or twice a day or so.

The first 72ish hours are the most important regarding temp control.

You could also just make a saison, both the belgian and french saison strains are good with higher temps and saisons are great summer beers.

 

[Schol-R-LEA]

First, I would do a lot more reading, and lurk here for a bit; you aren't going to want to brew in the summer months until you have good temperature control, anyway. If you haven't read the print edition of How to Brew yet, drop everything and read it first. I also recommend Complete Joy of Homebrewing, if only for the sheer enthusiasm Papazian has for the subject, though I would put more faith in what John Palmer or Dave Miller have to say on matters technical.

I'd definitely recommend converting the refrigerator you mentioned to a fermentation chamber, especially if your in Texas heat. A thermostat control such as an STC-1000 or a Fermostat is a must for this purpose, as you'll need to be able to set the temperature to ranges that the built-in thermostat probably can't work at. The Fermostat is particularly good choice IMAO, even though it is a good deal more expensive, as it is programmable for timed step-downs, step-ups, cold crashes, etc.

I wouldn't worry about kegging until you've had some experience. Bottling is a hassle, but it is far, far less expensive than kegging equipment, at least in the initial outlay. Unless you have room for two extra refrigerators - a fermentation chamber and a kegerator - you don't need it. As for the Cornelius soda kegs, yes, those are what most homebrewers use rather than traditional beer kegs - modern brewery kegs are built for automated cleaning processes, making them nearly impossible to use for a homebrewer, while a Corny is better suited to the batch sizes homebrewers use.

As for your first brew, the best choice IMAO is a simple brown ale in the 1.040 to 1.050 gravity range. They are more forgiving of newbie mistakes than most other styles, and give you a good idea of the process in general. You might consider a cream ale for you second batch, though - it's not as tolerant as the brown ale is, but it's closer to what most people are familiar with, and is still a lot more forgiving than a light lager (which is about the most difficult style for a homebrewer to master, ironically enough). Beyond that, make what you are interested in.

 

[notyal]

I'm going to play devil's advocate and say to go for the kegerator.

I converted an old fridge into a kegerator before I started brewing. In fact, it was one of the driving factors to start homebrewing because I quickly got fed up with the prices and selection of kegs at the store. After just a few batches, I converted an extra chest cooler into a fermentation chamber, so now I have both. If I had to choose one I'd keep the kegerator because in about 2 minutes I can convert it back to accept a sanke (commercial) keg. It is still always cold and houses any cans or bottles that I have. Also, if you hook up the temp controller, the freezer won't freeze stuff anymore. Plus, kegging is 1000 times easier than bottling.

A fermentation chamber is really, really nice to have for homebrewing. I, too, live in Texas and battle the heat. I used an insulated cooler bag for my first few batches. (like a ghetto version of this one http://www.morebeer.com/products/co...a2g9J9GN8yF46meDDdxNy5Yh0ccTHECtt-hoCqIPw_wcB) I ruined one batch because fermentation took off the day I forgot to change the ice.

So in conclusion, as important as fermentation temp is to the finished product, a fermentation chamber is a large, single purpose piece of equipment. A kegerator will always be useful whether you are making tons of homebrew, just a little, or none at all.

 

[brew703]

I can't comment on most of your questions as I am a new brewer, one 1 gallon batch under my belt. Will be bottled tomorrow as it has been in the fermentor for 3 weeks. I used a swamp cooler to keep my fermentation temps in check, which they stayed between 60-62 for two weeks. Then i bought a chest freezer and it's been in there for a week at 70 degrees.

My wife has not acquired a taste yet for craft brews. So in the beginning I will be drinking my brews alone. She is a Mic Ultra drinker and I have no intention of brewing up anything like that.

We did go to a LHBS and they had 9 kegs on tap. Once was a Kolsch and she liked it. So I suppose I'll be brewing a Kolsch in the near future now that I have a fermentation chamber set up with a temp controller.

Get ready to start spending some bucks. I figured I would stay with 1 gallon batches so I can try different styles of beers and stay within a reasonable budget but I am now looking at getting a 10 gallon kettle to start brewing BIAB.

I do have a cream ale kit from NB that I have not yet brewed so I'm hoping my wife will like that one so I can keep her off my back when I need to get supplies for more beer.

Not to hi-jack the thread, but I would like to brew a Kolsch. Can the more experienced brewers elaborate on what it would take to make a good Kolsch? I'm only interested in a 1 gallon batch. Would prefer to brew it BIAB but if needed would do an extract kit.

Happy brewing and enjoy.

 

[Rhumbline]

As a beginner you can brew some very good beers with minimal equipment. Many of us brew without a temp controlled fermentation chamber, even in the heat of Florida.


Brew703, if you go to the recipes section and look at the "light hybrid beers" section you should find plenty of good info on brews your wife might like, including kolsch.

 

[Clonefan94]

To most of your questions, think they've been answered fairly well. As far as #3 though and an ambient temp of 73˚, There is the swamp cooler option, but I have a trick I've used that worked pretty well for me.

Take two gallon milk jugs and fill them with water and freeze. As well as any other smaller bottles you have. I like to use the 1/2 gallon, plastic juice containers as well.

Put down a good thick towel and place your fermenter on that. Take out one of the frozen gallons and a smaller 1/2 gallon and place those right next to your fermenter. wrap another towel around the whole thing, then bring up the bottom towel around the towel you just wrapped and secure that with some string, rope or and old belt, etc.

Let that go for about 12 hours or so and check the temp. I find that one gallon jug usually worked fine for me, but my house never got to 73, usually 70 was the highest it got. This method did a great job of keeping my fermenting beer around 66˚ - 68˚.

The ice should usually last at least a day, so for the first 3 or 4 days of active fermentation, swap the ice jugs out for new ones from the freezer. After 3 or 4 days, the temperature usually isn't as much of a concern, as long as it doesn't get too hot. Just make sure that active fermentation has calmed down a bit before you let it warm back up.

Obviously this isn't optimum temperature control, but it certainly works pretty easily and cheaply.

If that won't work for you either (I know everyone doesn't have freezer space for jugs of ice) then at this point, I'd stick with Saison yeast. It's a little more forgiving at higher temps.

 

[aprichman]

To most of your questions, think they've been answered fairly well. As far as #3 though and an ambient temp of 73˚, There is the swamp cooler option, but I have a trick I've used that worked pretty well for me.

Take two gallon milk jugs and fill them with water and freeze. As well as any other smaller bottles you have. I like to use the 1/2 gallon, plastic juice containers as well.

Put down a good thick towel and place your fermenter on that. Take out one of the frozen gallons and a smaller 1/2 gallon and place those right next to your fermenter. wrap another towel around the whole thing, then bring up the bottom towel around the towel you just wrapped and secure that with some string, rope or and old belt, etc.

Let that go for about 12 hours or so and check the temp. I find that one gallon jug usually worked fine for me, but my house never got to 73, usually 70 was the highest it got. This method did a great job of keeping my fermenting beer around 66˚ - 68˚.

The ice should usually last at least a day, so for the first 3 or 4 days of active fermentation, swap the ice jugs out for new ones from the freezer. After 3 or 4 days, the temperature usually isn't as much of a concern, as long as it doesn't get too hot. Just make sure that active fermentation has calmed down a bit before you let it warm back up.

Obviously this isn't optimum temperature control, but it certainly works pretty easily and cheaply.

If that won't work for you either (I know everyone doesn't have freezer space for jugs of ice) then at this point, I'd stick with Saison yeast. It's a little more forgiving at higher temps.

I agree with CloneFan94 - if you're able to keep your house around 73F at all times a swamp cooler should be fine for getting the temps down in the mid 60s during active fermentation using froze water bottles to regulate the temp.

One suggestion I have is that instead of using a towel, I would use a small tshirt made of cotton. You can put the tshirt over the carboy kind of like a person would wear one, with the top poking out of the neck hole.

 

[4arrows]

Picked up some equipment from a brewer off of Craigslist this morning, and went by LHBS on the way back. Came home with an American Pale Ale, extract with steeping grains setup that they were very gracious to walk me through. I plan on trying it out tomorrow morning and will update progress.

Thanks all the the support and advice. It is very welcome and appreciated.

 

[Gavin C]

I think that's an excellent choice for a first brew. My first was extract with steeping grains also. I was very pleased with the results.

No hydrometer

No fermentation control

No idea why I was doing what steps my poor instructions told me to do

Bad yeast management

Drinkable tasty beer was the result. A beer which I was happy to share with others.

Best of luck with it. Let us know how it goes for you and any questions, holler.

 

[4arrows]

Brew day went well. Good lessons learned. 5 Gal in the temperature controlled spare fridge. Anxiously awaiting bubbles.

Thank you all again for all the advice and help on getting started, I am sure you will be answering many more for me in future. Already trying to decide on what to brew in 2 weeks.

 

[4arrows]

Krausen formed, bubbles rising, airlock sputtering away. Fridge with temperature control holding it to a steady 66F.

 

[balrog]

YAY! You're on your way!

 

[MattyIce]

Cool man! Great call on going with temp control straight out the gate!

Thoughts for the future...I recommend you use fridges for both fermentation AND kegging when that time comes. I currently have a chest freezer for a ferm chamber, and I hate dealing with the moisture/water buildup...just makes more sense to me to use an appliance that is designed to maintain a temperature that is a LITTLE closer to ferm temps.

Congrats on getting started, let us know how bottling day goes. I'm in Allen if you ever need anything.

 

[andy6026]

While I did see one person comment that they like to secondary, he didn't give any particular reasons why. So I'll chime in.

I find that when I bottle or keg straight from primary that I inevitably get more hop debris and trub into the keg/bottles. This is especially the case if it's a particularly hoppy beer and if I dry hop. My circumstances are such that I inevitably have to physically move the primary immediately prior to racking to the bottling bucket - and this certainly, for me, would stir up more undesirables. Transferring to secondary made a huge improvement for me in this regard (but I still dry hop in primary).

My advice is to try it both ways a few times each, and if you find that using a secondary is too much effort and risk for little or no return, then by all means don't bother in the future.

 

[slym2none]

My advice is to try it both ways a few times each, and if you find that using a secondary is too much effort and risk for little or no return, then by all means don't bother in the future.

Words of wisdom.

 

[Bosh]

Biggest thing now is not to do anything silly to screw stuff up because you're overreacting to some small hiccough. That and maintain sanitation and you should be OK.

Another good beer to try is something mildly dark and sweet like a brown ale or a mild or a not very harsh stout as the darker roast flavor can cover up imperfections. Just go easy on the specialty malts. You don't want lots of crystal or to go really heavy on the roasts, just a light touch.

 

[rich5665]

+1 on the Brown Ale. But then I'm partial to dark beers ☺

 

[4arrows]

Ok, so Krausen fell completely 2 days ago, airlock less active. I racked to secondary yesterday. I know that many here say it is not necessary, and I completely understand why, however I had to correct a mistake I made on brew day. When i topped up my 5 gal carboy, I forgot to think about needing a bigger than 5 gal carboy to hold 5 gal of beer. So when I racked to secondary 5 gal carboy, I boiled and cooled some additional top up water and gently added with the auto siphon. I hope this doesn't adversely affect anything. Lesson learned... Bigger carboy for primary.

Question: how long should you cold crash for before bottling? I was thinking about bottling next weekend if I do not see any additional signs of fermentation in the next few days. Is cold crash just for a day or two? or longer?

Additional question: if I cold crash, do I calculate my priming dose off the cold crash temp? bottling temp? ???

 

[JimRausch]

4arrows- you actually use the highest temp your beer reached after it is finished fermenting. Reason being that CO2 is produced during fermentation, but none after. Higher temps will drive off the CO2. Then even if the temp drops, there's still only the CO2 that's remaining from after the high temp. So, say your beer hit 80 before cold crashing. Even if you crash at 33, use the 80 as temp to calculate priming charge..
Oh, and if I have time, I like to cold crash for 3-4 days. But I have bottled after a 24 hour crash.

 

[4arrows]

Thank you Jim,

And though I sound a bit dense, i just want to clarify, I am using a temp controlled fridge set at 66F, beer has been in there the whole time. It will go straight to cold crash. So the temp I will use for priming calculation is 66F?