tigerdentist
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2009
- Messages
- 37
- Reaction score
- 0
Anybody here do a satellite fermentation in a beer bottle, rather than having to open the bucket over and over to keep getting SG readings?
Satellite Fermentation?
- Thread starter tigerdentist
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
Loweface
Well-Known Member
You've lost me?
Do you mean the whole process?
Any fermentation in a sealed glass container would be mighty dangerous (bar correctly primed conditioning) as the CO2 needs somewhere to vent.
Do you mean the whole process?
Any fermentation in a sealed glass container would be mighty dangerous (bar correctly primed conditioning) as the CO2 needs somewhere to vent.
He means that "old school" thing that people who are afraid of taking a hydro readings use instead...
We talked about it here...https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/satellite-fermenter-98343/#post1071484
We talked about it here...https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/satellite-fermenter-98343/#post1071484
tigerdentist
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2009
- Messages
- 37
- Reaction score
- 0
I saw a video where they take the sample of wort after the yeast is pitched, place it in a beer bottle with a paper towel stuffed in the top. Then just pour the beer out of the bottle each time to test the SG as the week goes along. Rather than opening the bucket and continually taking samples.
If you're taking reading over and over, you're wasting time and beer. I take a reading going into the primary and one a month or two later when I plan on putting beer in bottles or kegs.
There is really no reason to keep taking readings if you let your beer sit long enough for the yeast to finish it's work. Satellite fermentation is inaccurate at best.
There is really no reason to keep taking readings if you let your beer sit long enough for the yeast to finish it's work. Satellite fermentation is inaccurate at best.
Yeah I know...this question pops up every now and then when someone stumbles onto that video....as you can see by the thread I posted not a lot of people consider it a useful, or realistic enough measure to talk about it.
If you sanitize your baster or winetheif, you have no need to worry about harming your beer...and you really don't need to take regular readings..
Most people take on at yeast pitch, those who choose to secondary may take another one about 2 weeks later...and then again at bottling...
Those of us who long primary usually take one a yeastpitch and one on bottling day a month later..
Loweface
Well-Known Member
Ok now it makes more sense to me. Sorry I was just having a hard time imagining it... (My fault not yours)
Also I agree with what Revvy said in the other thread and add that beer is far hardier than you think and once handled correctly OG/FG readings shouldn't be a source of infection...
EDIT
Dam Revvy you are fast!
Also I agree with what Revvy said in the other thread and add that beer is far hardier than you think and once handled correctly OG/FG readings shouldn't be a source of infection...
EDIT
Dam Revvy you are fast!
TJ-Bill
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2008
- Messages
- 214
- Reaction score
- 0
Really you don't have to keep opening the bucket. with alittle patience you should only have to open it a few time or maybe 1-2times..If I frement only in the primary I take my OG and then I'll take my FG a month later when I go to transfer to the keg. IF your going to the 2ndary then I'll wait min. 7-10 days. almost always the beer will be done and ready to be racked. If it's not ready then it's still producing CO2 so any air that got into your bucket will be forced out.
(wow you guys are fast!!)
(wow you guys are fast!!)
tigerdentist
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2009
- Messages
- 37
- Reaction score
- 0
Thanks again for the responses. I want to make sure that I have what I can in order before this weekend with my first brew.
Limited Visibility
Well-Known Member
I used to take do a "satellite fermentation" until I realized that it was not accurate enough for my liking. The bottle stopped fermenting out but good thing I checked my bulk batch because it was still going strong. If I bottled I was looking at bottle bombs for sure.
Ah, first brew! It will be hard to keep from messing with it but try really hard to leave it alone for at least 10 days. The yeast will know what to do but if you absolutely have to take a peek, just keep it sanitary and your beer will be fine.
techrunner
Well-Known Member
ok, this might not be a real intelligent question, but i thought the whole point was to determine if fermentation has finished by having multiple readings the same on consecutive days. those of you who are taking one at pitching and one at bottling, are you just doing it to know what it is rather than if it is actually finished? so is it a step that isn't absolutely necessary, you've just done enough of this that you're comfortable that the time has been enough, so you're gonna bottle? thanks
HUH???
We're doing that because we subscribe to the long primary method/no secondary, straight to bottle or keg...We let the yeast clean up after they are done fermenting...and we know from experience that in a month are beers will be finished...but since we are not secondarying it, there is no need to track the progress to see if fermentation has completed itself, and it is time to move it...
Plus we trust the yeasts, that they know how to make beer since they've been doing it for 3,000 plus years without us.
There are two things that let me know that my fermentation is complete. The first knowing what my final gravity should be and the second is giving it time to not only get there but letting the yeast do it's "whole job". Fermentation is just the first part of the yeast's job, cleaning up off flavors and clearing my beer is the other (often skipped) part of it's job.
Most new brewers are (understandably) impatient to try their brew. Because of this, many bottle bombs have been created as well as many green beer drank. The reason checking the final gravity multiple times isn't needed is that experienced brewer tend to have a pipeline full and there is no need to be impatient.
edit: Ha, I could have beat Revvy to the answer if I hadn't stopped to fold laundry.
Most new brewers are (understandably) impatient to try their brew. Because of this, many bottle bombs have been created as well as many green beer drank. The reason checking the final gravity multiple times isn't needed is that experienced brewer tend to have a pipeline full and there is no need to be impatient.
edit: Ha, I could have beat Revvy to the answer if I hadn't stopped to fold laundry.
Oh crap...I did laundry last night...but forgot to fold it...Is my laundry ruined????
Actually I liked your anwer better than mine.
Oh crap...I did laundry last night...but forgot to fold it...Is my laundry ruined????
Actually I liked your anwer better than mine.
LOL . No your laundry is much hardier that we give it credit for. Fold it when you can. Relax and have another home brew. LOL :
