dirtybasementbrew
Well-Known Member
HOw long is typical time frame to see activity from my airlock?
drainbamage said:Measuring fermentation by airlock activity is a very inexact science.
I've rarely had the steady once-or-twice-per-second bubbling within x hours that some people describe. However, you should start to see some krausen or other activity in the fermenter within 24-48 hours (probably sooner). Just try not to obsess over it too much...brewing is not an impatient man's hobby.
U got that right, not for the impatient! I think the trick is to do a brew every week to keep yourself occupied. Not to mention lots of beer is not a bad thing! Lol
beergolf said:You are right. Patience is much easier with a good pipeline and a nice supplu of brews. When I started it was agony waiting for a brew to finish and then waiting agin for it to condition and carb up.
Now I just forget about them and let them go. Half the time I have to look in my brew log to remember what I have in the fermenters.
unionrdr said:For the creamcicle ale,you might try orange zest & lactose.
unionrdr said:Add the lactose at the end of the boil to dissolve. It'll give a cream ale like flavor,but you'd have to add some vanilla to get that part of the flavor.
unionrdr said:Good luck. My ale that thinks it's a light lager is going about the same way. Tried 1 bottle of version1 after it cooled down well last night. The combination of fruity esters from the Cooper's ale yeast & the all NZ hop combo I used has it tasting like a slight white wine-like sweetness. Changing yeast & hops to get it more like a Euro light lager. Looks like we both got some more work to do...
ACbrewer said:OP - I'm currious... why did you dump? I've found that when my beer doesn't match my expectations, it isn't a bad beer, just expectation miss match. Like thinking you are ordering beef and getting lamb... both taste good, but the flavor is off from expectation.
Now I can see that if you added to much spice you'd be like "Great all I can taste now is Basil!" you would dump. But if the not quite creamcicle ale was drinkable I'd personally keep it and keep working on it for my wife.
I've not done a lot with spices. So corriander for a belgian wit style. That was in for part of the boil, but I don't think the whole thing, also it was crushed/cracked not powered. I've done spices in mead but those went into the secondary.
Demus said:I'd never discourage experimentation, but I find after years of brewing how many amazing flavors I can get out of traditional ingredients keeps me well satisfied. Wanna taste dried fruit? Mash warm with some toasted grains and ferment with a quality Belgian yeast. Like a blast of citrus? Try a newer hop variety like citra or mosaic. Like chocolate, make a stout with roasted grains that'll have everyone who tastes it swear there's actual chocolate in the recipe. Fruit additions certainly have their place in brewing, but not in a beginner's brew in my opinion. Without a solid foundation of understanding fermentation variables, yeast strains, grain types and hop varieties, your chance for success is limited. I understand the allure of throwing this or that into a brew, but trust me, focus on your process before getting too creative and you won't be disappointed. Fruit in a beer walks a very thin line of too much, and can't taste it at all. When you experiment with traditional ingredients, you don't always hit your mark, but you rarely brew a throw away. Not to mention what you learn applies to EVERY beer you brew, not just your strawberry shortcake weisse!
Enter your email address to join: