Ask me anything!

[Psylocide]

Psy - have you opened any of these yet? Or have they started opening themselves?

No... they have only been in the bottles since Sunday. None have opened themselves, I'll hold one up to the light again and see if I can still see anything going on in there.

I'll hold it right at eye level for the purpose of maximum casualty if it happens to explode in my hand.

It's 5 gal of BM's Centennial Blonde extract version with an added lb of DME. Very BMC-tasting beer out of the fermenter... will be interesting to see how it turns out.

For primary, no. The CO2 created during fermentation will fill that space pretty quickly and push out the air. Most brew buckets are around 7g too.

I do 11g batches in Sankes, so I've got a 4.5g headspace with my fermenters and never had an issue with oxidation.

If you were going to secondary in that, I might flush the headspace with CO2 and flush the whole thing before you transfer into it.

Thanks for the feedback... I thought it would be ok, just wanted to be sure.

 

[flars]

Caution, on-topic post incoming.

I do primary only... if I put a 5 gal batch in a 7 gal glass carboy, is that to much headspace?

You will be okay using the 7 gallon glass carboy for a typical fermentation period of three to five weeks. Might not even need a blow off tube assembly with aggressive fermenters like WY3068.

 

[TheCADJockey]

Do you guys that brew all-grain do the iodine test to see if conversion has been made? I'm about a week or so out from making the jump and am just curious if this is something that should be habit, or if you only do it until you get a feel for it or what.

 

[Gavin C]

Do you guys that brew all-grain do the iodine test to see if conversion has been made? I'm about a week or so out from making the jump and am just curious if this is something that should be habit, or if you only do it until you get a feel for it or what.

I do.

 

[TheCADJockey]

When rehydrating yeast, do you add some sugar to it?

 

[Brettomomyces]

Just with active dry bread yeast

 

[MaxStout]

When rehydrating yeast, do you add some sugar to it?

Most brewing and wine dry yeast instructions just say to rehydrate in warm water. But bread yeast mfrs. often recommend that the yeast be "proofed" by rehydrating in some sugar water.

 

[TheCADJockey]

Yeah sorry. It was a preemptive question. Looked it up and rehydrated per danstar instructions. I've always just pitched dry so was worried. Thanks guys.

 

[drainbamage]

Most brewing and wine dry yeast instructions just say to rehydrate in warm water. But bread yeast mfrs. often recommend that the yeast be "proofed" by rehydrating in some sugar water.

Really? I've never heard that before. Does that take longer than the normal rehydration period (kind of a transitional point between just rehydrating and actually making a yeast starter)?

 

[MaxStout]

Really? I've never heard that before. Does that take longer than the normal rehydration period (kind of a transitional point between just rehydrating and actually making a yeast starter)?

I saw it on the back of some Red Star yeast I was using when making pretzels a few months ago. It recommended adding a small amount (maybe a tsp.?) of sugar to the water. So not like a starter, per se, but just a little "wake up" food for the yeasties.

 

[TheCADJockey]

It mentioned that elsewhere, that is why I asked originally. I think they called it proofing.

edit: oh yeah... Chapter 6: How to Brew

 

[Psylocide]

At what OG would you consider a yeast starter as being "required?"

I'm working on an IPA and have a feeling that the 1.072 OG will be fine for 1 packet of dry yeast, is there a reference sheet somewhere? I've seen links floating around but can't think of the name off the top of my head.

 

[soccerdad]

Palmer almost always talks about 2 packets of dry .. yet I have always used 1 only based on advice from brewers I trust. My LHBS guy says 'use 2 if you are going over 1060." I generally go up to 1055 or 1060 but not over. YMMV as with everything in making beer.

 

[Jhubbard9]

See this is what I wanted this post to do. I'm liking all the answers and questions keep em coming!

 

[hunter_le five]

How come Dad never came back from when he was "going out to get some smokes"? Did he get lost?

 

[soccerdad]

Hunter - I'm pretty sure that you were the child he never wanted.

 

[hunter_le five]

Hunter - I'm pretty sure that you were the child he never wanted.

Hey, this thread IS helpful after all!

 

[oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer]

Why is this thread so much fun when reading the posts from the last to the first?

 

[BennettBlvdBrewing]

How many fingers am I about to hold up?

11?

 

[Psylocide]

Well... no bombs, but just a ****load of suspended crapola. Haven't had this on my other two brews... anyone seen anything like it? Bottles were clean and sanitary and sucked up zero trub when racking to the bottling bucket.

(all of that white-ish stuff in the pic is just floating around in there)

 

[TheCADJockey]

It's probably Sea Monkeys, if its not... I don't know.

 

[Psylocide]

It's probably Sea Monkeys, if its not... I don't know.

I would like your post if it wouldn't cause my crap to be mis-matched.

 

[flars]

Looks like a lot of yeast. Did you use WY 1968? I would guess you sucked up a lot of the yeast cake when racking, or the yeast did not have enough time to drop out of suspension in the primary.

 

[Psylocide]

Looks like a lot of yeast. Did you use WY 1968? I would guess you sucked up a lot of the yeast cake when racking, or the yeast did not have enough time to drop out of suspension in the primary.

Nottingham.

Not long enough in primary is most likely the culprit... I didn't suck any up when I racked.

I was experimenting with how quickly I could go from brew to glass without kegging (which I'll be doing from here on out).

Seems brewing is a fickle mistress, some things can be rushed, but not without consequence.

Either way, I'm sure it'll drop out nicely when I stick it in the fridge... just going to have a bit more sediment than my other brews.

 

[TheCADJockey]

I would like your post if it wouldn't cause my crap to be mis-matched.

I'll like yours if you like mine.

 

[Psylocide]

I'll like yours if you like mine.

Perfect.

 

[poptarts]

Why do FWH taste less bitter? Why does no sparge brewing make maltier beers?

 

[TheCADJockey]

My hefe has been in the swamp cooler for four days now, so I was going to take it out this morning to let it warm up (*65) for a few days... but I came down to this. It is my first time using a blowoff tube, as well as a new yeast.

Is this bad? It is about 2 inches into the tube now. Not sure if I should do something or if it is okay.

 

[flars]

I would leave the fermentor as is until the krausen is no longer pushing into the blow off tube. Disturbing the fermentor may cause some suck back. May not be a problem, but there would be some risk associated.

Siphon the water from the swamp cooler. This will allow a gradual warm up with out disturbing the fermentor.

 

[TheCADJockey]

I would leave the fermentor as is until the krausen is no longer pushing into the blow off tube. Disturbing the fermentor may cause some suck back. May not be a problem, but there would be some risk associated.

Siphon the water from the swamp cooler. This will allow a gradual warm up with out disturbing the fermentor.

Thanks man! I never planned on moving or disturbing it, I was just going to siphon it. My main concern is it being pushed up into the tube. I wasn't sure if that is okay or not. I was hoping it is fine, I could take the tube out and clean & sanitize, but it was kind of a pain to get it in the stopper.