Beginner to beer brewing at home [initial questions]

[ElJefeBrews]

I just brewed my first brew yesterday from a kit and it is sitting in primary fermentation now and has already started releasing CO2. so I think I have don't something right so far. Am I right?

Now on my statement and question: my brew is for an English Brown Ale
I downloaded an app to put recipe info in now after I put the info in the OG is right where it says anticipated should be. Now if I am correct IBU's is the bitterness of a beer. So why does this App tell me my Anticipated IBU's should be around 47.83, when the kit says IBUs should be around 21-25?

Make sure you temperature control!!!! IBUs could be off if you typed it in incorrectly. That's the only thing I can really think of

 

[Ballen0701]

I try to keep the area I have my brew in around 70 considering the kit said. Between 64-72. It's a little hard considering where I live the idiots still have the heat on so my place staying around mid 80's but so u think 70 is a good temp?

 

[Kharnynb]

get a big concrete mixing bucket or storage container that's water tight, put the carboy/bucket in and fill with water, then add frozen water bottles during the day to keep the temp down.

Ibu's are calculated by the alpha of the hops, the software might have higher listed alpha than the hops actually have(they vary per year and per batch.)

 

[ElJefeBrews]

get a big concrete mixing bucket or storage container that's water tight, put the carboy/bucket in and fill with water, then add frozen water bottles during the day to keep the temp down.

This. Or any bucket that can hold it and cover it in a shirt that you keep wet. Get a fermometer strip on your carboy/bucket and you wanna keep the temp on that in the low 60s with most ale yeasts. If the room temp is around 70 then the temp of fermenting beer is likely in the mid to high 70s since fermentation creates heat, and that's too hot. Another option is to brew Belgian styles. I usually don't temp control Belgian yeasts and let them do their own thing and they turn out great.

 

[VegasBrew1]

1 gallon batches were not for me. I could barely wait to have my first 5 gallons available. Then it took time to brew the pipeline. Now, I don't buy beer. I buy ingredients.

You are a self proclaimed beer lover. If you're not shy about putting in some time and work, you're gonna love the hobby. I went all grain from batch 1, don't regret it. Not great beer to start, but extremely drinkable. As someone stated, craigslist and DIY forums are your friend.

 

[Ballen0701]

ok so I have went by y'alls advice and have put my fermenting bucket in basically an ice bath cover in cold towels and the brew itself is running about 65. does that seem reasonable? well 65-66

 

[tim_s]

Hi,

Sorry - I am confused with your statement.

I brew my English Red Ale and within 24 / hours I saw Co2 bubbling - are we saying this is wrong?

 

[tim_s]

This is an interesting post because I just measured my office in the morning and it was 75F, meaning it probably gets in the 80Fs when I am there. I noticed at the 24hr mark the Co2 bubbles were constant and now they have relaxed a lot.

 

[Kharnynb]

most ale yeast will be working best(least off-flavours) around 60-66F, but it depends on yeast and beer style.

bubbles will usually start around 12-70 hours depending on starter size, temp and many other factors. first few days are usually active, then it slows down.

a good stage to start your first gravity measure to check if the beer is ready is one week after it stops bubbling, then 2 days after that.

 

[tim_s]

most ale yeast will be working best(least off-flavours) around 60-66F, but it depends on yeast and beer style.

bubbles will usually start around 12-70 hours depending on starter size, temp and many other factors. first few days are usually active, then it slows down.

a good stage to start your first gravity measure to check if the beer is ready is one week after it stops bubbling, then 2 days after that.

It is a Ale yeast, I am using DANSTAR Saccharomyces cerevisiae de-hydrated.

 

[Kharnynb]

that's just a posh name for ale yeast, if it's danstar, it's most likely "nottingham"

 

[Kharnynb]

nottingham is the most happy on the lower 60's

 

[tim_s]

Hopefully the brew will retain some level of drinkability.

 

[Kharnynb]

leave it a bit longer, maybe 3 weeks total in the primary, it should deal with the worst of the by-products.