Beginning First Batch 10/14/11

[WortIfied]

UPDATED, read my last post on page 1 for details!

So far today, 10/13/11, i have gone ahead and made myself a check list, crushed my specialty grains, organized my equipment and ingredients, and read through the Kit instructions three times.

I guess I'm paranoid about getting things right the first time instead of learning the hard way.

I went ahead and filled my CarBoy with the proper diluted solution of Saniclean, and did the same in a 6.5 gal bucket with ALL my equipment that will touch the wort soaking in it.

Is it Overkill? ill even go as far as to ask, could it have a negative effect letting everything soak over night?

This is the first time Ill be using the equipment, i figured it couldnt hurt to wash and soak overnight to maybe even kill any off flavors the supplies might produce.

EDIT: I figure i would add that this kit is the HOP HEAD DIPA from Midwest. Which brings me to a somewhat redundant side question: I have both safeale us-05 and Wyeast 1056, i do not have necessary equipment to create a starter but if i used the dry i would atleast rehydrate. Im not even going to ask whats better, thats like comparing oranges to oranges, but which would you use?

Any tips or advice is always welcome, ill be sure to report back how the boil and pitch went!

 

[daksin]

Saniclean only requires a 3 minute contact time. After that, everything's dead, so yea, it is ovekill. Next time you only need to sanitize the day of, and as you're working. No, it won't hurt anything, but bare metal stuff (not sure what that would be) can be corroded by the acid (saniclean and star san are phosphoric acid solutions) if you leave it in too long.

Enjoy your brew day!

 

[SnorkySnacks]

I just started my first brew sunday. So i know the feeling Wortified. No such thing as being overly concerned. I was the same way. Needless to say it is very fun and a great learning expierence. Have fun and enjoy your brew. I hope all turns out well for u. I wish i could give u helpful advice but im a rookie myself. Happy Brewing

 

[MilesLong]

That beer sounds yummy-
I would use the Wyeast 1056

 

[woody4]

This is coming from someone that has 2 batches under his belt... I have not even tried one from my first batch yet. Mine went pretty smooth.

Follow the instructions.
Get the wort cool. The ice bath has actually worked well for me. Cooled in 20 mins or less.
I only say this because I have read it so much. Try to keep the ferment temps low and constant.

Good Luck and Have Fun!

 

[SilverZero]

You'll be just fine. Have fun with it. And anything born on October 14 is going to be fantastic. Trust me... I'm turning thirty tomorrow!

 

[GreenDragon]

It's kinda late for a starter if you were going to do one. If the OG is under 1.060 then don't worry about it.

Also don't worry about re-hydrating the safeale if you end up using it. Just sprinkle it on and then shake the begeezers out of your carboy!

 

[unionrdr]

I'd go with the US-05 as well. My wife just sprinkled it on her 1st,the BB summer ale kit. Worked just as good as my re-hydrated 7g of cooper's ale yeast. No worries there at all. Enjoy your new addiction!

 

[Becks]

Dont forget to add beer to drink while you're brewing to the check list. Very key part of the process.

 

[WortIfied]

UPDATE:

Well I got fermenting as I type this! The original gravity was 1.080 so i used two BURSTING at the seams smack packs of 1056, I hope that's going to be enough . I cooled the wort in under 20, aerated with pure oxygen for 90 seconds, pitched yeast packets at appx 62-64f. Right now I have the glass Carboy sitting in a cooler half filled with water and a couple frozen bottles. Ambient room temps are 71f, and swamp cooler water temps are 62f.

It's been six hours since pitch and i already see a bubble or two every few seconds.

There is what appears to me as a yeast cake forming near the top of the wort? It's about 1" from the very top of the actual liquid. As well as a cake forming on the bottom. Is this normal?

 

[djfriesen]

"Normal" as it pertains to fermentation, is relative. Every one is different. It's too early to know that anything is wrong, so let's assume it's going perfectly, and you're gonna have a great brew in 2 months!

 

[WortIfied]

Indeed, I guess what I really meant to ask was, in my details, does the general outline of what I layer out in my previous post sound decent? Just my way of looking for a little confirmation on doing a decent job my first time around, . But like you said it's too early to tell, I figured pitching two 1056 packets was necessary for a high gravity of 1.080, so I guess I'm just expecting a vigorous fermentation soon!

As the beer bible says, patience is a virtue though!

 

[djfriesen]

Honestly, your outline looks good. One of the better first efforts I've seen people tell about. Yeast pitching looks good, temps are on point, and, assuming sanitation was good, you're just a couple months away from your new favorite beer ever.

 

[daksin]

The foam on the top is called the Krausen. It's mostly just beer foam and protein, with some yeast in there too. Most of the yeast at this point is in suspension, with some yeast and trub on the bottom forming that cake.

Sounds good. In the future, you can make a starter to avoid having to buy multiple (expensive!) yeast packages. None of the liquid yeasts really contain enough cells to get a normal gravity beer going the way it should.

 

[unionrdr]

Krausen is yeast foam from top cropping ale yeast. Not quite the same as the foamy head on a beer,which is helped along by proteins.

 

[imrook]

Pitching yeast at that rate is going to make your beers a lot more expensive than they need to be. You should learn about yeast washing while that batch is fermenting so you can harvest the yeast from this batch to avoid another costly double pitch: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast-washing-illustrated-41768/ It's really not that hard. I held off using liquid yeast for too long because the cost was too high to be throwing out after every batch. After my first harvest I was surprised how easy it is. I haven't bought yeast in a few months, and the next time I do buy it, it will be to get a different strain, not because I need more to ferment with.