Brewing box idea worked then stopped -help?

[Quinny]

I've started brewing in reasonable quantities now with different wines and mash.

My wife was not very happy at the dining room being taken up with three 30 bottle plastic buckets so I moved them to the garage/shed.

The brew then stopped because of the cold, (I rescued the wine by bringing it back in the house) very nice as well, but my wife basically said no more.

I came up with the idea of a brewing box as it would cost too much to eat the garage.

It's basically a 6ft x 2ft x 3ft 6in box made out of insulation board on a wooden frame with a small thermostatically controlled heater inside.

I built it a few days ago and it worked fine with my red, blush and mash bubbling away for 2/3 days. They then suddenly stopped (I think the temperature mighthave increased too much. I've messed around with the heater setting and haven't managed to start it again, in fact one of the buckets is now sucking back air (I have got vodka in the airlock). It was around 30 degrees , but did get as high as around 36 when outside air temp increased.

I was going to try and take a sample, but am worried about contamination at this stage especially as it's sucking back.


Do you think I've killed the yeast?

If so, can I restart with new yeast?

I think I'll improve the heater as I don't think the one I've got reacts quickly enough to even out changes in outside temperature.

What's the ideal temperature to try and keep it at ?

I'd welcome any advice.

 

[BargainFittings]

You need to get the wine temps up to around 60 - 75 degrees depending on the yeast strains.

You are on the right track. The reason it would suck back is the head space has cooled and its pulling back against the airlock.

What is the temperature of your wine? You can take a reading by taping a piece of insulation to the bucket/carboy and place the probe between the insulation and side of the carboy/bucket.

 

[Loweface]

You're not working in Celsius are you? You want it about 18C...

Oh and the brew box sounds like a great idea, several similar ones have been built around here although mostly for keeping temps down during summer...

How are you heating and controling it?

 

[Quinny]

Yes I working in Celcius. The instructions said 30 degrees to start it and it seemed to bubbling away at that temp so I left it like that.

It's too hot isn't it?

I'm just using a small electric oil filled radiator. (about £9 from B&Q)

Could I restart in anyway?

 

[Loweface]

Yes 30 C is too hot. I believe it will lead to off flavours. It will also speed up the process if the yeast can handle it. What yeast are you using?

How are you judging the progress? Do you have a hydrometer? This is the best way to judge if its finished yet...

One last thing, if you put where you're from in your profile the lads on here are pretty good for switching to metric...
(Most did for me when I first arrived here anyway )

 

[KENfromMI]

Am I the only one here who would solve this by getting a new wife? LOL just kidding, sorry couldn't resist, Ken

 

[Seabee John]

Am I the only one here who would solve this by getting a new wife? LOL just kidding, sorry couldn't resist, Ken

I pondered this very idea myself two years ago when I was banned from the Galley!

I grumbled until I found myself in the quiet solace of the man cave, brewing the day away... now, I just smile and say "I'll be in the garage Hun!" ...sometimes painful events can free us young grasshopper.

 

[Quinny]

To be honest she's a diamond, I can understand her with 5 kids running round the house it's not conducive to good brewing anyway.

A bit more information after trekking round Tesco, Dunelm Mill, Morrisons, Aldi before finally getting a Turkey baster from Wilkinsons for the extortionate price of 50p.

I've taken samples using my hydrometer, and the readings are as follows the Wash is 998, the Blush is 996, and the Red is 994. I think this means its finished- doesn't it?

I haven't added any finings yet and the wines were a bit cloudy and had a bit of a bitter taste to them. I suppose that's because they finished too quickly. I'll see what they are like after clearing, at the moment they are drinkable, just not as nice as previous ones. If they are still on the bitter side could I do anything to improve them?

Anyway I've got some time to add the finings and that in the morning. Is it OK to wait that long?

From near Blackpool to answer previous?

Thanks for all the advice

 

[Tusch]

I would prefer to let them age and clarify naturally. Instead of using finings, and use those if aging does not work. Also, sounds like all of them are most likely done. The bitterness could be from being young, being very dry, and from being fermented quickly. If your yeast are able to survive in high temperatures, which it sounds like they can, they will ferment very quickly and produce plenty of off flavors that hopefully will age out.

 

[Quinny]

Thanks for the advice, I'm going to rack them today. There for nearly immediate consumption so need to speed up clearing process and if there is a way to remove bitter taste caused by too quick fementation I'd love to know.

 

[KENfromMI]

Quinny, the only way I know to a better flavor is time. I age mine in carboys for a year before bottling when I use fresh juice pails which I get locally pretty cheap (but only juice from CA. is available. I'm just now doing my first kits to compare to the juice pails and even they recommend aging in the bottle for at least 3 months, 6 being better and even a year or more for the heavier varieties. I just cracked open a bottle of my 2007 Cab and it is so much better after 16 months then it was at 12 months aging so be patient. Always make alot more then you think you will need so by the time you are done drinking the young bottles some will have aged wether you like it or not and once you taste it you will never drink them young again. Build up a good surplus, I have 36 gallons going now and two kits unstarted that I wont even start drinking until September 2009. Once you get past your first year it's not a problem. Good luck and have you thought of doing one kit at a time in the primary when the yeast is done going nuts start your next kit? The yeast smell will be way less then 3 at a time and maybe your wife will be ok with it, Ken