Buildup on fermenter bottom

[optaka]

Running my first batch ever using a Coopers kit and I have a question. I have about an inch thick layer of stuff built up on the bottom of my fermenter at about 12 hours in at this point.

Here's a picture of what I am talking about: http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q609/xedden/Fermenter20bottom.jpg.

Is that just yeast building up?

 

[duboman]

Normal, you are looking at what is affectionately called trub. It is a combination of the yeast and the hop/grain particles settling out of suspension

 

[boscobeans]

With the Cooper's fermenter you will also notice some of the trub building up on the ledge above the spigot and some will get into the interior part if the spigot. NORMAL

The trub will fall off the little interior ledge if you give the fermenter a short quick twist. NO NEED to do this till the day before you bottle. It will settle down to the bottom by the next day.

If you draw off wort to do a hydrometer test using the spigot (don't bother till a week has passed) a small amount of trub will come through at first. Discard it and then get your sample. After drawing off the sample close the spigot and spray some sanitizer up into the spigot.

Before you attach the bottling wand (sanitized of course) spray out the spigot one more time and you are all set to go.

If you are patient and let the fermentation finish completely before you bottle you will find that once your beer is carbed (using the carbonating drops) for a week at 70 degrees or so and you give it some time to age there will be almost no sediment in your bottles...

Best of luck and I am sure you will be on your way to more interesting beers and recipes after your first.



bosco

 

[optaka]

Awesome, thanks a lot for the replies. I started to worry because I did a lot of dumb stuff when I was making this batch but I saw the sticky about how hard it is to mess up.

The directions that come with it say 4-6 days in the fermenter. What is the benefit of going longer?

And yea, really want to do a stout or porter, but I figured I'd try the stuff that came with the kit first.

 

[Dotmo]

leaving it in the fermenter longer is kinda like throwing a party at your house and having the guests help clean up afterwards. Sure, you can kick them out once the party is over, but everything will be better if they stay and help clean up their mess.

Brew on :rockin:

 

[unionrdr]

Complete fermentation will not be done in 4-6 days. That's jusr marketing hype. If they told you how long it really took to get a good beer,you'd probably change your mind.
Initial fermentation will be done in as little as one day,& as much as 5 or 6 days. But that's just the vigorous part with all the bubbling. It'll then slowly,uneventfully ferment down to a stable FG. That can take a couple weeks. When your hydrometer shows a stable FG 2 days apart,give it another 3-7 days to settle out clear or slightly misty. Then bottle. Bottle carbonating & conditioning will take at least 3 weks around 70F to get the job done. But 4 or 5 weeks is usually better yet. And 2 weeks fridge time to get the co2 into solution. It'll give thicker head & longer lasting carbonation in that 2 weeks as well.

 

[duboman]

leaving it in the fermenter longer is kinda like throwing a party at your house and having the guests help clean up afterwards. Sure, you can kick them out once the party is over, but everything will be better if they stay and help clean up their mess.

Brew on :rockin:

I like this analogy :rockin: