checking in

[ZOG]

So, My batch is 4 days old. It is a Red larger from midwest. I used Wyeast 2124 activator that had ballooned. After about 18 hours in the 6.5 gallon plastic primary, it started bubbling. the bubble burps were about every 5-7 seconds in the 68 degree house.

It stays in the house for 30 hours, I then move it to the garage (52 degrees). As it cools the bubbles slow. this makes sense to me low temps slower activity.
I measured the bucket temp and it is just now down to 54 degrees from moving it.

But now the hard part, I dont see to many bubbles now. I don't want to open it and look in, But i really want to look in. I want to know what is going on in there. DON"T screw it up or did i already? my mind wants to say just wait the 7 days, It's a Larger its slow. then you can take a reading and think about the move to the Carboy.

besides looking at the second kit to buy what should I do to ease my mind.

I never saw any Krausen coming out of the airlock, But I was bubbling good

Now type below what a impatient noob I am and pet me throught this troubling first batch

 

[cd2448]

i'm sure others will contribute on this, but my take would have been to leave it at the higher temp until it had fermented out to the final gravity (FG) and only move to the cooler area when the fermentation is done. at that point you could have racked it to secondary too, getting it off the trub at the bottom of the fermentor - but that's not absolutely necessary as long as the beer is not going to sit for months.

it could be that your beer had finished fermenting already, i've had some that only took about 3-4 days. take a gravity sample (use a sanitzed turkey baster to extract the sample (i actually use the spigot on my primary, probably wrong to do so, though!). if the gravity is still a good way of the expected final, I might be inclined to move it back to the house to get it warmer to finish fermentation.

 

[BierMuncher]

Take hydrometer readings. Airlocks are not accurate indicators of your beers progress.

Your beer may have fermented out completely and is now in the lagering stages. In which case you don't want to warm it up.

 

[Rhoobarb]

It actually sounds like you are doing just fine. I've done plenty 'garage lagers' and your experience is pretty much the same as mine. Just let it lager out for as long as you can. Hydrometer readings are a big help, especially with lagers. I take readings 3-4 times for lagers, whereas ales, I may take only one OG and an FG at secondary or bottling.

I don't want to open it and look in, But i really want to look in. I want to know what is going on in there.

That's why I always use a glass carboy!

 

[ZOG]

6. Fermentation If you are using dry yeast, you can re-hydrate the yeast in luke-warm water (90-100 degrees), let it stand for 10 minutes and pour into the wort, or you can just sprinkle the dry yeast over the top of the beer. If you are using liquid yeast, follow the directions on the packet. Place your fermenter in a warm area. (60-65°F) Approximately 1-3 days after adding the yeast you should start to notice a healthy fermentation taking place. A head of foam (called krausen) will have formed and CO² should be bubbling out of the airlock. Lagers are fermented cool and stored for a lengthy time at an even cooler temperature. If you do not have control over the ferment time just try to keep it as cool as possible. At this point, move your fermenter to your cool fermentation area (48-60°F). It is possible to start your lager fermentation in a cool area if you have made a yeast starter. Most basement floors will do during colder months otherwise you’ll need a refrigerator with temperature control. After 7-10 days of fermentation, allow the temperature to rise to room temperature for 24 hrs. This is called a diacetyl rest and will aid in a complete fermentation and diacetyl absorption. After the Diacetyl rest, transfer into a glass carboy and let sit for 3-12 weeks at your lagering temperature (36-45°F).

the above are the directions-- it said to move it after it started to ferment to a cool spot. i have followed it to a tee

I will take a reading tonight

 

[ZOG]

OK, my daughter and I went out to the garage and carefully popped the lid of the fermenter just a bit.

The the edges were just barely crusted a bit not much at all the smell was wonderful. we then used a sanatized turkey baster to extract a sample for the hydrometer. the color in the tube was a bit cloudy but the redish color was so inviting. The SG was 1.043 this sample was 1.0135 temp. compensated.

I sipped the contents and was pleasently surprised--it tasted like beer!!!

 

[cd2448]

What's the target final gravity? It sounds like you are well on the way. The cloudiness will improve over time, given some time in a secondary or even if you just leave it in primary (that's what I've started doing). A cooler temperature will help to clear the beer as well. But don't expect too much from a first brew, a lot of home brew is cloudy and tastes great. I think the thing to focus on early on is process, making sure you're being as true to the process as you can be. Once you have that down, you can work on the fine points. I think once you get this cleared a little, then carbed and bottle conditioned, you'll see improvements in clarity in any case.

 

[ZOG]

Final should be 1.012

I am really NOOB Giddy about the results so far.

I will wait till friday night and take a second reading .

It is going into a Glass carboy if just to free up the fermenter for the second batch.

 

[Rhoobarb]

Final should be 1.012...

Well, at 1.0135, you're practically there. Let is sit a couple more days or even until the weekend comes, then you'll probably be ready to x'fer to secondary.

You've made beer! From your description it sounds like it'll be yummy !

 

[BierMuncher]

OK, my daughter and I went out to the garage and carefully popped the lid of the fermenter just a bit.

The the edges were just barely crusted a bit not much at all the smell was wonderful. we then used a sanatized turkey baster to extract a sample for the hydrometer. the color in the tube was a bit cloudy but the redish color was so inviting. The SG was 1.043 this sample was 1.0135 temp. compensated.

I sipped the contents and was pleasently surprised--it tasted like beer!!!

Ahhh...

The thrill of the first batch.

I still can reminisce that first batch whenever I pop open a bucket of fermeting beer. Nothing takes you back like that yeasty, bready, seet smell of fermenting wort.

Sounds like you're ready to rack to a secondary and get your next brew on.

 

[ZOG]

Second Batch you talked me into it

I ordered an extract European Pilsner :6 lbs. Gold liquid extract, 8 oz. Carapils, 8 oz. Crystal 10°L Malt specialty grains, 2 oz. Saaz hops


I am hooked!!

 

[ZOG]

well, it was only a matter of time!!

I had three days of 1.013 hydrometer readings and brought the temp up from 49 to 62 for the rest phase. did that for 24 hours

I then went to transfer the beer into the secondary

WHAT A COMPLETE DISASTER!!

broke the autosiphon somehow
broke the suction in the middle of transfer
broke my confidence
splashed some beer into the carboy
sucked some trub into the secondary
sucked at transfering .
carboy is 6.5 instead of 5 gal so I got 1.5 gallons of air in it
knew something had to go wrong, cause it was going to smooth.

still looks and smells good for now

but what have I done to it?

I did however have everything sanatized inside and out.

this morning the beer has resettled it has some trub in the bottom but i could smell somemore fermenting coming from the airlock and it permeated the room so the bottle should be purged

 

[BierMuncher]

...this morning the beer has resettled it has some trub in the bottom but i could smell somemore fermenting coming from the airlock and it permeated the room so the bottle should be purged

It should be fine. If you didn't over aerate the beer, it will settle in alright.

When you transfer to secondary, because the solution is now thinner that it was in the primary, residual yeast falls out easier.

Personally I don't like auto-siphons. PITA if you ask me. Justa simple racking cane and hose (filled with water to start a siphon) has worked just fine for me for over 425 gallons.