Fermentation questions

[Freddi]

Hello all;

Thank you in advance for helping me with my dumb question. I'm guessing I'm worrying to much, but thought it would be very easy to just post.

Short intro: Brewed 20-30 batches, about a decade ago. Enjoyed the hell out of it. Broke the equipment out, reread a couple books, and poured through this forum, kicking the 'cobwebs' out of the corners.

Made it through brew day, enjoyed the hell out of it. Everything went great, and didn't have anything that i went 'damn forgot to do that".

So, the questions: I had vigorous CO2 for exactly 2 days. (I used a blowoff tube, into a jug with sterile water) Now it has completely stopped, Not even a occasional bubble. Is that normal? I don't seem to remember it stopping completely. I'm going to switch to a conventional airlock....but this struck me as not normal...but my memory is foggy!

I checked the temp in the room its in, and the fermenter. Both are at 70F.

Am I fine, or is there something else I should be checking?

 

[Holden Caulfield]

What was the OG and what yeast did you use?

At 70 degrees some yeasts can chew through all but the clean-up in that amount of time.

 

[Freddi]

What was the OG and what yeast did you use?

At 70 degrees some yeasts can chew through all but the clean-up in that amount of time.

1.042, and the Yeast was Wyeast 3068. The brew is a extract based Berliner Weiss.

Your question just inspired...maybe I should have just checked FG? I know I'm probably just working myself up...I need to slow down, and worry less.

 

[VikeMan]

So, the questions: I had vigorous CO2 for exactly 2 days. (I used a blowoff tube, into a jug with sterile water) Now it has completely stopped, Not even a occasional bubble. Is that normal? I don't seem to remember it stopping completely. I'm going to switch to a conventional airlock....but this struck me as not normal...but my memory is foggy!

It's quite possible that you have an imperfect seal on the lid or in your blow off opening.

1.042, and the Yeast was Wyeast 3068. The brew is a extract based Berliner Weiss.

I think you probably mean Weissbier/Hefeweizen. (Berliner Weiss is a sour.)

maybe I should have just checked FG?

Maybe. But at 2 days, I would be in no hurry. Even if attenuation is finished, the yeast are still likely cleaning up some off flavors.

 

[Freddi]

I think you probably mean Weissbier/Hefeweizen. (Berliner Weiss is a sour.)

Yeah, the package says 3068 WEIHENSTEPHAN WEIZEN

Should I worry that I might have a small leak in the lid, or blow-off tube plug? Or should I stop worrying altogether, and just switch it to a conventional airlock?

Thanks so much!

 

[VikeMan]

Should I worry that I might have a small leak in the lid, or blow-off tube plug? Or should I stop worrying altogether, and just switch it to a conventional airlock?

I would switch to an airlock. It's also good to try to avoid leaks, but there may not be much you can do about it mid-fermentation, other than maybe hammer down the bucket lid (if this is a bucket).

 

[Fish84]

Once vigorous fermentation is done I usually switch back to an airlock, but that’s just me. Never seemed to cause an issue.

 

[IslandLizard]

Should I worry that I might have a small leak in the lid, or blow-off tube plug?

No, you don't need to worry about that.

BTW, what kind of sanitizer are you using?

 

[Freddi]

No, you don't need to worry about that.

BTW, what kind of sanitizer are you using?

Oxyclean free for wash, with StarSan for sanitizing. (Much different than I remember from before...which was just 1-step) I did put a touch of StarSan in water in the blowoff jug.

I'll probably use a touch of vodka in the airlock....which is what I remember doing before.

 

[IslandLizard]

Oxyclean free for wash, with StarSan for sanitizing. (Much different than I remember from before...which was just 1-step) I did put a touch of StarSan in water in the blowoff jug.

I'll probably use a touch of vodka in the airlock....which is what I remember doing before.

You're good with Oxiclean and Starsan.

When brewing make a gallon (or more, or less) of Starsan working solution. It keeps for weeks, months even. Fill a spray bottle with it too.
Put some Starsan in your blow of jar/jug. enough to cover the outlet of the blow-off tube by say 1/2 - 1". Many use a half gallon plastic milk jug, or a glass jar for that. It keeps it sanitary and flies and other stuff from breeding in there.
Probably best to toss the Starsan from that blow-off jug when you're done with it, although if it's clean and there was no beer blown into it, you could use it for another batch.

Don't waste vodka on the airlock, use some Starsan.

And don't do secondaries.
That's become a no-no, while you were away.

 

[Freddi]

And don't do secondaries.
That's become a no-no, while you were away.

I've read that, except for the really long fermentation beers, right? What the hell am i going to use that glass Carboy for? Maybe I should get a staggered, second batch going in it?

The blow off jug, I did use a gallon jug, like I think I saw here. Cut at the handle, and it made a perfect size hole for the blowoff tube go in. Worked nice.

I have made my Starsan spray bottle. Comes in real handy when it was time to spray the outside of the Wyeast package, for example.

Thanks for calming me down. First batch is always the most unnerving, until i get my wheels back.

 

[IslandLizard]

What the hell am i going to use that glass Carboy for?

What size is it? 5 gallons is the usual size used for secondaries, as it minimizes headspace. But you couldn't ferment a 5 gallon batch in it, without blowing off at least a gallon of beer.

except for the really long fermentation beers, right?

Yes, when bulk aging longer than 8 weeks, generally, or when doing mixed fermentation sours, etc.
(Corny) kegs are a lot easier to handle for bulk aging, and they can be 100% liquid purged before transferring beer into them. Closed transfers to prevent O2 exposure and resulting oxidation.

Watch out when handling large glass vessels, such as carboys. They can cause serious injury when they break.

 

[Freddi]

What size is it? 5 gallons is the usual size used for secondaries, as it minimizes headspace. But you couldn't ferment a 5 gallon batch in it, without blowing off at least a gallon of beer.


Yes, when bulk aging longer than 8 weeks, generally, or when doing mixed fermentation sours, etc.
(Corny) kegs are a lot easier to handle for bulk aging, and they can be 100% liquid purged before transferring beer into them. Closed transfers to prevent O2 exposure and resulting oxidation.

Watch out when handling large glass vessels, such as carboys. They can cause serious injury when they break.

Yeah, its a five gallon...so no headspace. Too big for a half batch, or a gallon batch, since I have no Co2 to do a purge. Might be time to just throw it, or wait for the odd beer that i do need a secondary. Gonna go slow, but the Big mouth 6.5g Plastic 'jars', with the tap in it look good. Maybe that will be in my near future, as that sound way better than a heavy glass carboy anyways.

 

[VikeMan]

Yeah, its a five gallon...so no headspace. Too big for a half batch, or a gallon batch, since I have no Co2 to do a purge. Might be time to just throw it, or wait for the odd beer that i do need a secondary.

Keep in mind that you could do any fraction of a batch. With a 5 gallon carboy, I'd be looking at about the 3.75 to 4.0 gallon range.

 

[IslandLizard]

Keep in mind that you could do any fraction of a batch. With a 5 gallon carboy, I'd be looking at about the 3.75 to 4.0 gallon range.

Exactly!
Just handle those glass vessels with a bit more respect than ever before.

 

[Mark3885]

I made an Amber ale on Sunday and used Lallemand Nottingham dry yeast . The wort went into my half keg fermenter at 66 F keezer at noon Sunday and by Tuesday evening all bubbling had stopped except for an occasional bubble every minute .The fermentation was fast and furious , most times it was a continuous stream of CO2 like from a leaking tire. I always use a 5/16 blow off tube into a gallon jug of water . My starting gravity was 1.050 where it should have been 1.041, don’t know how that could have happened, double checked with a refractometer and hydrometer. I’m going to let it go a few more days at 66F , then cold crash to 34F for 3 days then keg. I’ll report back .

 

[Mark3885]

I kegged and carbed at 1.019 which fits the 77% attenuation. The flavor is good , I’m still experimenting with my soft water chemistry and untreated hard water with high iron and manganese. I brew 10 gals at a time and ferment in a half keg in a temperature controlled keezer . Just need to get my water right.

 

[IslandLizard]

I kegged and carbed at 1.019 which fits the 77% attenuation. The flavor is good , I’m still experimenting with my soft water chemistry and untreated hard water with high iron and manganese. I brew 10 gals at a time and ferment in a half keg in a temperature controlled keezer . Just need to get my water right.

I consider 1.019 quite high for a 1.050 ale, even for a 1.065.

Our club members brewed a bunch of 1.090-some Old Ale (BCS recipe) for a barrel project using S-04. None were higher than 1.019, except for one, most were 1.014-1.016. That one outlier, sadly was mine at 1.034. Couldn't budge it, whatever I tried. Still tasted good though.