First batch English brown ale

[Alehouse562]

Ok so my and my roommate started our first batch of English Brown Ale and when I pitched the cold dry yeast I just sprinkled it on top of the wort which was at 80 Fahrenheit and closed it. Two days of bubbling from the air lock then nothing. Opened it a week later and it measured upper meniscus at 12 and 39 in sugars per litre, when we bottled it we forgot to add to add the dextrose or corn sugar . Was I supposed to mix the yeast n the wort? Did we **** up royally by not addind sugars before bottling?

 

[kvess]

you should have added priming sugar. What was your gravity reading? If it was fairly high just leave it 2 weeks longer then you normal bottling schedule and it may have enough to carb a little.

 

[kwingert]

You'll end up with flat beer. Next time, rehydrate your dry yeast. You will get better results.

 

[Alehouse562]

The readings from the hydrometer are 12 n 39 for sugars, I'm not sure exactly how to read the meter

 

[Alehouse562]

Idk my hydrometer give me the abv % its weird, why would start be higher in abv n finish has less abv. Help me please.

 

[Draken]

Idk my hydrometer give me the abv % its weird, why would start be higher in abv n finish has less abv. Help me please.

So you want the gravity numbers not abv or sugars. Typically goes by 10s if you float in tap it should be 0 or 1000 depending on the markings

 

[tooldudetool]

So you probably have a triple scale hydrometer, which has 3 different ways of measuring the alcohol by volume: specific gravity, Brix/Balling, and potential alcohol. Just pick one scale and stick with it. Potential alcohol is easiest. Just subtract the smaller final potential alcohol reading from the larger starting potential alcohol reading. For example, with a 6.5% abv starting reading and a 1.5% abv final reading you would have a beer with 5% abv... simple right? Using the other scales requires either consulting a chart or using an equation (or an app) to get your abv reading. Also be aware that the hydrometer is calibrated to 59 degrees F, so if your wort or beer that you are testing is significantly hotter or cooler than that you need to correct for it because your reading will be off.

FYI, you will never get 100% attenuation (conversion of sugars to alcohol by the yeast), usually it will be between 70% and 80% of your starting gravity depending on fermentation temp, yeast strain, aeration, etc...

And yeah, you screwed up by not adding priming sugar, but all brewers make mistakes in the heat of the moment The easiest solution may be to get some Coopers carbonation drops from a homebrew store and open up all your bottles, drop one in each and recap them. Otherwise they will never carbonate (assuming your beer had fully fermented before bottling).

Word on the street is that about half of the dry yeast population is lost when sprinkled directly on the wort compared to properly rehydrating them first. (Even though most beer kit instructions tell you to sprinkle it).

Good luck!

 

[Andrew5329]

I always stir in my yeast gently, the other thing I do is I'll either let the yeast packet reach room temperature or I'll let it hydrate in a lukewarm cup of water. A rapid temperature change from 40*F in your fridge to 80*F in your wort can lower the viability of your yeast significantly.

The lack of priming sugar will probably give you flat beer though wait a week or two because there might have been some fermentables left when you bottled. Worst comes to worst, pop them open and add a carbonation tablet, then recap.

 

[Alehouse562]

Thanks guys I appreciate it. We all get caught in the heat of the moment sometimes hehe