First batch in the fementer

[patrck17]

I moved into my apartment this weekend, so of course by Sunday night I was brewing my first batch. I went with a Sam smith o-stout clone from austinhomebrew.com. Anyways everything went alright, nothing seemed to have burned. I did find out firsthand just how rediculously hard it is to bust those wyeast smackpacks. It took me about 10 minutes of intense squeezing for it finally to go, my hand kept cramping up and stuff too, it sucked. Anyways I pitched at around 80, would have been about 12 hours later when I woke up this morning but I didn't see any activity, though I bet itle be going by the time I get home from work today. Overall I thought it went pretty smoothly, but the process has raised a few concerns. First of all, will the smell ever go away? I boiled in my kitchen and now my entire apartment smells like malt extract, you get used to it real fast, but anytime you leave and come back its there waiting. I think I will invest in a propane burner and do it outside next time. Also right now I have the fermenter in my room, will it smell when it starts to ferment? That is pretty much it for now, can't wait till this batch gets done so I can have a taste.

 

[ian]

Also right now I have the fermenter in my room, will it smell when it starts to ferment?

I have my fermenter in the dining room inside a fairly big Rubbermaid Bin that has a hinged top. It is just the right height to house my 5 gal carboy with airlock and just the right width/depth to hold the carboy and two frozen milk jugs. This holds the scent in perfectly until I open to check on it, and even then it keeps it mostly inside. Also keeps it in the dark to avoid encouraging any nasties to grow due to sunlight (if that's even a concern).

This has worked well for two batches now and it is hardly noticed in our overlycluttered house . My wife has not even commented on it.

 

[El Pistolero]

The malt smell will go away as soon as you cook something else. On my first batch I smelled the fermentation just a little for the first day, but not much after that.

 

[Doug]

Why would you want to get rid of such a smell? There's nothing better on a hot summer day...

Well, maybe that's not true.

As for the fermentation, I may not have the best nose, but I don't seem to smell it much at all. I put a garbage bag over the carboy, and when I take it off to check the progress I always get one or two good whiffs of beer smell. The black bag is the poor man's solution to light control, but it seems pretty ideal.

- Doug

 

[patrck17]

I got a quick question, does all grain smell the same as extract? I know the specialty grains I used were not bad smelling at all, but those don't have to be mashed.

 

[patrck17]

Okay its been about 36 hours and still no bubblin. Getting a tiny bit nervous. I guess I will pick up a pack of dry yeast this afternoon and hope that when I get home it is churnin so I don't have to use it. Wish me luck.

 

[Oahu]

Congrats on the first batch Patrick, I was in your shoes a few days back, I had the same problem. No bubbles: wth? It turned out I just had too little fluid in my airlock. If it's the three piece type make sure you've got enough to cover the holes at the bottom of the floating part, and that the cap is on.

If you open the fermenter and see foam you're fine. You might want to explore the possibility CO2 is escaping elsewhere.

Hope that helps. Remember worst case scenario is you add more yeast, big whoop!

Oh, and my extract smell went away in about a day. And my wife DID comment on it.

 

[patrck17]

Well it is bubbling now. I went ahead and pitched the dry yeast. That makes for a 42 hour or so lag time, and a bagillion opportunities for contamination. I guess we will see. I will let you guys know how it comes out in a few weeks.