First Batch Is In The Primary...And Now I Have Some Questions

[imsperic]

Last night I made my first ever batch, a Fat Tire clone from Austin Homebrew Supply (http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_452_43_250&products_id=1113). Used the extract and liquid yeast kit (White Labs California Ale V WLP051).

I'm sure mistakes were made, but overall it was a fun learning experience. The kitchen smelled fantastic.

A number of questions, if anyone cares to answer them:

1 - Going from the cooled wort to the primary, there was some sediment at the bottom of boil pot (looked like hops pellets that were added late in the boil that didn't dissolve). When transferring to fermenter, some of that sediment came along. Is that ok?

2 - According to the recipe sheet, the O.G. was supposed to be 1.051; my reading was 1.053. Is that close enough? Should I be worried? What should I keep an eye on because of that discrepancy?

3 - I am storing the primary fermenter (6 gallon carboy with 3 piece airlock) in my basement. It's dark and cool; the temperatures are anywhere from 62-66 degrees depending on whether or not the boiler or dryer is on. Is this a good temperature for fermentation to take place at? Too cold?

4 - I went to primary at about 11pm last night; at last check (1pm today), there was no visible activity in the fermenter, and there was a thick layer of what looks like yeast at the bottom. The recipe sheet from AHS said fermentation should take place 12-36 hours after putting the airlock on. It's only been about 14 hours and I know only the hydrometer will truly tell me if fermentation is taking place, but does what I described sound ok?

In retrospect, one of my biggest concerns was sanitation. I had a bucket filled with water that I added the appropriate amount of Star San to, and I tried very hard to make sure everything was in that bucket until the moment of use, but I still feel like something could have gotten dirty. Maybe that's irrational.

The second concern is that I did not stir the wort enough while it was boiling, or aerate it enough when I added the yeast. I tried to aerate as much as possible without spilling. If I didn't aerate enough, what effect will that have? Is there anything I can do at this point?

Thanks in advance for any help the community can give. I've been browsing the forums for a while now and you all are super helpful. Cheers.

 

[TyTanium]

Congrats on the first batch. Totally agree on the smell - one of my favorite parts of brewing. I'm sure it'll taste great.

1 - Sediment is just fine. Some filter it, some don't. It'll just settle to the bottom. If there's a TON of hop sediment, it might give you some hoppiness, but probably not much. It's called trub (pronounced Troob).
2 - Nice job on the gravity! Yes that's close enough, especially for your first brew. Just means you'll have an extra quarter percent more alcohol. Don't be worried, no need to adjust anything.
3 - Good temp. Not too cold. Active fermentation raises the temp 5-10 degrees, so low 60's is ideal. Fermentation temp is one of the most critical factors in brewing quality beer. Stable, low sixties is perfect.
4 - Sometimes the liquid ale yeasts take a little longer to start if you just add the vial without a starter (they need to multiply). Give it time.

Your sanitation sounds fine. Remember, you're not going for sterile (100% kill), just sanitary. The yeast quickly make wort inhospitable to anything else.

No need to worry about not stirring enough while boiling - the boiling mixes pretty well. The only concern might be liquid malt extract if it sinks to the bottom & caramelizes, so make sure you stir that in well.
As for aeration, I'm sure you did fine. I just shake the carboy for a few minutes till I get tired and have had great results. If you didn't aerate enough, the yeast won't be able to mulitply enough and you'll risk a slow/stuck fermentation and perhaps different flavor production from "stressed out" yeast. Your hydrometer will tell you and you can adjust for next time. Don't aerate any more now, just let the yeast work.

Hope that helps!

 

[medusa1066]

Everything sounds good! I add Star-San, then add my water on top. It serves to mix the Star-San, that stuff is kinda thick.

 

[BrewKnurd]

Everything sounds good! I add Star-San, then add my water on top. It serves to mix the Star-San, that stuff is kinda thick.

Nooooooooooo..... "do as ya oughta, add acid to wata'", as my old chemistry teacher would have said.

I actually think its pretty irrelevant when it comes to starsan, but its good general advice.

 

[bomberman]

Normal homebrewer concerns Sound like everything went well, though. I always feel like I'm never thorough enough with sanitizing but my beer keeps proving me wrong.

 

[jpar345]

Star-san is so foamy, i usually need to scoop some of the foam into the sink when I'm sanitizing everything.

 

[edie]

sounds good. there are a couple of very important things that you need to do. get the next batch going ASAP! your first batch is going to go fast, if you're anything like me it will be gone before you know it. secondly, starting another batch will give you something to do other than sit and stare at your first batch.

congrats - you made beer!

 

[imsperic]

Thanks for the responses. Fermentation started about 16 hours in, and it's still going, very aggressively. It's a beautiful sight to behold. I suppose I was being a classic first-timer and getting impatient.

there are a couple of very important things that you need to do. get the next batch going ASAP!

You are quite right!

 

[imsperic]

Star-san is so foamy, i usually need to scoop some of the foam into the sink when I'm sanitizing everything.

There were some bubbles in the primary when I transferred everything over, but I was told "don't fear the foam".

 

[imsperic]

Some photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ericfarkas/sets/72157627965010677/

 

[TyTanium]

Glad to hear it's going strong. Fermentation is magical.

Re: adding acid to water vs water to acid -
Here's why: http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/safety/faq/always-add-acid.shtml
StarSan is weak enough that this isn't an issue (I think)

 

[BrewKnurd]

Re: adding acid to water vs water to acid -
Here's why: http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/safety/faq/always-add-acid.shtml
StarSan is weak enough that this isn't an issue (I think)

Yeah, i agree you probably don't have to worry about heat release with star-san.

The one thing, depending on how/where you mix it, you would be slightly more likely to splash a concentrated star san solution on something by pouring water on top of the starsan vs. starsan into water.

I usually pour in half my water to my bucket, add the starsan, then the rest of the water. I figure I get the best of both worlds. Little chance of splashing concentrated starsan, plus adding the second half of water stirs everything up.

 

[PIGMAN]

It looks to me like you had your act together on your first brew day. Best of luck.

 

[imsperic]

It looks to me like you had your act together on your first brew day. Best of luck.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Here's the latest shot of the primary:

That's a dark, lonely corner of my basement.

 

[TyTanium]

Mmmmmm....beeeeer....

Looks great.

 

[TheBusterBrew]

Speaking of lonely, when you empty that carboy - you may sense a bit of loneliness from that area in your basement. Every time I empty my fermenters I feel like something is missing. Until I fill another carboy. Here's to the next batch! Cheers!

 

[imsperic]

I'm already planning my next batch. Do you think a milk stout would be ok for a beginner? It'd be only my 2nd homebrew.

 

[TyTanium]

I say go for it. Some will tell you to walk before you run, but there is so much useful information on here that you can figure out exactly what you need to do beforehand. At the worst, you'll have a learning experience. But probably, you'll have an awesome brew because you decided to brew exactly what you wanted to.

 

[imsperic]

Am I correct in saying that the only way for me to really know when the beer is ready to be transferred from the primary fermenter is to take a hydrometer reading?

It's been in the primary for 7 days now.

 

[PIGMAN]

Am I correct in saying that the only way for me to really know when the beer is ready to be transferred from the primary fermenter is to take a hydrometer reading?

It's been in the primary for 7 days now.

7 days is not that long. I would leave it in primary for another week at least, and probably 2 weeks. I don't use secondaries. The hydrometer will be your gauge to let you know when fermentation is complete. Did you notice whether the krauzen dropped?

 

[RM-MN]

The hydrometer reading is the only sure way to tell when you should move your beer off the yeast cake in the primary. From my experience I'll tell you that it isn't ready yet. Be patient, let the yeast eat the last of the sugars that remain at 7 days, then let then eat some of the byproducts produced in the fast part of the ferment, then let them have time to settle out into a nice yeast cake that is compact so when you do transfer the beer it doesn't stir up the yeast again.

I've begun letting my beer have at least 3 weeks in the fermenter and I find that I don't need to secondary unless I dry hop or add fruit or something to make it ferment a second time. Then I go straight to bottling. The beer seems to mature much faster in the fermenter than in the bottles so I actually get to drink good beer sooner this way.

 

[imsperic]

Did you notice whether the krauzen dropped?

Yes, it has started to drop; it's now a thin layer on top. I can see some of the beer through the krausen now, if that makes sense.

I don't mind waiting if it means making a good beer.

 

[husker]

I think a milk stout would be a great beer. It was actually the first beer i ever made! Very easy and tasted great!

 

[PIGMAN]

Yes, it has started to drop; it's now a thin layer on top. I can see some of the beer through the krausen now, if that makes sense.

I don't mind waiting if it means making a good beer.

Waiting is difficult, especially with your first beer, but it's definitely worth it. The krausen dropping indicates that the active fermentation is done, but as the previous poster said, the yeast still has work to do, which will happen over the next week or two. Brew the milk stout. By the way, there is a good LHBS in East Northport called Karp's. Their prices are the best I've seen, and they're pretty well stocked.

 

[BamaRooster]

That Stout sounds like a good idea, tis the season.

Let that batch sit on the yeast cake for at least 3 weeks and 4 weeks, I think, is even better!!! It is hard to do but it is a good way to go. There are of course different opinions, but the trend in these forums seems to be headed in the 3-4 week direction. I am a newb and am on my 6th batch now and I can tell you that once I started having the patience to wait for the 3-4 weeks, it made a difference in my beer.

THANKS REVVY for beating that into my head!!

 

[imsperic]

...there is a good LHBS in East Northport called Karp's. Their prices are the best I've seen, and they're pretty well stocked.

I purchased my 6 gallon carboy and wort chiller from Karp's. Great place.

 

[toast]

I purchased my 6 gallon carboy and wort chiller from Karp's. Great place.

I went to Karp's for the first time last week to pick up some hops that I forgot to buy while I was at Brooklyn Homebrew. I gotta say, I was a bit thrown off when I walked into the store...It was a hardware store with a homebrew section in the rear. Judging from their website, you'd think they were just a homebrew supply store. I really thought I was in the wrong place when I first walked in.

 

[PIGMAN]

I went to Karp's for the first time last week to pick up some hops that I forgot to buy while I was at Brooklyn Homebrew. I gotta say, I was a bit thrown off when I walked into the store...It was a hardware store with a homebrew section in the rear. Judging from their website, you'd think they were just a homebrew supply store. I really thought I was in the wrong place when I first walked in.

How do the prices compare with Brooklyn Homebrew? The owner told me that since they make their money upfront, they're able to keep the homebrew prices down.

 

[imsperic]

I found Karp's prices to be as good or slightly better than what I'd find online, and I don't have to pay for shipping, and they're close to my house. A win all around.

 

[toast]

How do the prices compare with Brooklyn Homebrew? The owner told me that since they make their money upfront, they're able to keep the homebrew prices down.

I found that if you're really looking for the most freshest ingredients, then Brooklyn Homebrew is the way to go. Unless you know exactly how long the grains have been sitting in the shelf for at places like Karp's or even Kedco. I haven't really compared the prices between the two. Brooklyn Homebrew...check it out if you haven't already. If you live out on the island, it's worth a drive in on a light traffic day such as a Sunday. You can also check out all their prices on their website.