first batch..need help

[jhlu87]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum and to homebrewing. I just brewed my first batch, and I had a few problems along the way. I'm just wondering if I should dump it and start over, and also if you guys had any insight as to what went wrong.

So I brewed a weizenbier from the brewer's best kid. The recipe is here

http://www.brewersbestkits.com/pdf/1030_Weizenbier.pdf

After I added the wort to the fermenter and add water to get it up to the full 5 gallons. My OG reading was extremely low. It was 1.01 which is what the FG is supposed to be. The only thing that stuck out to me during the boil process was that it was extremely difficult to get a boil and maintain it. Also, during the cooling process took extermely long as I was unprepared and just tried to alternate it in baths of water from the sink.

So with that, I still went ahead. I'm using the ale pail with the standard airlock that comes with the Brewer's Best deluxe kit. The next day, I come home from work and the entire lid of the pail has come off. Is it just because I didn't have the lid fully secure initially? It seems odd that so much pressure would build up to pop the lid off. The airlock was definitely bubbling right after I put the lid on the previous day. Does the airlock ever get clogged?

Also, should I just dump this batch? In general does the beer go bad when it's exposed to oxygen during fermentation?

Thanks

 

[BendBrewer]

Don't dump it. It's fine. You didn't mix up the top off water when you added it to the fermenter and got a bad reading as a result. Aggressive fermentation is a clear sign that there was plenty of sugar in there.

Yes, airlocks plug and lids get blown off. Read up on Blow Off Tubes to prevent this in the future.

Your beer is fine.

 

[pwndabear]

understand your new mantra to its core:
Relax
Dont
Worry
Have
A
Home-
Brew

 

[unionrdr]

You can use a rubber mallet to get the lid on tight. I use an old rolling pin that the center handles came off of. Just use the end to tap it down solid. Home Cheapo has a black plastic lever thing to make opening the lid easier. Gary showed it on home brewer tv once.

 

[scoundrel]

If you decide to dump it, I'll send a keg and shipping costs to send it to MD.

 

[unionrdr]

And don't dump it. It isn't going to go bad the millisecond the lid comes off. Co2 is a heavier gas than o2,so there would've been a blanket of gas over it if there's no air movement nearby. Not to mention,the yeasty krausen. No worries,m8.

 

[Dougan]

happened on my first brew as well. turned out great. yours will be fine as well!

 

[jjones17]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum and to homebrewing. I just brewed my first batch, and I had a few problems along the way. I'm just wondering if I should dump it and start over, and also if you guys had any insight as to what went wrong.

So I brewed a weizenbier from the brewer's best kid. The recipe is here

http://www.brewersbestkits.com/pdf/1030_Weizenbier.pdf

After I added the wort to the fermenter and add water to get it up to the full 5 gallons. My OG reading was extremely low. It was 1.01 which is what the FG is supposed to be. The only thing that stuck out to me during the boil process was that it was extremely difficult to get a boil and maintain it. Also, during the cooling process took extermely long as I was unprepared and just tried to alternate it in baths of water from the sink.

So with that, I still went ahead. I'm using the ale pail with the standard airlock that comes with the Brewer's Best deluxe kit. The next day, I come home from work and the entire lid of the pail has come off. Is it just because I didn't have the lid fully secure initially? It seems odd that so much pressure would build up to pop the lid off. The airlock was definitely bubbling right after I put the lid on the previous day. Does the airlock ever get clogged?

Also, should I just dump this batch? In general does the beer go bad when it's exposed to oxygen during fermentation?

Thanks

Great job on your first batch!!!

First, you read your hydrometer wrong - I am certain you are looking at the wrong side of it. As for the boil, I know your frustration. I started on my stovetop and keeping a boil was almost impossible. Since I upgraded to a eastman outdoors turkey fryer kit with a propane burner, problem is gone.

As for cooling, that is always going to be a PITA. What I find works awesome, is water bath the hot pot while stirring. Once the water around the pot is hot, replace it with cold tap water. Do this until your temp is below 150F (takes like 5-10 mins), then use new water with tons of table salt dissolved in it. Add your pot, then a bunch of ice. Cover your pot if you can, and you can pretty much stir it twice over about 30 mins and your temp should go down to about 75f.

Or...

Buy an immersion chiller

 

[jhlu87]

Thanks everyone for the advice and encouragement. I'll definitely keep going with this batch then. I'll let you guys know how it turns out.