first batch problems please help

[wfowlks]

Got it, thanks! I show:

Mueller 3/8" x 50' Refrigeration Coil
Item #: 4182 | Model #: D 06050PS
$62.00

Thats the one... you got it cheaper than I did. It was $66 out here.

 

[scripto]

OK so my replacement airlocks just arrived today. As I'm anxious to see some activity, I sanitized, and replaced. I've been sitting and staring waiting to see some sign of life but nothing yet. Beer has been fermenting just shy of two weeks. What type of activity should be expected at this stage of the brew. My worst fear is that something has gone wrong. Any feedback is appreciated.

 

[SusieBrew]

I'm new at this too, but from all I have been reading the best way to determine fermentation activity is to take a specific gravity reading and see if it is drooping from your OG. Good luck.
Susie

 

[wfowlks]

I'm new at this too, but from all I have been reading the best way to determine fermentation activity is to take a specific gravity reading and see if it is drooping from your OG. Good luck.
Susie

Said Perfectly!

Bubbles/action in the airlock are not a sign of fermentation. Most of the vigorous activity has probably already occurred (when the krausen was there). The only true way to gauge the fermentation is with a hydrometer/refractometer.

 

[sweetcell]

What type of activity should be expected at this stage of the brew.

after two weeks, i wouldn't expect any bubbles, especially considering that you've just opened up the fermenter to install the new air-lock - that would have released any built-up pressure you had inside there, so what little fermentation you have going on, *if any*, likely won't be able to produce enough pressure to push up through the air-lock and create a bubble. i currently have 3 carboys fermenting at the moment, all are two weeks old, and none of them are bubbling any more.

while you were waiting for the new airlock to arrive, the yeast carried on doing what they do. they don't care where their CO2 goes, they're going to ferment your sugar whether there is an air-lock or not.

 

[scripto]

So tomorrow is bottling day, 5 gal batch should be around 30 x 22 oz glass bottles? 50 x 16 oz? Need to run out tonight and pick them up. Any recommendations on the cheapest places to find these?

 

[wfowlks]

So tomorrow is bottling day, 5 gal batch should be around 30 x 22 oz glass bottles? 50 x 16 oz? Need to run out tonight and pick them up. Any recommendations on the cheapest places to find these?

If your state has a bottle deposits, some of the redemption centers will sell you the bottles for 10cents a piece

 

[ncbrewer]

So tomorrow is bottling day, 5 gal batch should be around 30 x 22 oz glass bottles? 50 x 16 oz? Need to run out tonight and pick them up. Any recommendations on the cheapest places to find these?

Since you need them right away, you'll have to buy them - probably your local LHBS. In the future, try buying beer in recappable bottles and save them. You might be able to have friends save thiers for you, too. Don't forget to buy caps.

Being recappable might be tricky - it depends on your capper. I have a wing capper, and it won't work on Stella Artois and some other brands.

 

[scripto]

Ok, so here is the update (as if anyone cares). Bottling night was a success, sort of. We bottled two cases of 22 Oz glass bottles which we picked up at our LHBS for $15/dz. We picked up 3 as we thought we needed 30, but we ran dry after the 24th. Beer tasted like it had the potential of one day actually being a delicious ale. Few quick questions regarding problems we ran into.

Is there a preferred temp for the bottle conditioning? Is the same 65-70 ideal for this stage as well? When we open the bucket to transfer the beer from the fermentation bucket, to the bottling bucket using our auto siphon, don't we risk contamination from anything in the air? Last what does everyone do with all their gunk on the bottom of their fermentation bucket? May go with flip top bottles next time, unless I am advised otherwise.

I wish I could share a 22 in two weeks with everyone who has contributed to this batch on this thread, thanks again for all your help.

 

[roxbob]

Here's what you can do with the gunk at the bottom of the fermentation bucket, to make your next batch a bit cheaper:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast-washing-illustrated-41768/

Enjoy your first brew!

 

[stratslinger]

Congrats on what sounds like a successful bottling run!

Let's see: Yes, ideally, keep the bottles someplace dark and around 65-70. I know for 12oz bottles the typical recommendation is to put them away for 3 weeks for ideal conditioning/carbonation, but it could be slightly longer for bombers.

Yes, during transfer there is a slight risk of contamination. But it's one that everyone faces going through this phase of the process, and very few folks run into infections at this stage, so it's a very, very small risk.

As for the "gunk" at the bottom of the bucket... There's a few things you can do. Typically, I'll just wash it right down the drain (wasteful, I know). But I have, on occasion, remembered to prepare a couple of sterilized mason jars in advance (see, this is one of those times where you DO want to try to prepare something sterile) and then tried to harvest some of that "gunk". That's healthy yeast that you can re-pitch in a future batch. If you plan to brew again very soon (as in, within 2-3 days), you can get away with packaging up some of the yeast cake for a day or three in the fridge, then pitch it into your next beer. If it'll be longer than that, there are threads here about yeast washing, which is a process you can use to better separate the yeast from the rest of the trub in your fermenter, so you store it longer term.

EDIT: Darn your roxbob, beating me to the punch on yeast washing!!!

 

[scripto]

I put up this temp site https://sites.google.com/site/wanseravebrewery/. Will update everyone in 20 days! Thanks again.

 

[Swill]

I just checked the online for both Home Depot and Lowes for that copper tubing. HD has that tubing for about $58, but Lowes has the same thing for $39.99. However, Lowes also lists that part as 50' in one place, but 50" in another.

I am about to start my first brew, and this thread has been very helpful, thanks in advance!

Swill

 

[scripto]

So 3 days left until the "official" tasting day. Just threw one 22 oz. in the fridge now, for a basis of comparison . I am considering purchasing a wort chiller for our next batch off someone I found on craigslist.

It's made with the best rubber hose you can buy. My rubber hose alone was like $50 (which I only used half of it). The copper in it alone is worth like $40. The hose, copper, and fittings are easily worth more than $60.

I am paying $70 which includes $20 in USPS shipping charges. Do we think this is a good buy? Also still need to get a fridge to convert for fermentation, and conditioning. Any suggestions with that?

 

[wfowlks]

It looks like a good deal, but just be warned that you could have a $70 pile of rubber and copper on your hands. Its hard to tell if the line is punctured just from pictures. However, if you do get it. Plug up one end of the wort tube, and then fill it with Starsan solution, and let it sit overnight. And then dump it, it should ensure the copper tubing inside is nice and clean. (I tried it just on a CO2 nozzle, and now it looks brand new).

Also, did the listing say how long it was? This will matter for how many times you will have to run it through.

 

[scripto]

Here is what I found out.

The hose is about 20 feet long, but it's coiled up. I coiled it around a sixtel keg. Yes it has been tested. There are no leaks or anything. That's why I used the highest quality rubber hose. Most people use cheap ones from home depot that end up losing their strength. I have brewed with it twice and it works awesome. The only reason I'm selling is it is when I bought the supplies I bought a 50 foot hose. I also had a ton of fittings (my dad is a plumber). So I figured why not make two and sell one.

 

[wfowlks]

Sounds good, you should be fine

 

[brewit2it]

Here is what I found out.

Just to make sure you're aware, that's a counterflow chiller which will require a pump to circulate the wort. It's a nice item though. A new one costs around 82.00 so if you are really in the market for a counterflow you might want to buy new.

http://www.nybrewsupply.com/wort-chillers.html

 

[scripto]

Oy, thank you very much as I almost made that mistake. I need a wort chiller, and a way to regulate my temp in fermentation & conditioning. Back to the drawing board I guess. On a side note last night we cracked open a test bottle from the crate, and threw her in the fridge. Had mixed feelings as to how it would taste, but to my surprise it was delicious! See pics, and follow our journey on our new FaceBook page https://www.facebook.com/WanserAveBrewery. Now need to figure out this wort chiller, (not counterflow) and refrigeration. One thing we forgot to do, which we hope to help at least one other first time home brewer is to take hydrometer readings both before and after fermentation. This way you can accurately determine the precise ABV%.

 

[wfowlks]

Glad your beer came out well!

As for the wort chiller, I would still go with just making your own out of copper coil, and then you just hook it up to the sink and let it run. Its easy to make. I just modified mine, and took some 16 gauge wire and wrapped it around the coils to make them more sturdy, but its not necessary.

As for the fermentation chamber to control the temps, I will shamelessly plug the chamber which I just made, It costs ~$94 with the temp controller ~70 otherwise.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/cheap-fermentation-chamber-335729/

 

[scripto]

Just came across this deal, http://www.instructables.com/id/Installing-a-ball-valve-on-a-Coleman-cooler/ and thought it may be a good buy to try to build this http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/76446/ace-hardware-48quart-rubbermaid-victory-cooler-red, as a potential mash tun, or wort chiller? Any thoughts?

 

[wfowlks]

I need a wort chiller, and a way to regulate my temp in fermentation & conditioning.

Well referring to this, is what I was trying to answer, now you are bringing up a MLT. Are you wanting to go all grain? Because that is why you would need a MLT. I do all grain but I do BIAB, which eliminates the need for a MLT, and I use an immersion wort chiller.

I am not sure what type of wort chiller you are trying to make with a cooler, or if you have an aversion to immersion chillers. The immersion chiller is just the chiller that is a set of coils and you run cold water through the coils and put the coils in your wort, and it chills it by exchanging the heat from the wort with the cold water inside the copper coils.

The way to better regulate your temperature during fermentation is to build a fermentation chamber, and is what I linked you a DIY page for.

 

[scripto]

I eventually would like to get into all grain, but for now I am still trying to fully understand the process, and are fine using the extracts. What I am trying to do is buy stuff that I will be able to use now, as well as in the future when we may try some more advanced methods. I wasn't shopping for that cooler, but came across it on a deal site and it was the first thing I thought of. Your DIY fermentation fridge looks like the answer for my next project. As well as a basic cooper wort chiller. The seller of the chiller I was going to purchase explained that,

It's a counterflow wort chiller. No pump necessary.

Not sure how that works, or if that changes anything?

 

[wfowlks]

You don't HAVE to have a pump with a counterflow chiller, but you will have to pull the wort through some how and a pump helps out greatly, and if you don't have a kettle with a spout on it, you will have to use a siphon of sorts, and when you do that, you are not able to regulate the speed at which the wort travels through very well so you may have to run it through a few times.

IMO, go with the simple immersion chiller. It is cheap, (less than what you would pay for the CFC), efficient and then when you dump out your pot, you will get some additional aeration. (Yes you can still aerate it other ways, if you want to use the CFC).

 

[scripto]

so it's been a while, but just got batch two done last night. brew a wheat beer kit from True Brew. anyway this morning around 7 am i went out to look at it, and she was bubbling, looked great

few hours later she looks like shes gonna blow

.

do i open the lid to release the pressure? why is she so angry!

 

[sweetcell]

few hours later she looks like shes gonna blow

do i open the lid to release the pressure? why is she so angry!

certain yeasts are more "violent" than others and produce a lot of krausen. opening up the top isn't ideal, but if it looks like she's going to blow then that might be your only option. how long has it been since pitching? what temp is the bucket at? cooling might help with the level of activity. otherwise, sanitize a stainless ladle/serving spoon, open the bucket, and carefully scoop out some of that foam. FYI this is called top-cropping, what you are scooping out is excellent yeast that can be re-used in another batch... ideally right away but it can also be stored. if you're going to save it then scoop into a sterile container, otherwise dump it into a bowl for disposal (be careful not to contaminate the spoon while scoopin' n' dumpin').

ideally you should set yourself up with a blow-off tube. if you don't already have a BOT, search the forum here for details on how to make one.

 

[scripto]

The brew is in the garage it is around 63 degrees outside. Yeast went in around 8-9PM last night? The odd thing to me is that this morning she was crystal clear and bubbling nice. I may or may not have slightly carefully dragged the bucket 6" back, now shes whistling dixie out the air lock. Should I take the cap off the air lock maybe? There is def some foam that came up through the airlock already.

 

[jonnyp1980]

Blow off tube ASAP.

 

[dstranger99]

^ Yep, get a blow off tube, I'd put it in the airlock wrapped with duct tape, and put the other end of the tubing in a bucket of water, and let it bubble all it wants........Good luck.

 

[sweetcell]

The brew is in the garage it is around 63 degrees outside. Yeast went in around 8-9PM last night? The odd thing to me is that this morning she was crystal clear and bubbling nice. I may or may not have slightly carefully dragged the bucket 6" back, now shes whistling dixie out the air lock. Should I take the cap off the air lock maybe? There is def some foam that came up through the airlock already.

in my experience, the most violent/blow-out phase of fermentation lasts 2 or 3 days, obviously this is highly variable depending on OG, yeast type, amount of headpsace, etc. so you may well be in for continued spewing.

removing the cap to the airlock isn't a great ide unless you can replace it with something else that will keep the inner "upside-down crown" (what is that part called, anyways?) in place. if you simply take off the cap then the spewing krausen will push off the "crown", it'll end up on the floor (and dirty) and your brew will have a direct line of contact between itself and the outside world. as long as the krausen is being actively pushed out you're likely fine, since nasties will have a hard (but not impossible) time getting in. a sudden change in temps and you could have suck-back - nasties and all.

that's exactly why you want a blowoff (and, in calmed time, an airlock). if the pressure changes and there is suck-back, it's the sanitized content of the blowoff/airlock that gets sucked in.

foam through the airlock is exactly why 3-part airlocks like yours are better than "S" locks: you can take 'em apart and clean them.