First Batch questions - be gentle

[Raygun]

I'm still in the middle of my first batch and wondering about a few things. After going through the first part of the brew I'm sure I've made some mistakes, but I'm wondering a little about how bad those mistakes may or may not have been. It appears after reading a bit that any of those might be half my inexperience and half trusting the instructions on the kit!

So the details:

Kit: Barons Pale Ale
OG: 1.049
primary: plastic bucket with airlock

There were 4 days of vigorous fermentation (temp = 20.5C), which then died off and the temperature dropped a bit (17C). I brought the temperature of the room back up a bit after that to 20C but I see now that probably had nothing to do with anything.

On Day 5, I took a gravity reading and got 1.018. The kit said to transfer to secondary after it hit 1.020 but I left it one more day. Day 6 (last night), I took a reading and got 1.014 and decided to transfer.

Secondary: glass carboy

This is where my concerns about how well or poorly it's going to turn out come from.
I have an auto-siphon, but I definitely was not as careful about transferring it as I could have been, I now see. I did not have the beer transferring below the water line, although it wasn't dropping straight from the top of the carboy, maybe a couple of inches above the water line. How badly have I oxidized this batch?

As well, I ended up pulling an inch or two of sediment with the siphon (I know, I know. So what was the point of secondarying again?). Is it normal to pull some anyway? I also topped up to the neck with a couple litres of distilled water (per the kit instructions), which I immediately second-guessed. Should I be OK because I used distilled?

There still appears to be a slight amount of fermentation going on (A tiny bubble rising in the carboy every 20 seconds or so), but not so much that it's activating the airlock. I also have those pale "fish flake" like things at the top, which I'm led to understand are either yeast colonies or hop remnants. I'm reasonably confident in my sanitization techniques.

How long should I wait before priming and bottling? Two weeks from this point seems to be what I'm reading, but I'm just looking for a little clarification.

 

[unionrdr]

It's usually a good thing to wait till a stable FG is reached before racking anywhere. The secondary is really just a clearing vessel or bright tank. Fermentation should've been done before racking. & use a racking tube that curls half way 'round the bottling bucket or secondary to prevent oxidizing the beer. Topping off with distilled or even spring water is fine,ime. Next time,let the beer reach FG in the primary vessel,then setle out clear or slightly misty before racking to the bottling bucket. Or if you really want to use a secondary,let it get to FG 1st. By the time it does,the yeast & trub will start to cmpact on the bottom of primary,making it easier to siphon off clearer beer.

 

[insanim8er]

There were 4 days of vigorous fermentation (temp = 20.5C), which then died off and the temperature dropped a bit (17C). I brought the temperature of the room back up a bit after that to 20C but I see now that probably had nothing to do with anything.

There might be some small amount of activity going still, but it's not uncommon for the main fermentation to be done within 4 days

On Day 5, I took a gravity reading and got 1.018. The kit said to transfer to secondary after it hit 1.020 but I left it one more day. Day 6 (last night), I took a reading and got 1.014 and decided to transfer.

You're good here. Most of us don't transfer to secondary (or a brite tank) we ferment in primary let it settle, maybe cold crash, and transfer to kegs. This is mainly used for clearing up the beer. If I do a fruit beer, I would do this.

I have an auto-siphon, but I definitely was not as careful about transferring it as I could have been, I now see. I did not have the beer transferring below the water line, although it wasn't dropping straight from the top of the carboy, maybe a couple of inches above the water line. How badly have I oxidized this batch?

The main thing is you don't want the beer splashing around or the siphon to suck air into the beer as it transfers. You may have some issue with this if it was splashing and introducing oxygen into the beer. It's hard to say.

As well, I ended up pulling an inch or two of sediment with the siphon (I know, I know. So what was the point of secondarying again?). Is it normal to pull some anyway? I also topped up to the neck with a couple litres of distilled water (per the kit instructions), which I immediately second-guessed. Should I be OK because I used distilled?

Secondary will clear it up, just be careful when going into your bottling bucket.

There still appears to be a slight amount of fermentation going on (A tiny bubble rising in the carboy every 20 seconds or so), but not so much that it's activating the airlock. I also have those pale "fish flake" like things at the top, which I'm led to understand are either yeast colonies or hop remnants. I'm reasonably confident in my sanitization techniques.

There may be some fermentation going, but mostly it's co2 that is in the beer from the primary fermentation. The floating stuff, hard to tell, but you're probably ok. If it smells or tastes bad, then you have a problem.

How long should I wait before priming and bottling? Two weeks from this point seems to be what I'm reading, but I'm just looking for a little clarification.

If you're antsy to get it bottled, take gravity readings. Very important. When you think it's done, do a reading. Wait a couple days and do another. If they are the same, bottle. Otherwise let it sit a week or two longer. Aging helps anyway.

 

[Raygun]

If I do get an oxidized beer, is that just a case where I want to drink it a little more quickly after bottling (giving it time to carbonate properly, of course), to not let those oxidized flavours take over?

 

[BBL_Brewer]

You did ok. You're learning from your mistakes (which were minor). I wouldn't worry about oxidation at all, and a little sediment in secondary is fine. Just make sure you leave all the sediment behind when you bottle. I'm not sure why they had you add more water to the secondary though. It's a fairly low OG to begin with. Doesn't make sense to water it down even more. And even if it was meant to be very weak, it still doesn't make sense to wait for secondary to add the extra water. Unless maybe the idea was to avoid oxidation by eliminating the head space in the carboy? Anyway, to answer your last question, if you're about a week in then another week or two should do the trick. Really, once the beer has cleared you can bottle it, however long that takes.

 

[unionrdr]

You can't get rid of oxidized off flvors. They get worse over time. I'v slightly oxidized beer before,especially with the auto siphon. But they yeast seemed to use it up carbonating the beers,being at such a low level of oxidation.So you might be ok this time.

 

[Raygun]

I'm not sure why they had you add more water to the secondary though. It's a fairly low OG to begin with. Doesn't make sense to water it down even more. And even if it was meant to be very weak, it still doesn't make sense to wait for secondary to add the extra water. Unless maybe the idea was to avoid oxidation by eliminating the head space in the carboy?

That's my understanding of why it was in the instructions, yeah. But as I'm reading, if there's still CO2 coming off, that should protect it just as well or better. Live and learn, as they say.

 

[brewfreeordie]

Oxidized beer happens quick, 24-48 hours or so I've heard. The damage (f any) is done so don't worry about it. Splashing around in the carboy added a few O2s to your brew but I'd be willing to bet the agitation of the beer forced a significant quantity of disolved CO2 out of solution, in essense covering the surface of the liquid with a swadling blanket, and continued by pushing a majority of the the invading Os out the top. Because you weren't quite at final gravity (this is a guess, I'm assuming this was extract and mash temps will not be in play) the yeasties may have done you the favor of sucking up some of the extra O2 in solution.

There ya go. Everything's ok. Now comes the hard part: Waiting!

 

[LovesIPA]

I have an auto-siphon, but I definitely was not as careful about transferring it as I could have been, I now see. I did not have the beer transferring below the water line, although it wasn't dropping straight from the top of the carboy, maybe a couple of inches above the water line. How badly have I oxidized this batch?

The main thing is you don't want the beer splashing around or the siphon to suck air into the beer as it transfers. You may have some issue with this if it was splashing and introducing oxygen into the beer. It's hard to say.

This is the big reason that most people don't use a secondary. There is always a risk of oxidation and/or infection and it doesn't really help the beer out at all.

Oxidation flavors take weeks to develop (so I've read on here) so try to drink them quickly.

 

[Raygun]

Splashing around in the carboy added a few O2s to your brew but I'd be willing to bet the agitation of the beer forced a significant quantity of disolved CO2 out of solution, in essense covering the surface of the liquid with a swadling blanket, and continued by pushing a majority of the the invading Os out the top.

I'd thought of this as a possibility too, and I hope it's the case.

I'm assuming this was extract and mash temps will not be in play)

Yup.

 

[insanim8er]

I wouldn't sweat too much about oxydization. My understanding is the solution is saturated with co2 that forces oxygen out. So it's difficult to oxidize. But again, it just depends on how bad is was splashing around I'd suppose.

Don't go on a binge just to save the beer lol

 

[Raygun]

Partly for peace of mind and also because I wanted another gravity reading, I took a taste of a sample from the thief - tasted exactly like I would expect flat warm beer to taste like. Looks like I haven't ruined it yet!

 

[Raygun]

Follow-up - 8 days after bottling I had a test bottle - decent if quick-falling head of foam (it's early, I know), nice crisp taste with citrus flavours - very little hop flavour, but I wasn't expecting much from just dry hopping. Remarkably clear except that I got greedy and tried to pour too much. Looks like I made beer!

 

[BigFloyd]

Follow-up - 8 days after bottling I had a test bottle - decent if quick-falling head of foam (it's early, I know), nice crisp taste with citrus flavours - very little hop flavour, but I wasn't expecting much from just dry hopping. Remarkably clear except that I got greedy and tried to pour too much. Looks like I made beer!

Congrats. You'll be surprised at how it will go more smoothly now that you've got that first one under your belt.

BTW, no matter what the kit instructions might say, you can skip the secondary completely unless you're long-term aging or adding fruit. Just leave it in the primary a bit longer. Cold crash 5-7 days it if you have the fridge space.