First Batch Questions

[bsavage]

So I just made my first batch of Autumn Amber Ale from Midwest Supplies. Everything went well except the fermentation got up to 78 for the first 3 hours then I lowered it to around 70 for a week in the primary then I racked to a secondary and it has been there for about 5 days. I used the munton yeast the kit came from. My question is, there is a bunch of stuff floating in the beer, I am thinking left over yeast or some grains that got left in there. If I leave it in the secondary for another week will it settle out? The OG was 1.045 and when I racked it to my secondary it was 1.010 which is right were it was supposed to be. I haven't check it since I moved it. If I use some panty hose around the auto siphon will it filter out that crap or should I not bother? I know some one will tell me to RWAHAHB but I don't wan't so make some crap I don't want to be ashamed of. Thanks!

 

[Just1pepsi]

if you let it sit in the primary for 3-4 weeks the yeast cake will compact and it gives more time for everything to settle out to the bottom. depending on the amount of yeast/grain in suspension, filtration may prove a major headache when it clogs up and you have to keep unclogging the filter (pantyhose)

personally, I'd let it sit in the primary for a few weeks to let it settle out, bottle carefully so as not to stir up the stuff at the bottom let it bottle age for another three weeks, then refrigerate, anything left in suspension will settle after a couple weeks in the refrigerator.

 

[steppenwolph]

It is hard telling what is floating in your brew without pictures, but whatever it is, it didn't just fall in there, and there is no reason to flail about now to get it out. If it is an infection, (very doubtful) then there is nothing to be done now, and if it smells like beer, its not infected. If its remnants of krausen or floating grains that never got filtered, it doesn't matter. Yes, a lot of stuff will settle out given time, but a week is not enough. Leave it alone for four weeks total time since you pitched yeast. Then, when you are ready to transfer to your bottling bucket, (or keg) yes, panty hose (sanitized!) filtering will help with larger particles. Your yeast will want a little extra time to clean up after the effects of a slightly over-temp fermentation. Leaving them alone to do their job unmolested is the best way to get a quality brew. Give it time, it will be fine.

 

[bsavage]

I don't think it is infected, it smells great there are just little bread crumb looking things in the beer. With this being my first batch I am so impatient, unfortunately impatience does not equal good beer. Dumb.

 

[djfriesen]

Are these "crumbs" coming off the trub, floating to the surface, and then dropping back down? My current batch is doing the same thing. A local pro I have talked to seems to think this is probably active fermentation. The yeasties are creating CO2 as a byproduct. They are then floating up on the bubbles and then drifting back down as the CO2 bubbles pop.

If this is not what is happening, then, by all means, disregard. You could always just siphon through a strainer when racking to your bottling bucket. This would pull all the bigger stuff out. You might risk some oxidation, but I bet it wouldn't be too bad if you're careful.