First Beer Bach Emergency! Live action please help

[missjacki]

HI, this is happening as I type.

I am a wine maker. this is my first batch of beer. The malt and hops and water are boiling as I type.

SOme potassium metabisulfite that I used for sanitizing my equipment got into the mixture.

What do I do now?

Do I need to wait 24 hours before adding yeast?

please help.

 

[kcpaige89]

You should be fine as long as it wasn't a bunch, some brewers use a bit for their tap water to get rid of chloramine and to disenfect well water. The boil should deal with it. RDWHAHB. If, for some reason I am wrong, you should be able to re-pitch in like 3 days after taking hydrometer readings.

 

[missjacki]

ok. ready for a dumb question?

To re-pitch means to add yeast again, right?

so you're suggestion that even if I DO kill the yeast with this little bit of potassium metabisulfite I could essentially "start over" in 3 days by adding another packet of yeast?

 

[Yooper]

ok. ready for a dumb question?

To re-pitch means to add yeast again, right?

so you're suggestion that even if I DO kill the yeast with this little bit of potassium metabisulfite I could essentially "start over" in 3 days by adding another packet of yeast?

The k-meta made it into the boil? If so, that should be ok. Just follow your kit instructions, and see if fementation starts up. If it doesn't start within three days, yes you could add some fresh yeast.

 

[kcpaige89]

ok. ready for a dumb question?

To re-pitch means to add yeast again, right?

so you're suggestion that even if I DO kill the yeast with this little bit of potassium metabisulfite I could essentially "start over" in 3 days by adding another packet of yeast?

Thats what I'm saying. The yeasties are your friends, and they're not as delicate as many seem to think. Sure, a few may die because of the potassium metabisulfite, but I doubt it. Potassium metabisulfite boils out. If it doesn't, and the yeasties die, a packet to re-pitch with is like $.79 for dry or $2 max for liquid. I go with dry so I don't need a starter. As long as even a few survive the potassium metabisulfite, which they will, those will go into growth phase and then ferment. It'll be fine. Your biggest concern should be hitting your target gravities and gett procedure down. After that, 3 weeks in primary then 3 weeks in bottles should give you a good beer, maybe even better because of the less phenols that would happen without the potassium metabisulfite.

 

[missjacki]

thanks a lot! I can relax a little now and drink a beer! ha ha

 

[wyzazz]

Thats what I'm saying. The yeasties are your friends, and they're not as delicate as many seem to think. Sure, a few may die because of the potassium metabisulfite, but I doubt it. Potassium metabisulfite boils out. If it doesn't, and the yeasties die, a packet to re-pitch with is like $.79 for dry or $2 max for liquid. I go with dry so I don't need a starter. As long as even a few survive the potassium metabisulfite, which they will, those will go into growth phase and then ferment. It'll be fine. Your biggest concern should be hitting your target gravities and gett procedure down. After that, 3 weeks in primary then 3 weeks in bottles should give you a good beer, maybe even better because of the less phenols that would happen without the potassium metabisulfite.

Wow, where do you buy your yeast? That's dirt cheap!

 

[kcpaige89]

Wow, where do you buy your yeast? That's dirt cheap!

The LHBS had a special on them when I bought some, but they might have just been moving the product. The liquid was actually like $4, I was a bit drunk typing that, but dry yeast was .79. I'm sure I was a bit too optimistic that everyone can find specials on yeast. Whatever the case $1.50 - $7 isn't too bad if you have to repitch.

 

[missjacki]

OK, so maybe I am panicking, but I rehydrated the yeast and added it this morning about 8:00 am. So it's been in there for about 7 hours now, and I still see no activity in my fermentation lock. I don't know how often you are supposed to see a "bubble" but I watched the fermentation lock closely for about 4 minutes and didn't see any action.

What do you think?

 

[dmob29]

Give it 24 hours at least. If you don't see any visual activity within 48 hours, take a gravity reading, then another a day later. If you don't have any activity for the first 3-4 days, repitch as mentioned before and should be fine.

 

[missjacki]

I just realized that I'm brewing 5 gallons in an 8 gallon container...so the chances of enough gas building up to blow through the fermenttion lock are probably pretty slim...huh?

I'm used to wine making where you don't add a fermentation lock to the "must" for several days and so usually within a few hours of adding the yeast you can start to see, hear, and smell the yeast actively fermenting.

So, I am answering my own question that I need to just relax, have a beer and be patient, right?

 

[scrambledegg81]

In light of Revvy not posting here yet (give him time...), I'll be the first to say:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/fermentation-can-take-24-72-hrs-show-visible-signs-43635/

 

[missjacki]

For those of you just DYING to know how it's going...fermentation has been kicking for about 2 days now! Some serious fireworks...

I may be needing my primary fermenter for wine making soon (like ASAP) what is the earliest I can transfer my beer from plastic primary to glass carboy?

 

[Yooper]

For those of you just DYING to know how it's going...fermentation has been kicking for about 2 days now! Some serious fireworks...

I may be needing my primary fermenter for wine making soon (like ASAP) what is the earliest I can transfer my beer from plastic primary to glass carboy?

It should be done within a week. I'd wait until the beer hit the expected FG, then wait two more days, then transfer.

Many of us don't even use secondary carboys with beer, just leave it in the primary for 2-3 weeks. If you need the primary, though, you can transfer when the beer is finished. The carboy for beer really isn't a secondary fermenter like for wine- it's called a "bright tank" in breweries. It's a place for clearing and conditioning, not fermentation.

 

[wyzazz]

For those of you just DYING to know how it's going...fermentation has been kicking for about 2 days now! Some serious fireworks...

I may be needing my primary fermenter for wine making soon (like ASAP) what is the earliest I can transfer my beer from plastic primary to glass carboy?

For as cheap as a plastic primary is, I'd probably just pick up another one for the wine and leave the beer alone for 3-4 weeks. But, to answer your question you can transfer as soon as your SG is stable for 2-3 days in a row.

 

[logan3825]

The best thing I have found out about homebrewing so far is the answer to most questions is "do nothing."

 

[missjacki]

The best thing I have found out about homebrewing so far is the answer to most questions is "do nothing."

I'd agree! This seems to be the case...

I'll just wait. Since I'll be needing another primary before I could reasonably transfer the beer, I'll just buy another primary and leave the beer for 3 weeks as recommended.

Ready for a dumb question? If I leave the beer for 3 weeks, is it still necessary to ensure that the SG is stable for 2-3 days, or can I just assume it's done and just take a SG and transfer to a carboy?

 

[Yooper]

I'd agree! This seems to be the case...

I'll just wait. Since I'll be needing another primary before I could reasonably transfer the beer, I'll just buy another primary and leave the beer for 3 weeks as recommended.

Ready for a dumb question? If I leave the beer for 3 weeks, is it still necessary to ensure that the SG is stable for 2-3 days, or can I just assume it's done and just take a SG and transfer to a carboy?

If you're leaving it in the fermenter for 2-3 weeks, it'll probably be done. But it's always good to check. If you're leaving it in the fermenter for three weeks, no need to use a carboy- just bottle it at that point.