Mandan
Active Member
My first batch is from an IPA kit which contained instructions. Everything went pretty well. Had trouble keeping the 'rolling boil' going. I'd say that it was rolling for at least a half hour. But then I was trying to boil five gallons on the stove top. I'm reading in this forum that many of you are boiling three gallons and adding chilled water later as part of the cooling process. Is this chilled water boiled for sanitation first?
The wort chiller seemed to take too long. It got down to about 100˚ in about 15 minutes, then took another 15 to get under 80˚. I'm sure it was well under 80˚ when I transfered to the primary fermenter. There's the other issue I may have- I used a siphon to get into the primary. Should I have poured? I was worried that exposing to the open air while pouring would contaminate. Also, I did not siphon the last half-inch as it contained a thick sludge. Was this a mistake?
This morning the airlock is putting out a healthy bubble about every 4 seconds. Now what? My instructions say that it's okay to shake and mix during this primary fermentation process.
Any help is gratefully accepted.
tb
The wort chiller seemed to take too long. It got down to about 100˚ in about 15 minutes, then took another 15 to get under 80˚. I'm sure it was well under 80˚ when I transfered to the primary fermenter. There's the other issue I may have- I used a siphon to get into the primary. Should I have poured? I was worried that exposing to the open air while pouring would contaminate. Also, I did not siphon the last half-inch as it contained a thick sludge. Was this a mistake?
This morning the airlock is putting out a healthy bubble about every 4 seconds. Now what? My instructions say that it's okay to shake and mix during this primary fermentation process.
Any help is gratefully accepted.
tb