First Brew- Fermentation Question(s)

[dkennedy]

All,

Hopefully quick questions, now that I've bought stuff before detailed research here. Planning on brewing my first two batches tomorrow, the 'None More Black Stout' recipe posted by histo320 (with slight mods due to availability), and a Spotted Cow clone (largely for a co-worker, but it's a good session beer), both partial mashes. Figuring on letting the stout bottle condition longer than the SC.

Questions:

1- The fellow at my local shop A) Promotes DME over LME and B) doesn't carry Dark extracts (citing that "you don't know how they got it dark"). Curious on reactions to these, as I had thought that LME was better than DME, and frankly find the Dark comment a bit nefarious (but also don't know any better). To compensate, adding some Chocolate Malt to the stout- I still have high hopes!

2- I picked up a big Rubbermaid tub from the big orange box and a aquarium heater from the pet shop, as I'm planning on fermenting in the basement and it stays pretty cool down there (started monitoring temps this evening, to find out just how cool). Because I'm running two batches, I got a 30-something gallon rectangular tub (both yeasts have nearly the same temp range- one is a degree higher on the upper limit). Now looking at the swamp coolers that others have put together, wondering if mine is overly...ghettoriffic. Any input here is welcome- the heater is for big fish tanks (I think up to 60 gallon, maybe more), so I think that it can handle the volume of water and brew, but looking for tips/warnings/etc. Also, I understand that fermentation is exothermic, any guidelines on intensity? (e.g. is this a few degrees on average, or far more?)

I THINK that's it. This forum is great, appreciate everyone's efforts in providing information and ideas. Off to bend some copper!

Thanks,
DK

PS- I already searched for the swamp cooler/heater, sifted through a bunch of threads before posting new. I may be jumping in with iron boots (figure that AG for first batch would be the lead boots) doing a partial for the first go-round, but wanted to do something other than a kit/extract only recipe (for some reason, steeping grains sounds fun!). Don't mean to sound rude, by any means, just sayin'.

 

[Yooper]

1. Highly agree with your LHBS guy! The "dark extract" probably has crystal malts in it, and maybe something else like Munich. But how much and what? No one knows. My preference is DME also, unless you get superfresh LME from a store that has it in bulk with barrels that are stored under gas, plus a high turnover.

2. That's a trial and error thing. I have a very low watt (I think 10w?) aquarium cooler and it can get too warm. I'd set it up now (without beer, just water) and see what it does. If you know setting it on "three" works, then you're all set. I float a thermometer in mine (one of those $6 floating thermometers at the LHBS) to keep an eye on temps, and even though I don't circulate with a pond pump or anything, it works great.

The water bath means a large mass so when temperature changes happen it's gradual. That means the temperature inside the fermenter never gets warmer than the water bath, or at least it's within a degree or two.

 

[dkennedy]

Thanks, Yooper. #1 made sense to me, just wanted a sense-check.

I've found that my basement, just above floor level, is staying 65 degrees, which is handy. Still going to get the tub going, I ran some tests with the heater in a pail and it seems to be true to it's temp setting (marked in degrees, handy enough!).

Two batches fermenting now, and the first boilover out of the way! Thawing out and then time to scrub-a-dub-dub. Thanks to everyone for their insight on here, there were a couple of quick searches this afternoon.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

1) i too totally agree with you LHBS proprietor on both points.

2) i also use that same version of 'ghettotastic swamp cooler' and have no issue controlling temps. i use a heater for a 15-20 gal aquarium to warm, ice bottles to cool. i can hold temps from the low fifties to well, i think the heater goes up to 86, haven't gone that warm for a beer though, but you get the idea.

hope that helps. good luck and welcome to the addiction.

 

[streetmapp]

1) i too totally agree with you LHBS proprietor on both points.

2) i also use that same version of 'ghettotastic swamp cooler' and have no issue controlling temps. i use a heater for a 15-20 gal aquarium to warm, ice bottles to cool. i can hold temps from the low fifties to well, i think the heater goes up to 86, haven't gone that warm for a beer though, but you get the idea.

hope that helps. good luck and welcome to the addiction.

Jumping in for a little more info on this "swamp cooler". Is there any cover being used with a setup like this? I'd imagine depending on the depth of the container it may or may not be possible.

Do you use the water bottles to cool it if you notice it is too warm even with the heater set to a particular value, just to get it back down to proper temp ASAP?

 

[dkennedy]

Jumping in for a little more info on this "swamp cooler". Is there any cover being used with a setup like this? I'd imagine depending on the depth of the container it may or may not be possible.

Do you use the water bottles to cool it if you notice it is too warm even with the heater set to a particular value, just to get it back down to proper temp ASAP?

Street- here is a picture of what I did, there are lots of variants it seems. My first concern was heating (it's winter...) but I can easily cool this way too (and am ready too, ice packs on standby, right now just letting everything stabilize a bit). I didn't go the cooler route due to wanting to maintain two batches at a time with one heater/cooler.

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hpho...7431947151_668372150_8611061_1610096165_n.jpg

Hope this helps, let me know if the link doesn't work. I then (post-picture) covered with a sheet of polystyrene that I had around (roughly the same size, handy!), then some heavy plastic (think that it had an area rug in it), then a blanket. First two are because I am paranoid that one of the batches will blow the airlock off, the blanket is for light.
DK

 

[streetmapp]

Ah thanks, that's what I was assuming it would look like. Good to see that is how it should. Now you aim to keep the water temp within the range of the yeast you are using, correct?

 

[dkennedy]

That's the goal. I should stress, this is just my take on it, lots of other, better insulated, designs esp. if you're looking at one carboy/bucket.

Just checked this AM (brewed yesterday) and it's staying at the lower end of my range without ice, so far.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

That's the goal. I should stress, this is just my take on it, lots of other, better insulated, designs esp. if you're looking at one carboy/bucket.

Just checked this AM (brewed yesterday) and it's staying at the lower end of my range without ice, so far.

there's a lot of ways to set it up, but it's basically what your picture showed. i've noticed in the winter that if you start with water that's the right temp, it takes very little to keep it stable, maybe a few ice bottles during peak fermentation. summer's a different story, lots of ice bottles!

i use separate rubbermaid buckets (the round 18 gal type) for each vessel, in case i have two beers that need different temps. but i'm sure there's also advantages to having two or more vessels in each bucket/tote.

overall, it's a great, CHEAP, and easy way to control fermentation temps!

 

[streetmapp]

Do you think that a second bucket, the same size that's holding the fermenter(s), would be good to act as containment on the chance that the airlock blows off? Most likely going to have limited space for my "brewery" and want to minimize chance for a big mess as much as possible.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

to avoid the airlock blowing off, hook up a blowoff tube for the first few days of active fermentation.

 

[dkennedy]

Finally getting up the nerve to brag (slightly, VERY slightly!), figured that a new thread wasn't really appropriate.

Brewed two batches on Sunday, first two ever. Not sure if there is a 'lessons learned' thread for first brew sessions, but I have...a few. 1- Look at the forecast, 25 degrees is chilly, and water freezes (ya know, the water that you just casually dumped on your walkway). 2- Nothing new, but remembering to Relax is pretty key...perfection this was not, but a whole lotta fun! 3- Flaked Maize+Flaked Barley = sticky, and 150 degrees is a bit warm

Couple days later and both are fermenting happily. I screwed a few things up (like not actually measuring finished batch size...), but I made beer. My thanks to everyone on here, the hours that I spent reading up ahead of time was critical to not being a total nervous wreck on brew-day (and having a laptop on the porch during brew-day was helpful too!). You're a great bunch, thanks for sharing and putting up with everyone's questions- sometimes the question may only seem to help one person, but lots of us let the other guy ask .

Cheers!
DK