First Brew help

[dannyancient]

Hi All,

I'm fermenting my first ever attempt to brew beer right now, and I just opened the fermenter after 10 days to take a gravity reading. The reading was 1.018, which seems o to me but I honestly don't know. Also, the beer is pretty hazy and has an almost viscous look and feel to it. Almost like there is a slime or something floating in it.


Please excuse my complete lack of knowledge, but I'd love any advice anyone can give. Thanks so much!

danny

 

[lumpher]

what kind of beer is it? 1.018 is perfect for some styles, low for some, high for others

 

[dannyancient]

Of course, sorry!

It's a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale clone

 

[lumpher]

if you brewed it from the mr beer collection, 1.018 is ok. liquid extract will be high on those numbers

 

[dannyancient]

it wasn't Mr Beer actually, i got the recipe here:

http://www.brewsupply.com/HowTo/Recipes/smpaleale.html

am i screwed?

thanks so much for the help!

 

[MastahMan]

i've had the slime some times but for me it has been a type of clarificant... try having a decanting valve in the lower end so you don't gotta open the fermenter and let air in

 

[BGJ223]

i've had the slime some times but for me it has been a type of clarificant... try having a decanting valve in the lower end so you don't gotta open the fermenter and let air in

Does that mean I can put a spigot on my fermenter with no problems?

 

[carnevoodoo]

Does that mean I can put a spigot on my fermenter with no problems?

I'd be careful with that. A spigot is a GREAT place for infections to hide. I personally would never have a spigot on any of my fermenters (save for a conical, but that's different.)

 

[Justibone]

Hard to tell what exactly is going on.

Whatever is going on, giving it some more time won't hurt. Take another reading in a couple of days and report back here.

 

[MastahMan]

If you place a plastic spigot you gotta be thourough in cleaning, other choice is to use one of bronce of copper