First Brew Help!!!

[cmarshall1087]

I did my first extract brew tonight; a Mint Chocolate Chip Stout.

Recipe called for 7 lbs of LME
2.5 gallon boil, and topping off in fermenter to hit 5 gal.

OG was SUPPOSED to be 1.059

After all was said and done, I took my hydrometer reading and it came in at 1.120!

HOLY CRAP!

Now everything I've read has said it could be any of the below issues:
1. I did not filter before I dumped into fermenter, so hop debris made it in
2. Wort was about 80 degrees going into fermenter, with top-off water being about 65. I did not stir, so the thief could have grabbed the warmer, denser wort from the bottom.

Then, to top it all off, I guess I didn't smack my Wyeast packet right, and when I tore it and dumped it, in went the nutrient packet and it didn't look like it was broken.


Seems like everything that could go wrong, did here. Good learning experience though.

Anything I can do to save this batch, or do I need to toss it and start from scratch?

Thanks!

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Did you use a hydrometer for your gravity reading and correct it for temperature?

 

[sleepspeaking]

Even if you left this as is, you will most likely make beer.

As for the yeast (worst case) wait 2 days, if you don't see krausen, sanitize another yeast packet, scissors, a funnel and maybe a new airlock, and drop another yeast packet.

+1 temp adjust.

 

[irontodd]

Did you stir well enough when adding the top off water? Oh i see you did not stir. My coffee porter that I am drinking now was a lot of points too high at OG, but pretty much, since it's an extract kit, you're only going to be able to hit gravity specified in the kit. Kit or not extracts will be in the range specified in the recipe. Once fermentation occurs, all the wort & water will mix naturally and appropriately while creating beer!
RDWHAHB
I used to not strain my hop debris, but it settles out in the end.
Again RDWHAHB.
Someone more knowledgeable on yeasties might be able to answer the part about the nutrients pack. I've not used a smack pack yet, so I can't begin to deduce what all that means.
But hey, while we are having hombrews, might as well grab another.

But maybe you shouldn't be drinking 3 beers in the time it took for you to read this message.

 

[cmarshall1087]

Yes to hydrometer, yes to temp adjustment calculation.

Did not stir, so I'll wait and see what happens if/when it starts fermenting and I take my next gravity reading in a week or so!

Thanks for the replies! Beer is being drunk right now and most definitely relaxing...soon I can drink a homebrew!

 

[Calder]

First off - everything is fine. You could have done some things better, but you have done nothing wrong.

7 lbs of LME in 5 gallons will get you about 1.051. Was there anything else in the recipe that would take it to 1.059? Was some of it DME rather than LME. Since it is your first batch just checking.

It is difficult to mix the heavier sugars with the top-off water. That is why your gravity reading is incorrect. Don't worry, the yeast will find the sugars. Just assume your OG was what the recipe called for. No way did you get 1.120 with 7 lbs of LME (now if it was 7 Kgs, you could get there).

Yeast; you are good. The nutrient pack is just to help wake the yeast up before you pitch. You should have smacked the pack earlier and given it time to swell before use. Result will be a slower start. Do not expect to see any activity in the first 24 hours with just a smack pack and not smacked. There are a lot of variables involved, but you should start to notice active fermentation somewhere between 24 and 36 hours (but it could be longer). Start to worry at 48 hours and get a back-up yeast (dry preferred - dry stores better long-term if you don't use it). At 72 hours pitch new yeast.

Now fermentation can start and you may not notice it. If using a bucket, the seal can leak and not show in the airlock. You want to look for bubbles and kraeusen around the top of the brew. Inactivity will be still with no debris around the top. Activity creates bubbles and deposits 'gunk' around the fermenter at the top of the beer.

Trub in the fermenter will not make a difference. Some studies say it adds some nutrients for the yeast, so is a benefit. people do it both ways with no issues. The solids in the trub will have no effect on the gravity reading. The gravity measures the density of the sugar solution, and suspended solids do not change that.

 

[RM-MN]

With an extract beer, the OG listed on the kit package is what you get. The amount of sugars in the extract are set and to get the correct OG all you need is the correct amount of water.

Since you will be worried about the fermentation, at about 30-36 hours open the lid and peek inside. Bubbles mean it is fermenting. Close it up quickly so the dog doesn't slobber in it. Assuming you have bubbles, ignore the fermenter for another 10 days, then take a hydrometer sample.

 

[cmarshall1087]

Just kegged this last night. Came out fantastic. Next time I'll up the cocoa a bit and reduce the mint a tad. Beyond that, its force carbing right now. I'll pull a pint when I get home.

All in all, I'm happy with it as my first brew!

 

[RM-MN]

Pull a pint for me too. I'll be there in ......wait, it's 1500 miles to your place. I guess you'll have to drink it without me.