First Brew, hoping I'm on the right track.

[weissbiergirl]

Using my new homebrew equipment (I'd been brewing with Mr. Beer over the years but now I'm set for bigger brewing), I just brewed my first beer last Saturday; a double chocolate oatmeal stout.

It's in my primary fermenter (bucket) now, the room temp is averaging 65-70 degrees. 12 hrs after brewing the airlock showed very active bubbling. After 24 hrs it slowed way down, and 30-36 hrs later, NO bubbling. I'm curious about how the fermentation is coming along since the airlock is just sitting there now, absolutely NO bubbles since the 30-36 hr mark. Browsing this forum, so far I learned that the airlock is not necessarily an important indicator of fermentation anyway, so that's kind of a relief.

I know I should have, but before I pitched the yeast I did NOT get an OG reading. Of course with concerns about proper sanitation I will need to open the lid and use a sanitized turkey baster/hydrometer to get a FG reading anyway, and I imagine I do this one or two more times, a day or so in between, to ensure a constant <1.010 reading.

So when doing this, and also when siphoning the brew to my bottling bucket, the brew is exposed to open air for a time, obviously this is going to have to be okay because how else to get a reading and how else to transfer from fermenter to bottling bucket. In these cases, aside from the obvious sanitization of all objects that come into contact with the beer, does one just cross their fingers and hope that their beer doesn't get contaminated by open air whatevers floating around?

It seems that a secondary fermenter is not needed so much for active fermentation, but moreso for clarity, adding dry hops and/or other adjuncts, and whatever other reasons than specifically fermentation. So in that case I'm pretty sure I can skip the secondary fermenter and go straight to bottling as long as the FG reading is about the same in a two or three day time span and <1.010. Or if I don't use a secondary fermenter should I wait one or two more weeks regardless of FG reading?

 

[maskednegator]

I would be very surprised if a double chocolate oatmeal stout attenuated all the way out to 1.010, but aside from that you seem to be on the right track. Just keep on eye on your FG, and rack/bottle when you observe a constant reading over the course of several days.
An infection is not likely to occur due to briefly exposing fermented beer to open air. Most organisms that could land in your beer would find that environment extremely unfriendly due to the alcohol, hops, and firmly entrenched yeast already living in it.

 

[McGarnigle]

First, if this is an extract beer, your OG will probably be exactly what the recipe or kit said.

Second, I don't know if an oatmeal stout will drop below 1.010, but that's the general vicinity. I wouldn't use secondary, and let it be for a few weeks even after it appears to have finished fermenting.

Oyxgen is a problem if you splash the wort. Rack properly, but don't worry about short periods when the lid is off. Sanitation is a bigger issue: sanitize your beer thief, etc.

 

[Zen_Brew]

Yep, airlock should not be used as a fermentation gage.

I wouldn't even worry about checking gravity on a stout until at least 7-10 days in primary. It's a heavy beer and will take a bit of time to settle out.

Careful sanitization of your testing equipment before you take wort samples is very important.

When you open the fermentor to check, do not pull the lid all the way off. Just create enough space to get the sampling instrument into the bucket. There are many nasties carried on dust in the air, so the smaller the opening you leave them to get in the better off you are. Just try to minimize contact with open air and oxygen as much as possible. The hops and alcohol are giving you a bit of protection now as both of these create less friendly conditions for nasties.

Using a secondary is a personal preference and not necessay. If not using a secondary try to leave the beer on primary for 2-4 weeks to give the yeast a chance to clean up all the byproducts of fermentation.

You didn't post your recipe, but an FG of <1.010 sounds pretty low for a double chocolate oatmeal stout. I'd guess 1.015-1.020 is more in the ballpark of the FG you will see.

 

[david_42]

Or if I don't use a secondary fermenter should I wait one or two more weeks regardless of FG reading?

Even for a stout, a couple weeks for settling and clearing is a good idea. Shake your sample hard to de-gas, as tiny CO2 bubbles can throw the reading off.

 

[weissbiergirl]

Thanks very much for your suggestions and help, everyone. I checked the recipe, and it does expect a FG of 0.019. I must have been thinking of a FG reading for a pale ale or lighter brew; I'm learning a lot from this forum already!

Also, from what I'm gathering, my brew is good to go for a couple more weeks in the primary fermenter and anything with respect to "off-flavors" from sitting on the yeast layer for too long don't come into play unless I left it in the fermenter for more than a month?

 

[Hang Glider]

Welcome to HBT!

you will find arguement - many say there is no proof that sitting on yeast will EVER give you off flavors. So, that said, you may want to let a stout age appropriately - several weeks, before bottling. IPAs, with dry hopping you might bottle and drink sooner, but a porter or stout smooths with age.

Sounds like it's time to invest in another fermentaton bucket and whip up another batch to take your mind off this one for a few weeks!

 

[weissbiergirl]

Sounds like it's time to invest in another fermentaton bucket and whip up another batch to take your mind off this one for a few weeks!

FANtastic idea! I think I shall do that!