First Time Brewer Help

[ig88]

Good Morning,

First off, let me say i've learned so much by just reading through posts.
I am a first time brewer and I just made my first extract beer, pumpkin ale from Northern Brewer.

I made some rookie mistakes and I hope you guys can help me relax.

So, I was so concerned about sanitation that I totally forgot to top off my fermentation bucket. I only have about 4.5 gallons instead of 5 gallons. Should I top this off? I've seen some people recommend do not touch it and others saying top off after fermentation. Advice?

I tasted the wort. It tasted way bitter, I read on the forum this is normal and then I read that the wort should taste good. What should I believe?

In addition, I had great active fermentation for about 3 days and now I see nothing happening. Is this normal? I notice when I give the bucket a little shake it start bubbling again.

Thanks again for your help!

 

[prince4118]

I'd leave it to do its thing for this time but next time remember it all, the wort will be we taste a thing like the final product some are sweet some are bitter, and it all depends on the fermentation temp as to if the bubbles stopping after that time is normal, did you take an original gravity reading at all a little more info would be nice

 

[glick]

So, I was so concerned about sanitation that I totally forgot to top off my fermentation bucket. I only have about 4.5 gallons instead of 5 gallons. Should I top this off? I've seen some people recommend do not touch it and others saying top off after fermentation. Advice?

I wouldn't worry about it. Your OG should be a little higher but that's nothing to worry about, just a higher ABV.

I tasted the wort. It tasted way bitter, I read on the forum this is normal and then I read that the wort should taste good. What should I believe?

I usually find my wort bitter too. After fermentation and carbonation it tastes great though!

In addition, I had great active fermentation for about 3 days and now I see nothing happening. Is this normal? I notice when I give the bucket a little shake it start bubbling again.

I wouldn't keep on shaking the bucket. Just because you don't see bubbles in the airlock does not mean that your beer is not fermenting. The only way to judge fermentation is by taking a gravity reading, and after 3 days I wouldn't even bother with that yet. It's beer, as long as you leave it be and let it do its thing you will end up with beer.

 

[Brewnoob1]

Regarding the topping off, if you are done with fermentation, I wouldn't touch it and just let it ride. Learn from the mistake and move on. I'd highly recommend a simple check list for brew days. That is what I do and it helps immensely...especially on longer brew days where I can't but help drink a few too many brews and become a bit forgetful haha.

As for active fermentation, the bubbling out of the airlock is little to no indication of completed fermentation. You have to use a hydrometer to see if fermentation is complete. I for example have leaks in my bucket lids and never see any bubbling out of the airlock. However, I always have fermentation. bubbling is simply excessive gas being released. Take a hydrometer reading before you pitch the yeast for your original gravity and then after fermentation. If it's stable for 3 days, then you can package your brew. That is...unless you are letting the primary sit for a while to let the yeast clean up after themselves and your brew clear. I let my primaries sit for at least 2 weeks.

Hope this helps

 

[brewkinger]

First of all... Congrats and welcome to the hobby! You made beer!

Just let it ride and do not bother adding water at this point, it is beer and slightly more abv than intended (rarely a bad thing)

It will taste bitter to begin with until the maltiness and hoppiness even out and it all "comes together"
The wort should taste like bitter, uncarbonated, grainy goodness.

Seeing nothing happen after 3 days of fermentation is perfectly normal. Patience is a key personality trait for homebrewing.

If you were not patient to begin with, you will most certainly become a more patient individual (or you risk going mad).

Giving the bucket a shake (not terribly harmful, but then again, not terribly helpful) causes something called off-gassing. Essentially there is CO2 suspended in the wort and it is slowly released over time. Giving the bucket a shake just causes it to happen on a larger scale.

Relax, Don't Worry, Have A Home Brew

 

[ig88]

Thanks for all the help. My nerves are settling down.

Since I built a kegerator a few years back, I'm planning on kegging this batch.

This will be my first time racking into a keg. I am planning on waiting 3 weeks until ready to rack. I'm racking from a fermentation bucket to the keg. How do you keep the siphon from sucking up all the crud on the bottom? I assume I tilt it back and guess where the sludge is?

In addition, any advice on racking to my keg?

Thanks again
-Dave