First try, Going okay?

[Drumming1monkey]

about 36 hours ago I started my first try a brewing. I purchased brew craft deluxe kit and rocky mountain amber ale. Boiled and mixed everything according to the directions. When everything was done I added the mixture with 2.5 gallons bottled water to the glass carboy.
First problem was not realizing how long it would take to cool the mixture as I used room temperature water and did not cool the wort at all before adding all the water to it. I ending up sitting it in ice water till the next morning where it got down to 72 degrees. I then added the yeast that I rehydrated and moved the carboy to the basement.
The second problem I had was while attempting to put the rubber stopper in I managed to push it into the carboy ( which was freshly sanitized) so as I read on here other people have done before and was best to leave in for now. Since I lost the stopper I attempted to seal the airlock in with foil and tape.

After 24 hours of adding the yeast it was quite foamy as pictured below.


Today I checked on it again. The foam is no longer on top although some stuck the the top of the carboy. I see small bubbles coming to the surface but no bubbles in the airlock. Possibly the airlock is not completely sealed into the carboy since I have it taped on and no rubber stopper. The stick on thermometer shows 76 degrees.


Does this all seem like it is going okay so far? I have been reading through some things and have seen secondary fermentation. I had thought that was the point when sugar was added and bottled, though now I'm thinking that is incorrect.

Thanks for any help
-Matt

 

[Bigcorona]

Congradulations, you are making beer!

Hints:

1. Cool the wort before adding to the fermentation vessel.
2. If adding water, boil and cool it first. Some don't.
3. Get another stopper. You are OK for a week or two because of the amount of c02 being generated.
4. Try to ferment at a lower temp. Search site for swamp cooler.
5. Racking to a secondary is not absolutely required, but in IMHO makes 3 above more important.
6. Get that carboy upright. You will loose all your beer if you keep it horizontal.

 

[rifraf]

Don't worry about bubbles, you're definitely not going to have a great seal like that. Get another stopper and you'll be fine.

While you're at the store, get another fermenter and brew more!

 

[Drumming1monkey]

So all of the foam the first day was normal? I was thinking it may have been since I added the yeast then carried the carboy downstairs swishing it around a bit.

As soon as I attempted cooling the mix of wort and water I realized I should have cooled the wort separately a bit first. I just read the picture tutorial thread where he added ice to it which I will probably go for next time.
The water I used was distilled water in jugs so I figured the boiling wouldn't be necessary.
I will try to get another stopper as soon as I have time.
Would it be beneficial to try to lower the fermenting temperature at this point that it has been fermenting several days or would the change in temperature be bad and should just shoot for a cooler temperature next time?
The kit came with a plastic fermenter/ bottling container and the glass carboy. Would it be best to start in the plastic? (for how long) then move to the glass carboy (for how long) removing the sediment?

The pictures are upright on my computer not sure what happened when I added them as an attachment.

I know I have some time, but when It gets to the point of carbonating and bottling the sugar would get added to the carboy then siphoned out into the bottles?

I really want to brew another batch already, but I want to complete this one first to make sure I find all the mistakes I've made as to not repeat them next time.

Thanks for the quick responses!

 

[Bigcorona]

Shoot for a cooler fermentation next time. Likely a little late for this batch. Ferment in the glass carboy for 3 to 4 weeks. After achieving a stable FG - boil ~ a pint of water, add priming sugar and boil for another 10 minutes. Cool this and put into the bottling bucket. Rack your beer from the carboy onto the sugar solution in the bottling bucket. Carefully stir the beer to insure sugar is well mixed. Bottle into sanatized bottles and cap. When you go to buy another stopper, pick up a plastic fermenter. You may or may not like it better than the glass carboy. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Might as well find out what you like. Start a second batch soon. You need to get your pipe line built.

 

[Drumming1monkey]

Transferred the "first try" to bottles the other day. Tonight I have begun with midwest's pumpkin ale. I added the liquid malt and am now trying to get to a boil but their are a bunch of white flakes floating around. The last kit I used wasn't liquid malt and I didn't have any of these flakes. I continuously stirred as I added the LME and it all seemed to dissolve well.
Are these flakes normal?
I can't seem to find anything about this searching quickly and hoping maybe its early enough to change something If i did mess something up. Picture below

 

[Drumming1monkey]

It seems as it is boiling now that they have dissolved away so I think I am alright?

 

[xmacro]

You didn't fly sparge your secondary, you forgot to rack your krausen to the mash tun, and it looks like you didn't cold crash your primary before pitching the trub.

RDWHAHB

:fro: