Hi from PA

[Schmaffy]

Hello everyone!

So, years ago I spent all my Christmas gift money buying all kinds of fancy-schmancy wine-making equipment. All my attempts were a bust, because we keep a cool house and apparently all the wines I tried to make were finicky enough to refuse to start fermenting. So I had a couple of really large glass spare change holders in my basement for a while.

Eventually, the guilt got the better of me, and I decided to try and resurrect this gear - only this time, for beer. So I cleaned up, sanitized, and refamiliarized myself with all the equipment, went to the local equipment supplier/brew house, and bought my first kit.

I don't think I've ever had so much fun as I did brewing this first batch of beer. I started on New Year's Day and spent most of the afternoon getting everything together. Other than a little trouble with the siphon at first, everything went perfectly - temperatures were good, gravities were good, etc. I have just shy of 5 gallons of wort fermenting in an Ale Pail, and yesterday I came home to lots of bubbling, which was further than I had EVER gotten with wine.

This forum seems like a great place to ask questions and learn more about what I'm doing. If somebody could give me their opinion about the following question, I'd appreciate it: my kit instructions say to leave the wort in the primary for two days after the airlock stops bubbling. Then I'm supposed to proceed directly to bottling, and let it sit in bottles for the next 2-ish weeks. This seems like an awfully short amount of time. From what I've read on this forum and elsewhere, there are mixed reviews about using a secondary fermenter - and I'm wondering if it's necessary, or if should just be leaving the wort in the primary for a longer period of time - what are your thoughts?

I'm so glad to be doing this - I felt really guilty about failing at my first attempt, but what can I say? I like beer better than wine anyway.

Thanks,
Kathy

 

[andhou27]

The use of secondary fermentation is VERY polarizing. I avoid it, unless it is required (as in dry hopping, adding fruit, or in high ABV beers where the yeast might produce off flavors). Two days after active fermentation is too early to move to a secondary anyway; the yeast continue to ferment and clean up the beer. I'd say no less than two weeks if you are just going by time. You could also measure your gravity and see if the yeast converted the amount of sugar it was supposed it, however this is a more advanced technique and will require instruments like a hydrometer or a refractometer. My advice would be to leave it in the primary for two weeks, then bottle it and let it sit for two more weeks, then try it. Then you can age a few if you want and drink the rest! Welcome and happy brewing!

 

[milldoggy]

Beer can be bottled faster than wine, so 2 weeks is enough. I always do 3 in primary, then keg. No secondary. Your active fermentation will take 2 to 5 days, then the yeast need some time to be fat and do some magic.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Home Brew mobile app

 

[Cyclman]

Welcome to the hobby, and the group, from CO.

Most beers are best in primary for 3 weeks, then bottle.

 

[Schmaffy]

That's all really helpful, thank you!

So my new plan is to keep the wort in the primary until January 19, which will be 18 days, and then proceed right to bottling. So of course I have more questions.

I don't have a bottling bucket. Is it acceptable to rack my liquid into my cleaned and sanitized brew pot or a glass carboy instead? I'm thinking this might help me avoid any sediment on the bottle of my primary. Any reason why I can't do this to bottle?

Also, I've seen lots of people refer to testing the gravity multiple times before bottling. I was always under the impression that you only test one more time, just to make sure your FG is in range. Should I be testing more often? Fermentation has drastically slowed (it's been 4 days since I brewed and I'm down to 1 bubble about every 5-6 seconds) so should I test now and then test again before I bottle? Will that introduce more/too much air into my primary?

I'm having so much fun with this - I've already planned out my next 3 brews in my head, haha.

Thanks again!

 

[milldoggy]

How are you going to bottle, do you have a bottling wamd? Where are you located, I can donors you a bottling bucket.

 

[Schmaffy]

Well, that's awfully nice of you, but really not necessary. I'm in Palmyra, just east of Hershey.

My plan for bottling is to use my auto siphon and bottling wand. In that case, is a bottling bucket really necessary, or just more convenient?

Any thoughts on my question about checking gravity?

 

[hotspurdotus]

Hey Schmaffy, just wanted to say welcome. I'm originally from Palmyra, though I live in WV now. Good luck brewing, and go Cougars!

As to your question, I check gravity just before pitching the yeast, and then leave the beer for at least a week, usually two before checking again.

Sent from my EVO using Home Brew mobile app

 

[Schmaffy]

GO COUGARS!!

 

[milldoggy]

I rarely check gravity, hell I forget to check og sometimes. If you pitch enough yeast, have a healthly fermentation, you are probably ok after 2-3 weeks. You still need a secondary vessel to transfer your beer to before bottling because you need to blend in your priming sugar.

 

[Schmaffy]

You still need a secondary vessel to transfer your beer to before bottling because you need to blend in your priming sugar.

Thanks - I do realize that. My question was: since I don't have a bottling bucket, can I use anything as a secondary vessel? Glass, plastic, stainless steel, etc.? Or does it have to be something specific?

Thanks.

 

[milldoggy]

Any thing will work. Bottling buckets just have a spigot at them bottom that you can bottle from, since you are going to use your siphon, anythinh works. I like to bottle with my autosiphon also.

 

[Schmaffy]

Awesome, thank you!

And thanks for your patience with all my questions. I'm trying really hard to RDWHAHB, but I dont H any HB to H yet.

 

[milldoggy]

You are on the path to drinking good and having the best hobby the world could invent. In ancient Egypt, brewers got their own tomb.

 

[Talonracer67]

Another PA guy!!! WOOT,WOOT!! Howdy. As you have discovered this site is awesome. I don't have alot of posts because every darn question i could think of is on here already. Don't believe me?? Just Google any question, 9 times out of 10 it links back to HBT

 

[Schmaffy]

Another PA guy!!! WOOT,WOOT!! Howdy. As you have discovered this site is awesome. I don't have alot of posts because every darn question i could think of is on here already. Don't believe me?? Just Google any question, 9 times out of 10 it links back to HBT

PA gal, but thanks for the welcome.