I'm back!

[Warped04]

Well, after a two week delay for work and UPS, I finally got to brew for the first time in 5 years! I did an extract kit, and it ain't no 3 batches in one day, but it felt really good to sip on that wort again.

I'm going to get 2 to 3 of these under my belt before going up to PM.



-Wally

 

[c.n.budz]

welcome back

Hope your return brew goes well

 

[RichBrewer]

Here's to wort in the fermenter!
Let us know how it turns out.

 

[ArroganceFan]

Welcome back

What kind did you do?

 

[Warped04]

Here's to wort in the fermenter!
Let us know how it turns out.

Thanks RB...Will do.

Welcome back

What kind did you do?

I just did the MoreBeer.com Porter Extract Kit. My buddy and I used to drink it by the gallon back in college.

 

[Warped04]

Everything is going great. But I do have a question...As a new brewer, I also had a problem keeping my fermentation temperatures in line. It never got horrible, but I just always pushed the boundries of the "happy zone."

Now that I'm older, a little wiser, have better access to the brewing beer, I'm able to keep the temp better, by soaking my carboy in 66 degree water.

My fermentation started a little slow (I didn't make a starter), but I expected that...and the airlock is happily bubbling at once every 5 seconds, and I expect that to pick up soon.

A nice krausian (sp) is starting to form, but I'm noticing something that I'm not alarmed about, but thought I should ask about. Below the water line it looks like yeast is clumping on the sides, and I'm getting a layer of trub on the bottom.

#1 is this going to hurt the beer (I'm guessing not), but thought I'd ask. #2 Should I give the carboy a good shake (at some point I know this becomes bad for the beer?). And #3, so I raise the temperature and then try to lower it later? I was kind of expecting the yeast to drop as the fermentation was ending.

Thanks for the help

-Wally

 

[malkore]

no, that trub and yeast on the walls is perfectly normal. glass and plastic are different enough that yeast and trub cling to them differently.

I use an auto-siphon because its so simple and effective, and because its got a great little spacer on the intake that has always kept it from sucking up sediment. if you don't have one yet, snag one. some people don't care for them, but they're fairly inexpensive.

edited to add: answering #2, its bad to 'shake' the beer any point after fermentation has started. adding air to the already fermenting or fermented beer oxidizes it. its also not a great idea to get a lot of air into hot wort. the rapid chilling after boiling is two fold. it helps minimize the chance for oxidation (80F is your safe temp to add oxygen to the wort) and because the quicker you cool it and get the yeast pitched the less chance for unwanted infection from wild yeast/mold/bacteria.

 

[Warped04]

Thanks....I just wanted to make sure.