JetSmooth
Well-Known Member
I pitched a rehydrated packet of dry Nottingham into five gallons of BM's Centennial Blonde. If my hydrometer reading was correct, it was at 1.048. At first, I placed the glass carboy under the stairs, where the temp had been around 60 degrees F (but the thermometer I'd been using broke, so I haven't been able to accurately read for a few days). Before pitching, I shook the bejeebus out of the carboy and there was a lot of froth.
Over the course of two days, the froth subsided and I didn't see any visible fermentation signs. I'm using a 3/4inch hose clamped to a carboy cap with the end stuck in a jar of StarSan, so hard to see bubbles that build up.
I eventually moved the carboy into my bathroom, which has an AC service vent. I keep the door closed and it gets pretty comfy in there. Heat is currently set to 67 at night and 69 in the daytime. I expect the bathroom holds around 66 or 67.
This morning, most of the aeration froth had subsided and I still didn't see anything really, maybe a slight "scum" of bubbles. When I got home from work, I could see they were growing; a good sign? I decided to try to take a hydrometer reading, but my wine thief couldn't draw enough in to float the hydrometer. I didn't want to muck around in it too much, though I am sure I sprayed the heck out of everything with StarSan.
About two hours later, there entire top of the surface has about a quarter inch of frothy foam. I wouldn't call it gunky like some krausens look. I guess I kicked up the yeast just enough to get it moving in the new, higher temp.
We'll see what it's doing in the morning, and I'll have to improvise to get a better hydrometer reading, maybe draw with the thief, release into a glass, then draw a second amount and add the first. But then I don't think I'd be comfortable returning it.
Just wondering if this is typical behavior for Notty. Or if I'm off to a bad start with this one. I'd get some pics, but it's bed time.
Over the course of two days, the froth subsided and I didn't see any visible fermentation signs. I'm using a 3/4inch hose clamped to a carboy cap with the end stuck in a jar of StarSan, so hard to see bubbles that build up.
I eventually moved the carboy into my bathroom, which has an AC service vent. I keep the door closed and it gets pretty comfy in there. Heat is currently set to 67 at night and 69 in the daytime. I expect the bathroom holds around 66 or 67.
This morning, most of the aeration froth had subsided and I still didn't see anything really, maybe a slight "scum" of bubbles. When I got home from work, I could see they were growing; a good sign? I decided to try to take a hydrometer reading, but my wine thief couldn't draw enough in to float the hydrometer. I didn't want to muck around in it too much, though I am sure I sprayed the heck out of everything with StarSan.
About two hours later, there entire top of the surface has about a quarter inch of frothy foam. I wouldn't call it gunky like some krausens look. I guess I kicked up the yeast just enough to get it moving in the new, higher temp.
We'll see what it's doing in the morning, and I'll have to improvise to get a better hydrometer reading, maybe draw with the thief, release into a glass, then draw a second amount and add the first. But then I don't think I'd be comfortable returning it.
Just wondering if this is typical behavior for Notty. Or if I'm off to a bad start with this one. I'd get some pics, but it's bed time.