just started first beer

[workman]

Hello, I picked up a five gallon starter kit at my local store this weekend and my first batch is in the fermenter. I bought a stout extract and was surprised at how easy it was to get going. I noticed the faint pleasant scent of baking bread this morning when I poked my head into the room that I am using as a brewery so I think I am off to a good start.

After spending some time poking around on the faq pages I have decided that unless I want to start a second batch I probably dont need to rack my beer to a secondary vessel. This leaves me with one question, the directions I was given recommend one week in primary, one week in secondary then to the bottles. If I skip the secondary do I just leave it for two weeks then bottle or does it need more time? From what I have seen here two weeks seems like it could be short.

The directions also failed to mention aeration, I hope that skipping this step doesnt throw my batch off.

 

[DoctorMemory]

Congratulations and welcome to the hobby! You'll be fine with no aeration, it's recommended but not required. Two weeks in primary is a good minimum, I'd recommend three weeks as a good rule of thumb. The way to be sure is to use a hydrometer. Take a reading after a week, then wait a couple of days and take another reading. If it's somewhere around where you're supposed to be (check the directions that came with your kit), and the two readings are the same, you should be OK to bottle. If the second one is a little lower than the first, wait another couple of days and check it again. Once you get consistent readings, go ahead and bottle. Plan to let it sit in the bottle for at least two weeks, probably closer to four for a stout. Enjoy!

 

[a6ladd]

First off, welcome!

I typically leave my beer in the primary for roughly 3 weeks before bottling/kegging it. One benefit of the secondary is added clarity but I find, especially with a yeast strain that has high flocculation, that only using the primary fermenter for a three week period of time clears my brew up nicely

 

[DocScott]

The current talk these days seems to be that most beers don't require secondary fermentation. Leave it in the primary for 2-3 weeks and cold crash it for a few days before bottling/kegging. That should allow most yeast to drop and clear it and give sufficient time for conditioning for most beers.

 

[workman]

Thanks for the info guys, I am looking forward to drinking my own beer.

 

[johnp]

One benefit of the secondary is added clarity

This could be confusing. The clarity comes from yeast and trub falling out of suspension, this could happen in primary if you leave it sit long enough.

It varies beer to beer. Once your FG is stable you're ok to bottle. Some feel leaving it to bulk age for a few more weeks adds clarity, helps the yeast clean up off flavors (though it's been said this only takes a couple days), and helps the yeast cake compact (easier to rack clear beer from).

 

[workman]

Is clarity an issue with a stout?

 

[Getzinator]

Welcome!

You're going to see there are many different opinions and facts flying around about what is best to do with your beer.
All that I could add to this discussion, is that it's very very difficult to ruin your beer. Sanitize everything, make sure your hydrometer readings show fermentation has stopped, and the most important thing you can do is to relax.

I try my beer at 7, 14, and 21 days in bottle just to see how it develops. You'll be amazed at what you find.

 

[RmikeVT]

I used to be insistent on going into secondary after one week in primary. I though somehow this was going to have some miraculous affect on my beer. Not the case, I have not noticed any improvement in my final product.

When I first started up I wish I had spent more time and energy focused on proper fermentation temperature control and pitching the proper amount of healthy yeast....rather than on whether or not to put into a secondary tank. Proper ferm temp and lots of healthy yeast have a huge impact on the beer.

 

[workman]

Temp is an issue right now. It is hot as hell in oklahoma city. I am leaving the house at 75 during the day. A wine fridge would make this easier.

 

[twistr25]

If you don't have one already, a swamp cooler is a great, cheap and easy solution. Use either a rubbermaid storage bin or a rope handle laundry basket. Fill it 2/3 or so with water and either use frozen water bottles or a soaked towel/tshirt with a fan to help regulate the temperature.

 

[RmikeVT]

Temp is an issue right now. It is hot as hell in oklahoma city. I am leaving the house at 75 during the day. A wine fridge would make this easier.

I happened to have one of those igloo cube coolers in the basement. I started using that as a swamp cooler and can generally keep the water stable around 62* by dropping in a frozen water bottle in the morning before I go to work and at night before I go to bed. Some recipes call for letting it warm up for the last 3rd of fermentation and I've found that if I stop putting ice in, it warms up about a degree or two a day. Before I started using the cube cooler I was using a rubbermaid rope handle bucket and it didn't hold consistent temps nearly as well as the cooler. The lid comes off real easy too, so I haven't ruined my cooler. I fill with water and dump a cap full of bleach in for piece of mind. My basement ambient in the summer is between 72 and 78 degrees. This has had a huge impact on the quality of my beer. HUGE. I find that I can get 4.5% and lower ABV beers into a glass, tasting great in much less time than before I started doing this.

 

[workman]

thanks for the info, i will probably do that if i start another batch this month. temps should be nice for brewing once fall hits.

 

[phatspade]

The biggest rule to remember is to stay relaxed and enjoy brewing.

Higher gravity beers take longer to ferment completely. I don't remember the magic number that most say is the line between low and high gravity, but I'm thinking higher than 1.060ish.

Secondary fermentation really isn't needed at all, even if you dry hop. I personally recommend to do secondary when dry hopping, but I try not to as racking to secondary creates an opportunity for the nasties to invade the beer.

If you plan on priming then give the beer a month to carb up and condition, but there's nothing wrong with checking it frequently if you don't mind having a 6 pack left when the beer is at it's prime :cross:.

Good luck and welcome! I got my fingers crossed in hopes this first batch will turn out for you!

 

[workman]

I have a couple of things i am wondering about. I started this batch on Sunday (4 days ago) the next morning it smelled like beer/bread in my guest room. Since then I have seen no movement in my airlock and the airlock no longer smells like beer. I am guessing the fermentation level has fallen low enough that its not pushing much gas out anymore. I was a little concerned about my yeast as the directions I was given stated to "stir it in" (have since read that this is not the best practice). I tried to do this but it just ended up sticking to the spoon. I caused a whirlpool trying to get it off but then much of it was stuck to the sides of my fermenter. I finally just capped it and decided to hope for the best.

I decided to have a peek this morning (took a pic for you guys) and noticed lots of black stuff on the walls of the pail. I am guessing that during that first day it bubbled up and left some sugars on that yeast that was stuck to the walls. I also noticed some light foam bubbling going on (as seen in pic) so everything is probably going as planned?

(i am guessing you guys are going to say "it looks like its turning into beer, RDWHAHB, etc." but just double checking)

 

[twistr25]

Yep, RDWHAHB. The side is just residue left over from where the krausen has dropped. Middle is yeast rafts and some CO2 off-gassing. Airlock activity lets you know something is happening, doesn't tell you what is happening. No bubbles, just means no bubbles, could still be fermenting. Since you've only been four days, and I know this is going to sound like torture, leave it alone for another 2 1/2 weeks. Don't check on it, other than to make sure your temps are good. Take a reading after that time and then another a couple days later and you should be good to bottle/keg. The more you open, the better chance for an infection.

 

[workman]

thanks twistr, i will resist the urge to have a peek in the future

 

[Getzinator]

I definitely agree with twistr. You're having natural worries over things you'll be happy to see in the future. My third batch actually took about 7 days before the airlock even started bubbling.

If you honestly can't wait the full 2.5 weeks to do anything with your beer (I have never been able to wait), sanitize everything and rack to a secondary in about 1-1.5 weeks. Makes me feel important when I do things to my beer. :fro:

 

[workman]

I've been trying to drink new craft beers to keep my mind off of my brew, tried left hands sawtooth last night and really enjoyed it.

 

[dstranger99]

thanks twistr, i will resist the urge to have a peek in the future

Lol, you sound as bad as I used to be.. Mine would stop bubbling, then I'd shake he sh*t out of it, wait awhile, come back with a flashlight and try to peer down the airlock..........

 

[phatspade]

Lol, you sound as bad as I used to be.. Mine would stop bubbling, then I'd shake he sh*t out of it, wait awhile, come back with a flashlight and try to peer down the airlock..........

I worry so much I'd check on it daily just to see if it's still going. Wife kept telling me I should marry it.

 

[naga77777]

I worry so much I'd check on it daily just to see if it's still going. Wife kept telling me I should marry it.

LOL. Best/worst thing I recently did was bought a better bottle. All I had until then was buckets.

Now, I come home, check the primary buckets in the ferm chamber, then open the closet to look at my first batch in secondary.

I stare at it longingly for a while, then go open a craft brew since none of mine are done yet

 

[Getzinator]

Wife kept telling me I should marry it.

I stare at it longingly for a while...

It's hilarious how I've been there. Only difference is my SWMBO is currently my fiance, soon to be wief.

While my primary bucket is bubbling away, I find it far more enjoyable to just sit and stare at the airlock bubble than anything I could be watching on TV. What? I'm not weird, you're weird!

 

[workman]

looking forward to bottling, cant wait to start on the next batch. man cannot live on stouts alone! (i have tried)

 

[phatspade]

I think it's funny cause I go into a daze just thinking about how much I'm going to enjoy the first bottle of that batch.