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Willsellout said:
Congrats. I just racked my first batch to secondary after about a week in primary. I had kreusen after about 6 hours within my pitch and fermentation was almost nonexistent within 24-36 hours. I took a taste when I was racking, and it does indeed need some aging, but the flavor is there and it is really good. I kept my batch at around 68-70 degrees by putting it in a bucket of water and letting it sit. It kept the temps constant which was really nice.


Dan
Click to expand...


cool, i will be racking to a secondary next weekend, and tasting of course. :D

What is Kreusen? The foam that forms? I am fermenting in plastic, so I haven't popped the top to look, just been watching the airlock.

BTW, is it safe for me to pop the bucket top off and look inside?

May try some water around my primary for cooling, not sure how much it will help however.
 
Yes, it's the foam that forms during fermentation.

You could certainly open up the lid to take a quick peek. Just don't do it every day.
 
Fatabbot said:
Yes, it's the foam that forms during fermentation.

You could certainly open up the lid to take a quick peek. Just don't do it every day.
Click to expand...


thanks man...

btw, i am beginning to believe that my thermometer may be reading a little high.
i bought an $8 floating thermometer at my LHBS yesterday. i have kept it right on top of my primary bucket lid since fermenting began and it has consistently read 80 degrees.

for grins just now i filled up a bucket of cold tap water and floated the thermometer in it. It read around 88 degrees. Then I was really wondering what was up. So I used meat thermometer in the same water and it read 78 degrees.

Running a test now back on top of the primary lid with both thermometers.

a couple of questions.

1. which should be more accurate, floating glass thermomter or stainless meat thermometer?

2. can both types be accurate for air temps as well?

i am beginning to think my floater is a lemon... :drunk: this means my temps are really 5-10 degrees lower than i thought which is great !!!
 
BrewProject said:
thanks man...

btw, i am beginning to believe that my thermometer may be reading a little high.
i bought an $8 floating thermometer at my LHBS yesterday. i have kept it right on top of my primary bucket lid since fermenting began and it has consistently read 80 degrees.

for grins just now i filled up a bucket of cold tap water and floated the thermometer in it. It read around 88 degrees. Then I was really wondering what was up. So I used meat thermometer in the same water and it read 78 degrees.

Running a test now back on top of the primary lid with both thermometers.

a couple of questions.

1. which should be more accurate, floating glass thermomter or stainless meat thermometer?

2. can both types be accurate for air temps as well?

i am beginning to think my floater is a lemon... :drunk: this means my temps are really 5-10 degrees lower than i thought which is great !!!
Click to expand...


ok, my air temp results are in with both thermometers. Glass 80 degrees. Stainless steel meat thermometer 70 degrees...

i think it's safe to say, i may have to return the glass to my LHBS and get another one.

any comments from you guys regarding this discrepancy....
 
You know what I have found useful is a Fermometer. You attach it to the side of your fermenter and it shows the temp of the wort. They cost like a buck fifty a piece. It has been accurate within a degree when I checked. It's cool to just look at it on the outside, it makes things much easier. The water in the bucket helped me out a lot as my garage sits right arount 74 degrees. The water kept my temps about 4-6 degrees cooler. Although It's a lot hotter where you are and it might not do as much for you.


Dan
 
Willsellout said:
You know what I have found useful is a Fermometer. You attach it to the side of your fermenter and it shows the temp of the wort. They cost like a buck fifty a piece. It has been accurate within a degree when I checked. It's cool to just look at it on the outside, it makes things much easier. The water in the bucket helped me out a lot as my garage sits right arount 74 degrees. The water kept my temps about 4-6 degrees cooler. Although It's a lot hotter where you are and it might not do as much for you.


Dan
Click to expand...

Well my other bucket has one of those, but i wanted to use a secondary so i started my fermentation in my bottling bucket.

good point there however, i will purchase another one for my bottling bucket when i exchange my floating thermometer...
 
BrewProject said:
ok, my air temp results are in with both thermometers. Glass 80 degrees. Stainless steel meat thermometer 70 degrees...

i think it's safe to say, i may have to return the glass to my LHBS and get another one.

any comments from you guys regarding this discrepancy....
Click to expand...

You can test the accuracy of your thermometer by filling a regular drinking cup with ice and then add enough water to cover the ice. Place your stem thermometer in and you should get a reading of 32 degrees.
 
apparatus said:
You can test the accuracy of your thermometer by filling a regular drinking cup with ice and then add enough water to cover the ice. Place your stem thermometer in and you should get a reading of 32 degrees.
Click to expand...

that's true enough, or close to 32 degrees.

however, i have already determined it to be faulty.

the fermometer on my other bucket reads 75 degrees, the thermostat in the apartment does too. and the floater reads 85 :mad:

just for grins, i am trying the ice water measurement now.
 
as suspected, my floater is off by 10 degrees :drunk:

glass read 42, stainless read 32 in ice water.

oh well, good news is, all my temps are in the ideal range. :rockin:
 
apparatus said:
Cool! Sounds like you should have some good brew in a short while.
Click to expand...


that's the plan. finding my thermometer off by that much makes me feel much better about my chances now.
 
picture from yesterday about 4 hours after the airlock started releasing C02...

dcam1638sh6.jpg
 
well the airlock went from 1 bubble every 10 seconds, up to 1 every second until late yesterday when it started slowing down to a bubble every 2 seconds. Tonight its slowed to a bubble every 4 seconds.

Seems as though everything is coming along nicely. ;)

Just out of curiosity, I smelled the release of C02 from the airlock. It has a distinct beer/alcohol smell :rockin:

This Friday night will be 1 week in the primary. I plan on moving it into the secondary either then or during the weekend...

Can't wait for a little taster when racking to the secondary. :mug:
 
I taste every time I rack...it's just what has to be done and I am more than happy to have the job!
 
Tasting is a must! After a couple batches, you will be able to compare in flight tests to the finished product, and gauge progress a little better. So far, looking good. If you don't get to racking to sec on Friday night, and extra day is not the end of the world- my first brew did not even use a secondary-just 2 in the primary, and 2 in bottles. It was great. I do use secondaries all the time now, though, and even tertiaries if needed.
 
just out of curiosity do you guys do your tasters with room temp beer or do you put in the freezer for 15 mins first?

i know i used the freezer trick when tasting just before pitching my yeast.
 
Taste it at room temp. You will get the most flavor.

the colder it is, the less the flavors come out. that is true of finished beer as well.
 
Truble said:
Taste it at room temp. You will get the most flavor.

the colder it is, the less the flavors come out. that is true of finished beer as well.
Click to expand...

cool, thanks for the heads up...:mug:
 
No problem. Since I have been home brewing, I find that I drink most beers a lot warmer than I used to. That is not to say that an ice cold ale is not great on a hot day, but I don't like losing the ability to taste them. Now, I just chill them a bit prior to serving. In the winter, I just take them straight from the basement.
 
that's interesting. might take a little getting used too, as i have been programmed to get my beer as cold as possible...

makes sense however, that the warmer the temps the more the flavors and aroma's would divulge themselves...
 
You've been brainwashed by the Megabrews. No you know why they want their product serveed ice cold-so you can't taste it.
 
ok, tonight i am still bubbling out of the airlock at 1 bubble every 10 seconds.

tomorrow night is the completion of 1 week in my primary. following the 1-2-3 method, tomorrow night is my night to rack to my secondary.

my question is; has my fermentation slowed enough to move to the secondary?

based on the progress of the bubbling, i might expect to see 1 bubble every 12-15 seconds tomorrow night...

what do you experts say?

thanks
 
When the krausen drops and you see liquid on the surface then you'll know when it's time to rack to secondary.
 
Exo said:
When the krausen drops and you see liquid on the surface then you'll know when it's time to rack to secondary.
Click to expand...

cool, i'll take a peek at it tomorrow night after work. ;)


EDIT: btw, i just went and counted bubbles again, and it's already dropped off to 1 per 12 seconds, so its dropping off now.
 
ok, i just racked to the secondary...

everything went fairly smoothly...

A few points that might be noteworthy.
- SG measured in at 1.014, ABV should be at 4.6% now :ban:
- The trub on the bottom was only about 1/4" thick. I may have sucked up a little bit at the end however (not much however).
- Taste is much more beer like. i can taste the alcohol for sure. the sweetness although slighty still there has mellowed quite a bit.
- krausen had subsided.

one question, is this lack of trub normal? i was expecting an inch or more.

anyway, i am into the secondary for some clearing now. here's some pics:

just after popping the lid on the primary
dcam1639jc6.jpg


SG reading:
dcam1641qr1.jpg


Beer clarity:
dcam1642yl5.jpg
 
another quick question...

i have washed out the plastic bucket i used for a primary and can still smell the alcohol in it. i used some product that came with the kit.

should i put some other kind of soap in it and let it soak?

thanks
 
Denny's Brew said:
you can also do the 1 week 2 week, keg method whereas you can drink your beer without waitng 3 week to carbonate. Bets decison I ever made.

Now back to my new 3 tier build....
Click to expand...

I will probably look into a kegerator next year after I get out of my apartment and into a house. ;)
 
just checked on the airlock on the secondary.

1 bubble every 45 seconds, so fermentation continues.... :mug:

my SG would only need to drop off another 3/1000th to get a 5.0 ABV percentage. :rockin: :ban:

what's the chance of that with a bubble every 45 seconds?
 
bubbling off to 1 minute and 15 secs per bubble now....

droping fast...

Clearing time... :mug:
 
this John Bull American Bull got bottled yesterday...

Taste was really good. Even the SWMBO liked it...

FG 1.010, so ABV = 5.1%

WOOHOO :ban: :rockin: :mug:
 
Passload said:
Congrats!!!

A little info on your beer:
untitled.jpg


Cheers!
Justin
Click to expand...

thanks man, that Beer Smith program looks cool. I am downloading the FREE trial version now. :mug:
 
BrewProject said:
You're not harping... I appreciate all your responses.

Criticize when necessary dude.... But so far, i have heard any criticism, just constructive comments...
Click to expand...

i'll add one more -- i wouldn't ferment in a priming bucket, only because you are going to get a lot of nasty yeast cake stuck in the spigot, making it harder to clean fully for your next go round. only ferment in a bucket or carboy, not a spigotted priming bucket.
 
tockeyhockey said:
i'll add one more -- i wouldn't ferment in a priming bucket, only because you are going to get a lot of nasty yeast cake stuck in the spigot, making it harder to clean fully for your next go round. only ferment in a bucket or carboy, not a spigotted priming bucket.
Click to expand...

will do from now on, now that i have two buckets of each (2 with spigots, 2 without).

When i started this batch I only had two buckets and wanted my Spigot available for bottling... Since I planned on a secondary, I had no choice. Good news is my trub was less than 1/3"...

but great point, thanks for sharing... :rockin:
 

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