misinformation

[n00bBrew3r]

i got most of my home brewing tips from this guy on youtube http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoHbeio8mHTGe4G0dkTONrg
this post isn't meant to bash or anything negative but since i have started my first batch i signed up here and have pretty much followed this guys recipe for an irish stout and he says to pitch and ferment anywhere between 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit and EVERONE on this forum has been telling me that 75 degrees is too high and will give me "off flavors" so then what temperatures are the highest and lowest??? i pitched high around 88 to 89 degrees because i had already added all of the water and was afraid to let the wort sit for fear of contamination, but i've kept constant ferm temperature between 74 and 76.

 

[BoomerHarley]

Well basically the yeast will work at that temp. However it is likely to cause off flavors. At lower temps, for that style about 68-70, you will have less off flavors.

 

[sweetcell]

first off, what yeast did you use? check out the manufacturer's website for the recommended range.

but generally, unless you used a belgian yeast 75 & up is indeed too hot. doesn't necessarily mean your beer is ruined, some off-flavors might be minor. one of the most notable impacts of fermenting too hot, IMO, is hot alcohol flavors (fusels).

 

[brew_ny]

was afraid to let the wort sit for fear of contamination

I have 11.5 gallons of wort that I finished brewing at 11.30 am that will sit and cool in my garage in the brew kettle with the lid on until about 12.30 pm tomorrow until I can pitch my yeast

it has been too cold to use a immersion chiller here my last 5 brews so I have been doing no chill

and it has worked out great

I pitch my yeast at 63 or 64 degrees F and ferment at 66 degrees

but if hotter works for you and you like your brews it is all good

all the best

S_M

 

[n00bBrew3r]

it was coopers stout LME so i used the yeast that came under the lid

 

[n00bBrew3r]

well it WAS my first batch lol...still learning a lot

 

[unionrdr]

In that case,66F to about 69F is a good range for the Cooper's yeast. It works even better rehydrated. I chill a couple gallons of local spring water in the fridge a day or two before brew day. Chill the wort down to about 75F,then strain into fermenter. This gets the gunk out & aerates it nicely. Then top off with the really cold water to recipe volume. In Cooper's case,23L or 6.072 USG. This gets the wort temp down to about 65F. Stir roughly 3-5 minutes to mix wort & top off before taking hydrometer sample & pitching yeast.

 

[n00bBrew3r]

its a no boil kit what gunk are you referring to?

 

[brew_ny]

well it WAS my first batch lol...still learning a lot

I am taking it that you are not drinking it as of yet ? or have you ?


S_M

 

[BoomerHarley]

Ok I just watched one of that guy Craig's videos. Well part of it at least. Enough to tell me that you should not be watching his videos for anything but entertainment value.

Sure he makes beer. But I wouldn't want to drink it. Every step of the way it's like this. Sure it will work. But so will boiling up some old wort and tossing it outside in a field and waiting a month or so. Doesn't mean it is going to taste good. What this guy is making is rotgut beer.

 

[Schol-R-LEA]

it was coopers stout LME so i used the yeast that came under the lid

Yes, then anything above 75° F would be very high for that yeast; the rated range for it is 65°-75° F. That's a pretty broad range, and higher than many ale yeasts, but it's still not advisable to go above that.

Note also that the packets that come with those kits can be a problem, if the kit is more than a year old - many small HBSes may have kits on hand for a long time indeed. If the store gets a fair amount of turn-over in its stock, then it should be fine; but yeast from two or more years ago is likely to be badly stressed. It's not something to worry about too much, but you should be aware of it.

 

[n00bBrew3r]

its on day 5 in the primary

 

[n00bBrew3r]

What this guy is making is rotgut beer.

lol well any advice on who might be a good example to follow?

 

[brew_ny]

its on day 5 in the primary

be sure to let us know how it turns out

all the best

S_M

 

[beersnblues]

Noobbrew,
I agree with all that has been said about maintaining fermentation temp etc. I would also suggest that you don't let this experience get you down. I'm pretty sure this beer will turn out great. You just want to drink it right? No competitions or anything? Just have patience with the beer and I think you will end up with something very drinkable. Don't get discouraged, just try to learn something from every brew. Don't let this get you down.

 

[n00bBrew3r]

Noobbrew,
I agree with all that has been said about maintaining fermentation temp etc. I would also suggest that you don't let this experience get you down. I'm pretty sure this beer will turn out great. You just want to drink it right? No competitions or anything? Just have patience with the beer and I think you will end up with something very drinkable. Don't get discouraged, just try to learn something from every brew. Don't let this get you down.

Not for competition just for a fun hobby and to enjoy, it is my first batch but i plan on letting it sit for at least 2 weeks in primary...i won't let it bother me ill just learn from it besides i'm planning on my next batch already, IPA!!!

 

[fosaisu]

lol well any advice on who might be a good example to follow?

I'd recommend How to Brew by Palmer. I started with that and felt well taken care of. The only thing I'd note is that this book still recommends "secondary fermentation" (i.e. transfering to a clean bucket/carboy after fermentation slows down), which many people now believe is unnecessary work (and additional oxydization risk) unless you're making a very strong beer that will be sitting in the fermenter for months rather than weeks.

[DISCLAIMER: I haven't watched the YouTube videos, so I can't say whether they're any good, though based on my own unpleasant experience with fermentations that got into his recommended temp ranges, I might look for other sources of info]

 

[beersnblues]

Great attitude! Brew on my friend. Please let us know. I'll bet it's gonna be great!

 

[BoomerHarley]

Not for competition just for a fun hobby and to enjoy, it is my first batch but i plan on letting it sit for at least 2 weeks in primary...i won't let it bother me ill just learn from it besides i'm planning on my next batch already, IPA!!!

If you are going to do an ipa, I highly suggest buying some hops and adding them to the fermenter after a week or so. Maybe an ounce of anything that starts with C. Simcoe, Amarillo, Mosiac will also work well.

 

[Toga]

The others are correct. Most ale yeast strains give off less esters while fermenting if fermented a low temps. Some strains do quite well at higher temps such as farmhouse ale strains, Belgian strains, and a few commonly used strains do as well. I found the coopers yeast gives off fruity esters if fermented at 75-78 degrees and otherwise is still pretty clean. It is an English ale yeast kinda fruity. Just in a bigger way.If fermented in the 60's it is a pretty clean yeast.

 

[n00bBrew3r]

whole leaf or pellet?(kind of on a budget)

 

[max384]

CraigTube is awesome. Some of what he says is a little off at times, but he never claims to be an expert. He's been learning as he's been going with his videos. He started brewing because the beer was so damned expensive in Canada due to taxes. As he went along, he learned that he also loved brewing. I wouldn't use him as your sole source of brewing information, but he's fun to watch.

 

[BoomerHarley]

whole leaf or pellet?(kind of on a budget)

Doesn't matter man. PM me your address, I'll send you some.