Munton's Hand Crafted American Style IPA questions

[GizmoKodiak]

Hello everyone!

I have a few questions if anyone could help me. I've started on my second brew now, first one being a Munton's Connoisseur's IPA that I think I brewed a little too warm as it came out okay, but perhaps a little too fruity. My mates were nice and said it had a honey like taste, but I knew I might have done it a bit wrong. Anyway, This time I let the brew cool down to about 70°, aerating it furiously and then adding the dry yeast that I rehydrated for about 20 mins. The room I kept it it has an ambient temp of about 65-67° and the brew, after a sluggish start is now happily bubbling away at around 68°.

Now my questions, the kit came with summit hops, and after reading about them I heard they may give an oniony flavor? If anyone has done this kit and noticed this? Also, as per instructions, I dry hopped after 4 days in the primary. I think it'll stop bubbling in about a another week, but will this be too long for the dry hops? I took a peek and see now that there's a dark layer on the krausen, I assume this is the dry hops? Anyway, I'm doing my best to try and keep the brew temp stable at 68°, is this still too warm?

Apologies for all these newbie questions!

 

[STMF]

Hi,

68 is ok/fine, depending on the yeast ofcourse. Just know that if the temperature of the fermenting beer will be higher than the ambient temperature, sometimes quite alot.

Don't misstake a bubbling airlock with fermenting beer. The beer will release CO2 long after fermentation is done. You need to meassure the gravity of the beer to know if it is done or not. Fermentation with a normal gravity beer at room temperature is usually dont within 5 days if you pitch enough healthy yeast. If you fermentation was sluggish it might take a few extra days. But, the only way to know is to meassure.

The temperature and lenght of dry hopping is impossible to answer. Every brewer will have his/her answer. Mine would be 4-5 days at fermentation temperature.

 

[GizmoKodiak]

Alright! Thanks for the answers. It’s been 6 days since I pitched the yeast, so I’ll measure the gravity tomorrow and then again in a few days. If there’s a thick layer of krausen still, should I use the tap thats on the fermenter or try and make a little space in the krausen and drop the meter directly in?

 

[STMF]

Definatly the tap. You don't want to put stuff in the beer, or even open the lid to let more oxygen in.

 

[GizmoKodiak]

Cheers! I’ll do that then!

 

[GizmoKodiak]

Alright, I checked the gravity yesterday and its at 1,018, OG was 1,050. The instructions say that I should wait till its under 1,014. I’ll give it another look tomorrow. Bubbing has stopped now. As I got a busy week coming I was thinking of bottling on Friday. I’m sure the brew will be fine till then?