My first brew. Please assure me it will be okay!

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Lancezos

Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2008
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Location
Port Matilda, PA
OK, so I brewed my first batch last night. It was Northern Brewer's Scottish 60/- extract kit. Followed the instructions and everything went great. Cooled the wort in my sink with ice water for about 20min then poured it into my bucket primary with cold water in it. Temp said 70 degrees so I pitched the yeast. Put the lid on and then while putting the airlock in the rubber grommet for the airlock fell in the wort (my kit only came with 1 lid). Now I realized why the instructions said to put the airlock on first then the lid, that's my first lesson learned. So I hurried up and sanitized my secondary. While it was sanitizing I fished around for about a minute with a santized spoon but couldn't find it. I then just slowly poured the wort from the primary to the secondary and there it was on the bottom.. Put it back in the lid and the airlock and sealed the lid. This morning, about 12 hours later the airlock is bubbling about every second.

My first question: The yeast were pitched for about 10 minutes then poured into the secondary. What's the chance of oxidation at that point if they were only in there for that long?

My second question: My secondary bucket has a spigot that I'm using as the primary now and the instructions say a secondary is not necessary for this brew. Can I add priming sugar directly to it before bottling and use the spigot or is there going to be much trub at the bottom to do this? The spigot is approx. 1 in from the bottom of the bucket.

Thanks in advance for all who reply I have found many great answers on this site and look forward to posting.
 
First answer: there will be no oxidation. if it were hours later, you might expect some.

Second answer: You won't want to add priming sugar to your primary fermentation vessel and bottle from it simply because you'd have to stir it - don't want to stir up all that trub (there will be an inch, give or take). you really need a bottling bucket, and in this case it sounds like you'll be using your spigot-less bucket. I guess you'll get to practice siphoning.
 
My second question: My secondary bucket has a spigot that I'm using as the primary now and the instructions say a secondary is not necessary for this brew. Can I add priming sugar directly to it before bottling and use the spigot or is there going to be much trub at the bottom to do this? The spigot is approx. 1 in from the bottom of the bucket.

If you have an autosiphon.. and don't fill your primary when it is time to bottle, then I would rack from you current (secondary) back to your primary with your carbing sugar. Then bottle from the autosiphon and primary. If you try to mix your priming sugar into the current fermenter after a few weeks, you will likely disturb the trub and have too much in your bottles. To keep it clean, you could go the other way with a siphon.

I am still a noob, so you may want to get other inputs as well. I have had much better luck though getting the beer off of the trub before bottling.

Good Luck
 
Thanks for the fast responses! Ok good, that makes me feel much better.
Yea not mixing the trub back up makes a lot of sense now, I forgot about stirring. I do not have an autosiphon so I guess now I debate whether to purchase one or practice the manual way.
 
Get an autosiphon, only $8 and saves alot of trouble, minimizes risk of infection, you can hang your bottling wand off the end for bottling if you don't have a bottling bucket or secondary with a spigot(your situation now).

You will use it, it beats all the other cludged ways I have read people trying and only adding risk to the process.
 
I hate bottling from siphons... I personally wouldn't bottle using the siphon. I would just wait the week or two that you plan on keeping the beer in the primary and then rack the beer into the secondary (your primary, I think) for another 1-2 weeks. This will allow you to condition you beer a bit more and also reclaim that bottling bucket of yours. Once your ready to bottle, simply transfer back from the primary bucket to your bottling bucket with the priming solution. Much easier than trying to use a siphon for bottling. You pretty much need 4 hands to do that job...
 
I generally agree, but it sounded like Lancezos didn't want to move to secondary, so I was offering an option without that step.

So, its a balance of the risk of a second transfer vs. the challenge of bottling off of an autosiphon.

Pros and cons for both, your call.

I still think that it is a good idea to have the siphon.

Of course the risk is compounded with the fact that 1 unneccessary transfer has already occurred. Oh well.

The beauty is that there are all of these options and ways to work it, so take notes, sanitize, and RDWHAHB!!!
 
You have to get an autosiphon. It is really a fundamental piece of equipment. You've got a few weeks before bottling anyway, so you've got plenty of time.

As an alternative to bottling directly from the autosiphon or racking to secondary, you can also get a valve assembly to install on your other bucket. Any homebrew store will sell them or you can buy it online. It is cheap. You'll need a drill and a 1" spade bit to install it. You could probably even bring the bucket in to the shop and they install it for you for free.

FWIW, you have to be diligent about sanitation when using a bucket with a valve because all those parts leave places for nasties to hide. Every time you clean and/or sanitize, you have to take it completely apart and clean all the parts separately.

Anyway, don't worry about it. I completely f'ed up my first brew in about 6 different ways and it turned out fine.
 
Oxidation: ten minutes after pitching the yeast is not a problem. Oxygen is good for the yeast at the beginning. Some people even pump oxygen directly into their wort just before pitching the yeast. You just don't want to oxygen later in the process.

Bottling -- as others have said you don't want to stir up the trub. You have another option, just add the priming sugar directly to the bottles. You can either measure out 3/4 tsp in each 12 oz bottle, or you can get the carbonation drops. I've done it both ways.
 
rubber grommet for the airlock fell in the wort

I've done it. The beer was fine.

What's the chance of oxidation at that point if they were only in there for that long?

Zilch. Until you see signs of yeast activity there is no chance of oxidation.

I agree with priming in a separate bucket. I guess I have a different preference here -- I always bottle with an auto siphon. I have a spigot and I have never, ever used it. I like the auto siphon better.
 
Thanks for all the posts guys!

I think i'll invest in an autosiphon and another spigot and drill the other bucket out as well and get another lid as well. that way I'll only have to siphon once and reduce transfers.

Do you guys think I should rack it in secondary for awhile? I don't think I can wait that long.

Also, this morning I noticed no bubbles from the airlock (about 32 hours after pitch) but the lid still has pressure on it (press on the lid lots of bubbles). It was bubbling like crazy yesterday. The temp said 68
 
Hopefully, I am going to beat Revvy on this reply.... :rockin:

There are pros and cons both ways.

Revvy and several others, plus myself as a disciple, believe it is better to leave it in primary... as long as we are not talking more than 4-6 weeks. It clears just the same, reduces the steps before bottling/kegging, reduces the chance of screwing it up yet again, and that many less times to clean and sanitize all the gear. I don't have much experience, but it seems to work great for me.

I do know that if you are going to add fruit or dry hopping, then you should move to secondary, but otherwise, it may not matter.

Also, this morning I noticed no bubbles from the airlock (about 32 hours after pitch) but the lid still has pressure on it (press on the lid lots of bubbles). It was bubbling like crazy yesterday. The temp said 68

AND, .... oooo I am all tingly anticipating my reply.... you masters reading in on this should feel very proud ......

Your airlock is not necessarily an indication of fermentation. Do not watch it, do not count the bubbles, step away from the beer, wait 3 weeks, then get your hydrometer out!!!

Invite me over after 3 weeks in the bottle at 70F. :mug:
 
Thanks for all the posts guys!

I think i'll invest in an autosiphon and another spigot and drill the other bucket out as well and get another lid as well. that way I'll only have to siphon once and reduce transfers.

Do you guys think I should rack it in secondary for awhile? I don't think I can wait that long.

Also, this morning I noticed no bubbles from the airlock (about 32 hours after pitch) but the lid still has pressure on it (press on the lid lots of bubbles). It was bubbling like crazy yesterday. The temp said 68

Did you use any steeping grains in your brew or is it a no boil kit? When your using grains, you want to give it a little more time for clarification. I don't think it's as important with a no-boil kit.

Some of the guys are recommending to let it sit a few weeks before bottling. They are probably right, it will make your beer better. However, I understand what it's like waiting for your first batch to be done. If you don't want to wait, I say bottle after a week (assuming your hydrometer says it's done.) It will still improve with time in the bottles.
 
Your airlock is not necessarily an indication of fermentation. Do not watch it, do not count the bubbles, step away from the beer, wait 3 weeks, then get your hydrometer out!!!

Invite me over after 3 weeks in the bottle at 70F. :mug:

Ok good. I assumed no CO2 bubbles, no fermentation. I'll have to stop checking it every hour I'm home:D

I did use steeping grains, Specialty Grains, 0.50 lbs. Briess Caramel 80. Here's the kit inventory:
Specialty Grains:
* 0.50 lbs. Briess Caramel 80
Fermentables:
* 3.15 lbs. Amber Malt Syrup
* 1 lbs. Briess Dark DME
* 0.5 oz. Northern Brewer (60 min)
Yeast (Dry):
* Safbrew S-33. Optimum temperature: 59-75° F.


So maybe I'll wait the recommended 2 weeks in the primary then 2 weeks bottled. As long as I have a home brew to RDWHAHB, I'll let my second batch in longer whatever I decide to brew.
 
three weeks in the bottles is recommended. You can try one at 2, but keep the rest at room temperature for at least another week. In other words, don't put all your bottles in the fringe after two weeks, there not quite done yet. I leave all my bottles out until I'm ready to drink them.


Also, if you used Irish moss, you'll have some clumps of trub in your fermenter, try to keep those out of your bottles.
 
Back
Top