My first homebrew problem

[Kampenken]

so picture was for size comparison. .. im going to buy a smaller one and it wont have thermometer. ... so do i have to use separate container to test or can i just sanitize rinse and put hydrometer right in fermenter? and yes 1 g fermenter. im obviously not working with much brew. because of all that sediment.

I suppose putting into fermenter would be fine too so long as you can retrieve it back out ok, yet on this beer it may not work out given all the sediment. I use a vial as I brew 5g batches, so no big deal to lose some beer, but for you every drop is precious! BTW- I typically only take a hydro reading at bottling, I'm fine letting it run its course, and, gasp!, watching the bubbling activity (but don't tell anyone!). All mine end up at FG just fine.

 

[res1bcb1]

what is FG? and lol hey man everyone has their ways! i would prob do the same thing but only after i knew what in the hell i was doing lol

 

[res1bcb1]

do you think its possible to re strain the beer before i bottle it?

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

A hydrometer measures specific gravity. Your initial reading before you pitch your yeast is the OG (original gravity). The specific gravity that is taken several days apart and that hasn't changed is FG (final gravity). Using these two numbers you can calculate your alcohol by volume (ABV). Your brew has already been fermenting for some time, so you won't be able to measure your OG.

Let's say you waited for 10 more days, took a hydrometer reading and then waited 2 more days and took a second reading. If the values were the same you would know that fermentation was complete and you can bottle your beer without a worry in the world.

 

[res1bcb1]

by the way i used dry yeast ... never rehydrated is that an issue? and i never aerated i believe.... i just pitched the dry yeast in fermenter and shook it to death for about 2 mins...

 

[res1bcb1]

A hydrometer measures specific gravity. Your initial reading before you pitch your yeast is the OG (original gravity). The specific gravity that is taken several days apart and that hasn't changed is FG (final gravity). Using these two numbers you can calculate your alcohol by volume (ABV). Your brew has already been fermenting for some time, so you won't be able to measure your OG.

Let's say you waited for 10 more days, took a hydrometer reading and then waited 2 more days and took a second reading. If the values were the same you would know that fermentation was complete and you can bottle your beer without a worry in the world.

so all in all only time will tell... regardless even if kreusen doesnt appear no big deal right? by the way this is an IPA... name was everyday IPA from brooklyn brew shop.. and im thinking that god only knows how old the yeast was in the package. idk... i can still see bubbling in fermenter and airlock occasionally pops a bubble.

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

You bet!!! Time will tell and I think that your beer could be awesome.

 

[res1bcb1]

You bet!!! Time will tell and I think that your beer could be awesome.

thanks man i hope so im pretty excited. i also forgot to mentio. im a moron... and decided that maybe i didnt activate the yeast and this morning before i made this account for this forum.. i took airlock off and sanitized my hand and shook the hell out of fermenter again... i didnt think anything of it until just now.... is this bad.?

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

Take this time to read Charlie Papazian's "The Complete Joy of Homebrewing" or some other highly recommended book. It's pretty much a done deal now. Just think about how you are going to go about sanitizing and doing your bottling. Take your learnings from this batch and try to do better next batch.

To answer your question though, just leave it be. Don't touch it again for minimum two weeks. Look at it, count bubbles, smell the air lock, anything, but don't touch it again until the time comes.

If you really have to do something, go get another one gallon carboy and do it again... but better.

 

[res1bcb1]

dont clean sanitize and reuse carboy?

 

[res1bcb1]

what should FG typically be around?

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

dont clean sanitize and reuse carboy?

Of course do that, but if you really need to brew something now. Get a new carboy while your waiting for this one to finish.

FG depends on a lot of things. My last one started at 1.076 and ended at 1.015. My current batch started at 1.058 and ended at 1.010. Keep in mind that those are part grain, part extract, so it is a lot easier for me to be sure there is lots of sugar in my wort for the yeasties. Your milage may vary depending on what temps you kept during the mash.

 

[res1bcb1]

the mash i cooked @ 149°f for 60 min

 

[res1bcb1]

so i woke up this morning and checked the brew to see how she was goin... looks dead no bubbling at all. what you ganna do.

 

[ncbrewer]

so do i have to use separate container to test or can i just sanitize rinse and put hydrometer right in fermenter? and yes 1 g fermenter. im obviously not working with much brew. because of all that sediment.

Nothing wrong with putting the SANITIZED hydrometer into the fermenter to get the SG - your hands should be sanitized, too so you don't contaminate the fermenter while retrieving it. And as you pointed out, it needs to be short enough that it doesn't rest on the bottom.

 

[ThomasPaine]

thanks man i hope so im pretty excited. i also forgot to mentio. im a moron... and decided that maybe i didnt activate the yeast and this morning before i made this account for this forum.. i took airlock off and sanitized my hand and shook the hell out of fermenter again... i didnt think anything of it until just now.... is this bad.?

Yes this is bad. You have already fermented this beer and shaking it will oxidize it. Only shake before fermentation never after.

 

[ThomasPaine]

From the first pic it was obvious that your fermentation was finished. Lots of yeast in that jug. You will get a 8 or 9pack instead of a 12pack though.

 

[theseeker4]

do you think its possible to re strain the beer before i bottle it?

Don't do that. That will oxidize the beer, making it taste like wet cardboard. Just get it cold, like just above freezing, for a few days prior to bottling to crash out and allow the solids to settle.

 

[Kampenken]

Your process seemed ok up until that last shake up...oops! I agree with the poster who said brew again and put in another fermenter (and read a brew book, Palmer's how to brew being another good resource).

This beer may still taste ok, will be interesting to hear, or as we fear that last shake up will introduce the negative effects of oxidation. So brew it again, you can end up with a nice side by side comparison in 5-6 weeks. Did you get a new hydro and take a reading?

 

[Kampenken]

so i woke up this morning and checked the brew to see how she was goin... looks dead no bubbling at all. what you ganna do.

Oh and for the record a quick vigorous fermentation and then what appears to be stopped is not unusual. And the yeast is still working cleaning up. Patience brother brewer! 😃

 

[flars]

From the first pic it was obvious that your fermentation was finished. Lots of yeast in that jug. You will get a 8 or 9pack instead of a 12pack though.

Now let it sit undisturbed for a week or two. The yeast will drop out of suspension and the yeast trub/layer will compact allowing you to siphon off the maximum amount of beer for bottling.

 

[res1bcb1]

Now let it sit undisturbed for a week or two. The yeast will drop out of suspension and the yeast trub/layer will compact allowing you to siphon off the maximum amount of beer for bottling.

i mean after i shook it and put air lock back on it did bubble a few times and still had pressure in airlock

 

[Kampenken]

i mean after i shook it and put air lock back on it did bubble a few times and still had pressure in airlock

Seriously that's not surprising. Typically when I move my conical upstairs for bottling (I hate doing that w/5.5g or more in there, need my dedicated space done!) I will see a bubble, or more, And that's 2 weeks in the fermenter! I then will take a hydro reading, and will likely be at terminal (FG) gravity.

Also, go to Brewer's Friend, use their recipe calculator, entering in the fermentables (grains or extracts, its all there!), hops, yeast and other data as requested- should all be listed in your kit. Then BF will calculate the OG (original, post boil gravity, what goes into your fermenter) and will give you a FG as well. You can measure these as well with your newly shorter hydrometer that by now you've purchased! Then compare. With an extract kit you'll likely be spot on. With AG, it will depend a lot on your system and methods, as well as your water. You can play around in there and see impacts on OG/FG (fermentables, yeast, mash temp etc..). But I'm getting a bit ahead of myself... I like brewing!

As for another resource, Palmer's book is available on line too.

 

[flars]

i mean after i shook it and put air lock back on it did bubble a few times and still had pressure in airlock

The bubbling seen in the airlock was most likely residual CO2 coming out of solution and CO2 trapped in the trub layer.

 

[res1bcb1]

Seriously that's not surprising. Typically when I move my conical upstairs for bottling (I hate doing that w/5.5g or more in there, need my dedicated space done!) I will see a bubble, or more, And that's 2 weeks in the fermenter! I then will take a hydro reading, and will likely be at terminal (FG) gravity.

Also, go to Brewer's Friend, use their recipe calculator, entering in the fermentables (grains or extracts, its all there!), hops, yeast and other data as requested- should all be listed in your kit. Then BF will calculate the OG (original, post boil gravity, what goes into your fermenter) and will give you a FG as well. You can measure these as well with your newly shorter hydrometer that by now you've purchased! Then compare. With an extract kit you'll likely be spot on. With AG, it will depend a lot on your system and methods, as well as your water. You can play around in there and see impacts on OG/FG (fermentables, yeast, mash temp etc..). But I'm getting a bit ahead of myself... I like brewing!

As for another resource, Palmer's book is available on line too.

so i checked it with correct hydrometer reading 1036 ... but my house was a little warm i checked temp as well was 79° im slowly reducing temp now to 65

 

[Kampenken]

so i checked it with correct hydrometer reading 1036 ... but my house was a little warm i checked temp as well was 79° im slowly reducing temp now to 65

You may be hosed. That's a high gravity reading (about 1 week now?) given what you've reported and a high ferm temp. Large swings in ferm temps are not good to beer. You will make beer there, but this one I suspect now won't be good. However, let it go a full 2 weeks, take a gravity reading (in a vial this time if you didn't last time) and if dropped again, bottle, sit at room temp 2-3 weeks, fridge 2 days or so and sample. In the meantime brew again and keep learning from your experience.

 

[ncbrewer]

let it go a full 2 weeks, take a gravity reading (in a vial this time if you didn't last time) and if dropped again, bottle, sit at room temp 2-3 weeks, fridge 2 days or so and sample.

Personally, I'd give it a total of 3 weeks fermenting if you're not going to do the "two samples 2 - 3 days apart" test. It's not likely, but possible to get a little more fermentation after 2 weeks. 3 weeks will reduce the chance of bottle bombs.

 

[jdbic]

I did a search for counting bubbles in the air lock and came across this thread. Just about what I was looking for. So , If I get 1 bubble every 3 to 4 minutes apart, would it be safe to assume that fermenting is done? Today will be 12 days fermenting.

 

[Britinusa]

The best method is to take hydrometer reads a few days apart, if they are the same then fermentation is done, i never trust airlock activity.
I started with those Brooklyn brew shop kits a few years ago, i learned a lot using those, but the biggest thing i learned is, you can't rush beer! it needs 2-3 weeks in fermentation then 2-3 weeks in the bottle.

 

[flars]

Unfortunately you can find all sorts of information and opinions posted on the internet. Just because it is there doesn't mean it is good information. Timing bubbles still is not a good way to determine when fermentation is done. It may be a good way to gauge how active the fermentation is, but the hydrometer is still the best for determining when FG has been reached.

Consider how timing the bubbles will not work if CO2 can leak around the air lock or rim of a bucket. Bubbles in the airlock may not be present for several days, but the fermentation is still ongoing at a lower rate, just producing less CO2 pressure.

 

[jdbic]

OK, thanks. just getting antsy. I'll force myself to be patient. just started brewing again after many years. My son is helping and he can't wait. I think starting another batch while waiting to bottle will cure the inpatients

 

[res1bcb1]

so i was looking thru pics i took of my first brew and came across this.... do you think the layers on top was the kreusen

 

[flars]

Definitely krausen beginning to drop.

 

[Kampenken]

Yup!

This is about 2 weeks old now, right? Hold off until 3 weeks as was suggested above, a good idea, then bottle, take FG and taste (will be flat of course but give you an indication). Keep us posted, and brew on!

 

[res1bcb1]

will do thanks guys! i had ordered a whole new kit cause i cant find ok one in stores. so when kits comes ill be bottling this beer and starting a new batch and then another batch a week after that

 

[res1bcb1]

Yup!

This is about 2 weeks old now, right? Hold off until 3 weeks as was suggested above, a good idea, then bottle, take FG and taste (will be flat of course but give you an indication). Keep us posted, and brew on!

and yes about 2 weeks old . and should i take fg before bottling?

 

[ncbrewer]

I highly recommend taking gravity reading 2 or 3 days before your planned bottling day, then another on bottling day. If gravity is the same, and around predicted FG, and the beer is clear or slightly misty, it's ready to bottle. If gravity has dropped, it isn't finished - check again later. If you bottle before fermentation is complete, it can finish fermenting in the bottles and cause bottle bombs - dangerous. At three weeks it's pretty sure to be finished, but it's best not to gamble.

 

[res1bcb1]

I highly recommend taking gravity reading 2 or 3 days before your planned bottling day, then another on bottling day. If gravity is the same, and around predicted FG, and the beer is clear or slightly misty, it's ready to bottle. If gravity has dropped, it isn't finished - check again later. If you bottle before fermentation is complete, it can finish fermenting in the bottles and cause bottle bombs - dangerous. At three weeks it's pretty sure to be finished, but it's best not to gamble.

well this first batch... im going to bottle but as always time heals all... im going to let my first batch sit for possibly another week or so before bottling or maybe just a few more days until new kit comes in mail.. i definitely believe my first batch is done fermenting its only a gallon with a ton of sediment so i dont want to waste any pouring into A separate glass to test.. prob only ganna get 5 beers or 6 beers from first batch

 

[Kampenken]

will do thanks guys! i had ordered a whole new kit cause i cant find ok one in stores. so when kits comes ill be bottling this beer and starting a new batch and then another batch a week after that

Glad to hear it. Another one to add to the home brewing community!

 

[res1bcb1]

Glad to hear it. Another one to add to the home brewing community!

lol Kampenken ill send you a link to my second homebrew. lol youll see much improvement .