My Second Time Brewing Any Suggestions??

[joesixpack]

Okay, I’m going to give this a second try. This will be my second try at brewign and of the same beer to see if it comes out any differently.

The first time around I followed the directions below but couldn’t get the brew water to boil until 50 minutes after steeping the grains by putting a lid on but venting the steam. I also had a co2 leak when I first hooked up the co2 so I don’t know if that effected things or not. Everyone thought it was ok and had a Irish Red Beer flavor.

This time around I’m going to bring to boil with lid partially on and boil with lid partially on. Not going to use a second fermenter and let sit in fermenter for 14 days. Then keg the beer and set co2 to 10 psi for 10 days.

Any suggestions?

Ironman
German Altbier
Recipe and Directions for 5 Gallons of Keg Beer

OG = 1.050 – 1.054
FG = 1.012 – 1.015

Kit Ingredients:
6.6 lbs Munich Malt Extract
0.5 lbs Crushed Munich Malt
0.5 lbs Crushed Crystal 20L Malt
6.0 oz Crushed Special B Malt
1.0 oz Tettnang Hops (60 min boil)
1 package Brewers Yeast
5.0 oz Priming Sugar
1 Grain Steeping Bag

Additional Ingredients:
1 oz Fuggle Hops (Last 5 minutes of boil)

Procedures:

1. Cleaned and sanitized all equipment. Used a “no-rinse” sanitizer.

2. Poured 2 gallons of water into a 5 gallon cooking pot. Placed crushed grains into steeping bag and tied bag shut. Placed bag with grains into water and heated to 155 – 160 F. Held at this temperature and allowed grains too steep for 30 minutes. Did not boil the grains.

3. After steeping, removed grains and allowed to drip into brew water. Rinsed grains over brew pot with ½ gallon of hot water. Discarded the bag of grains and tried to bring the brew water to a boil. 50 minutes later sill not boiling so I put a lid on but venting the steam.

4. Added the Malt Extract to the boiling water while stirring. Remained stirring until Malt Extract was completely dissolved. Add in Tettnang Hops & Priming sugar. Boil for 60 minutes. Added 1 oz Fuggle hops to the last 5 minutes of the boil.

5. Cool the wart rapidly to 80 F.

6. Poured the wort into primary fermenter and top to 5 gallons with cool water. Sanitized a hydrometer and measured the specific gravity at this time. Not really sure what I was doing and never got an accurate reading. Sprinkled the brewer’s yeast into the cooled wort and stired well. Secured fermenter with a lid and attach an Airlock. Set the fermenter in an area with constant temperature between 65 -75 degrees. Avoided exposure to sunlight or fluorescent lights.

7. After 5 days I siphoned the wort to the secondary fermenter. Keet beer in second fermenter for 7 days.

8. Sanitized all keg equipment prior to kegging. A “no-rinse” sanitizer was used.

9. Siphoned beer into keg and secured lid on the keg and set co2 pressure to 25 psi for 2 days then turn down to 10 psi. After 18 hours the co2 ran out due to a leak in the release valve on the keg lid. Got things fixed and set to 25 psi for 36 hours and turned down to 10 psi.

Side Note: I was looking for something similar to Fat Tire so it was suggested to add 1 oz of Fuggle Hops to the last 5 minutes of the boil as well as adding the priming sugar to the boil since.

 

[JoeBronco]

Why cant you get your water to boil open? 50 minutes is a long time to wait till boil. You may need a bigger burner.

When you seep your grains. Put the grains into the entire pot of water when your at 160* and turn off the burner. The water will slowly lower in temp but not enough to make a huge difference. After 30 minutes rince it with another 1/2 gallon to top you off to 5.5 gallons (to compensate for the water that will boil off).

On number (4) you said you add priming sugar to the boil at 60 minutes? Why? priming sugar is for when you bottle your beer. If your adding extra dextrose to the boil, do it in the last 5-10 minutes of the boil just to kill the bacteria. Since your going to force carb you dont need the priming sugar.

Here is a DETAILED video on how to use the hydro.



You need to get your temperature down a bit lower before you pitch the yeast, 80 degrees will put off some esters (or off flavors that you dont want). 68 degrees or cooler is best for most ales. They will heat up in the fermentation process. Do your best to keep the fermentation temperature steady and on the lower end of the "suggested temp".


Enjoy yourself!!!

 

[joesixpack]

I'm not sure why my stove will not boil that much water but it didn't want to so a lid it was.

I was told by my LHBS to add the priming sugar to the boil. Do I need to??

I'll cool the brew to a lower temp this time around. Might have to invet in a wort chiller.

Thanks.

 

[brewd00d]

the priming sugar goes in before you bottle your beer.

 

[joesixpack]

the priming sugar goes in before you bottle your beer.

I'm not botteling i'm kegging but my lhbs said to add the priming sugar to the boil. Should i add it or not if so at what point?

 

[JoeBronco]

I'm not sure why my stove will not boil that much water but it didn't want to so a lid it was.

I was told by my LHBS to add the priming sugar to the boil. Do I need to??

I'll cool the brew to a lower temp this time around. Might have to invet in a wort chiller.

Thanks.

You may want to look into an outdoor burner. They work a TON faster than your stove. Im surprised you were even able to get 5 gallons boiling in that amount of time. A wort chiller is a great investment. I made one for about $40 and i would never brew without it.

No you shouldn't need to add the priming sugar to the boil. All that does is add about .2 or .3 ABV to your beer.

 

[joesixpack]

You may want to look into an outdoor burner. They work a TON faster than your stove. Im surprised you were even able to get 5 gallons boiling in that amount of time. A wort chiller is a great investment. I made one for about $40 and i would never brew without it.

No you shouldn't need to add the priming sugar to the boil. All that does is add about .2 or .3 ABV to your beer.

I don't have a gas burner so i'm goin to partially cove to bring to boil. I didn't boil 5 gallons only 2 that's what the directions said to do. I don't know what ABV means but sounds like i don't need it.

I'm steeping the grains at the moment.

Thanks.

 

[joesixpack]

I'm about 10 minutes into the boil after adding the malt extract and tettnang hops. I think i need a gas stove. My 17 year old son hates the way the house smells at the moment. I kinda like it.

 

[joesixpack]

I took a gravity reading before pitching the yeast which was 1.042 but the directions state that it should be 1.050 - 1.054 and the FG of 1.012 - 1.015. Does it matter that mine was lower then what the directins state? If my FG is 1.004 would that be fine since it dropped the same amount or am i just reading way to much into this?

 

[LostBavarianMan]

ABV=Alcohol By Volume
yes you need it but not .2 or .3 %
If your FG is lower that expected your Yeast did a really good job for you and you should be proud of them.
Keep in mind that your Hydrometer is calibrated to 60 degress.
If you know what the temp is that you pitched your yeast and you know the temp of your final hydro test then use this little calculator.http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/

 

[billf2112]

I have an electric stove and have issues getting a boil. A propane burner will be bought soon (waiting for bonus check).

What I have done is steep with 2 gallons then sparge with another gallon of another pot. I then turn up the heat to boil on the first 2 gallons and boil the second gallon and combine when the second pot boils, I then have 3 gallons boiling. Has worked great for 2 batches.

Just remember that this will increase your ibu if you have a higher boil volume.

I have also thought of going back and doing a new brew of my original batch (irish stout).

 

[BrewsClues]

Abv: alcohol by volume. Did you make sure everything was stirred up really good when you took your gravity reading? Also if you don't correct for temperature you could get a lower reading like that.(probably the case)

 

[joesixpack]

Why cant you get your water to boil open? 50 minutes is a long time to wait till boil. You may need a bigger burner.

When you seep your grains. Put the grains into the entire pot of water when your at 160* and turn off the burner. The water will slowly lower in temp but not enough to make a huge difference. After 30 minutes rince it with another 1/2 gallon to top you off to 5.5 gallons (to compensate for the water that will boil off).

On number (4) you said you add priming sugar to the boil at 60 minutes? Why? priming sugar is for when you bottle your beer. If your adding extra dextrose to the boil, do it in the last 5-10 minutes of the boil just to kill the bacteria. Since your going to force carb you dont need the priming sugar.

Here is a DETAILED video on how to use the hydro.

Here is a quick tutorial on how to use a Hydro...

You need to get your temperature down a bit lower before you pitch the yeast, 80 degrees will put off some esters (or off flavors that you dont want). 68 degrees or cooler is best for most ales. They will heat up in the fermentation process. Do your best to keep the fermentation temperature steady and on the lower end of the "suggested temp".


Enjoy yourself!!!

Do you have or know where to get the Cooper's Ale recipe that the gentleman in the hydrometer video was drinking. He looked like he really enjoyed it and made want to try to brew some.

Thanks for the advice. I only boiled 2 gallons of water but still had to use a lid to get it to boil and it took 45 minutes or so. I put the grains in while the water was heating up and kept it at 156 to 158 degrees for 30 minutes. I left the priming sugar out and cooled to 68 degrees before pitching the yeast.

I'm planning on letting it sit for 14 days and then siphon into the keg and set the co2 to 10 psi for 10 - 14 days. I wasn't going to use a second fermenter but would the second fermenter have less stuff settled at the bottom of the bucket that might get in to the brew when I siphon into the keg?