New guy here! First batch in the fermentor

[dchd1130]

Hi guys Ive been reading a lot on here over the last few weeks. Ill start by saying I bought a kit a long time ago... Like 03/04, and then never touched it. My brother just got out of the military and moved back to CO and wanted to brew some beer. So we went down to the lhbs and picked up a Hefe kit. So Saturday was my first go at it. For the most part everything went ok. Biggest problem I ran into was my brew pot is too small. Its 16 quart. I had to top it off in the carboy, which I know is a big risk of infection. The instruction in my old kit said to do this, so Im hoping it all works out.

-Steeped grains @155 degrees for 45 min (directions said 30-45)
-Added hopps @ boil and @ 50 min
-Used an ice bath and a wort chiller I built. Got down to 75 degrees in about 20 min.
-My OG came out to 1.050

 

[dchd1130]

My chiller. I would like a bigger coil, but I had the copper, so I made it work.

 

[homebrewdad]

Psh. I topped off for the first year of brewing, until I went to all grain. Never a single issue. It's a risk, yes, but there's very little chance that your tap water in and of itself has nasties in it.

You'll definitely want a bigger chiller, as that one will have a tough time once you increase your batch size.

Either way... welcome to the hobby!

 

[homebrewdad]

Unsolicited advice: I don't see any method of controlling your fermentation temps. You'll make drinkable beer if it gets warm, but you'll make better beer (often, much better beer) if you can keep the beer in the mid 60s F.

Note that the beer temp, due to fermentation heat, will get 5-10 degrees warmer than ambient temps. At warmer temps, the yeast will throw off flavors, and even make fusel alcohols.

Look at a swamp cooler, maybe a large tub of water (like a Rubbermaid tote) that you plunk bottles of ice in to keep temps maintained.

 

[dchd1130]

Unsolicited advice: I don't see any method of controlling your fermentation temps. You'll make drinkable beer if it gets warm, but you'll make better beer (often, much better beer) if you can keep the beer in the mid 60s F.

Note that the beer temp, due to fermentation heat, will get 5-10 degrees warmer than ambient temps. At warmer temps, the yeast will throw off flavors, and even make fusel alcohols.

Look at a swamp cooler, maybe a large tub of water (like a Rubbermaid tote) that you plunk bottles of ice in to keep temps maintained.

My basement is pretty cold. Ive got one of those thermo stickers on the side of the carboy. For the first two days it was up around 70-72. Now its holding steady at 67. I had some ice packs I kept in the box wrapped around the base of the carboy for the first 2 days. Ive quit using those since. I wanted to get more of the banana flavor in it so I figured this was where I wanted to be.

It still looks like that third picture down. I thought most of the foam(?) on top would settle into the beer by now. Most of the pics I see around here dont have that. Any input on that?

 

[bigelowsbest]

You didn't say what kind of yeast you used, but most hefe yeasts are huge top-cropping strains and will leave tons of foamy krausen-looking material at the top of the fermenter even when The beer is finished. Wait a week or two, check your gravity, and rack to bottles/keg

Enjoy! Welcome to the hobby!

 

[andy6026]

yes guy!!! nice job. It looks tasty.

And I love how the pictures show a 'progress' from 'uh oh, there's stuff coming out the top' to having a blow off tube, to then, 'uh oh, I'd best put this bad boy in a bucket.'

Welcome to the hobby. I hope it turns out fantastic for you!

 

[dchd1130]

You didn't say what kind of yeast you used, but most hefe yeasts are huge top-cropping strains and will leave tons of foamy krausen-looking material at the top of the fermenter even when The beer is finished. Wait a week or two, check your gravity, and rack to bottles/keg

Enjoy! Welcome to the hobby!

Sorry. It was WL300

Thanks for the reinsurance everyone. I cant wait to try this out. I think I need to go find an 8 gal kettle and another carboy and start another one.

 

[BigFloyd]

You may want to re-think that chiller design. With the connections to the vinyl tubing that low (do the connections sit in your wort?), if you get even a tiny leak, you will contaminate your wort.

Also, despite being rated up to 175ºF clear PVC vinyl tubing should not be used on the hot side of the brewery since the pressure rating drops dramatically and it is prone to kinking as it gets hot.

 

[Doongie]

You may want to re-think that chiller design. With the connections to the vinyl tubing that low (do the connections sit in your wort?), if you get even a tiny leak, you will contaminate your wort.

Also, despite being rated up to 175ºF clear PVC vinyl tubing should not be used on the hot side of the brewery since the pressure rating drops dramatically and it is prone to kinking as it gets hot.

^^^^this^^^^
I have recently started having issues with one hose popping off my chiller. Thankfully it has always happened after putting in the BK to sanitize and BEFORE I started pumping water through it. Tap water probably won't infect a beer, but running it through an IC that never gets cleaned on the inside might contaminate it. I use a cooler full of icewater and a pond pump to recirculate it, and I never clean the inside of the IC and I don't sanitize the cooler before I use it, so if it pops while circulating I may have an issue. Thankfully it has not yet. I plan to sweat some extensions on so I can get the connections up and over the side of the BK to mitigate the risk of pumping chiller water into my wort.

 

[andy6026]

If you want to do full boils for what will end up being 5 gallon batches I recommend you go larger than an 8 gallon pot (if you're shopping...). I have a 15 gallon kettle and I've managed to get hot breaks oozing over the side. I think you'd have to even be careful with a 10 gallon kettle, although I've never tried using one. Others ought to be able to advise you on an appropriate sized kettle for what you want to do without breaking the bank. There are deals out there to be found. The size kettle I bought typically markets for over $300 for the name brand kettles (stainless Steel), but I managed to get a one brand new that is large and perfectly functional for just over $150. If you consider going both aluminum and 10 gallon (instead of my 15) then you can probably get one for well cheaper than that. You should also take into account how you plan on heating it (stove top or propane burner) and whether or not you'll need an additional heat supply to be able to cook that much volume.

(I just mentioned it because you suggested you might be buying another kettle...)

 

[dchd1130]

You may want to re-think that chiller design.

Yeah, I intend to build something better. This is what I had so Im making it work till I get a bigger piece of copper.

I recommend you go larger than an 8 gallon pot

I was thinking the same thing. I think I could get by with an 8 gallon for my 5 gallon batches, but inevitably I will want to do larger batches at some point. So I might as well get something that will work for that.

 

[KepowOb]

I have a 10-gallon pot and had nice boil over when I did my first boil. Luckily I was outside, so it was easy enough to clean up. I also know what to watch out for now, making it easier to keep in check .