New Guy Here With First Batch Questions

[Dennis1979]

I am new to home brewing and brewing my first batch of beer. I am very green so bear with me. I have read some old posts and I know similar questions have been asked before but I still need to ask for myself.

For years I have wanted to brew my own and finally went out last week and bought all the stuff. I got everything I need for double stage brewing. I told the guys at the homebrew store the kind of beer I wanted to make and they helped me put together a recipe. I am brewing a Dortmunder style ale. I boiled up the wort last weekend and got it in the primary fermenter on Saturday.

Yesterday, I called my homebrew store to ask a couple of questions and happened to mention that the airlock on my primary fermenter started perking like a coffee pot in less than 24 hours. I thought that was a good thing but the guy got real concerned and said that meant that the mix was fermenting too fast. He said it should take longer to get to that point (about 24-48 hours) and that my room temp was probably too warm. I’m in Houston and its hot this time of year. Even with the AC running, I’m sure that during the day the house can get above 75 degrees and stay that way for hours. So last night I did 2 things. First, I took a sample and tasted the beer. It didn’t seem bad. It’s obviously not beer yet but you can tell from the taste it is heading in the right direction. It tasted like very flat beer. A little watery but I assume that’s because it has a lot more work to do. It did not have any chemical taste or any other odd taste that I could tell. It actually foamed in my mouth when I swished it around. There was no after taste really but it had a real dry feel. So I am hoping that is what I should expect after only 3 days in the fermenter. By the way, it smelled great. It smelled like beer and fresh baked bread at the same time. The second thing I did was fill a large plastic tub with cold water and added some ice and set the fermenter in that. I also put a fan on it. A few hours later I took the temp of the water and it was hovering between 70 and 75 so that is how I will leave it. I’ll add ice to the water a couple of times a day. Hopefully I haven’t ruined my first batch of beer.

So my first question is on any thoughts you guys might have concerning the fact that it may have fermented too fast.

Next question is; how critical is the timing of moving the beer from primary fermenter to secondary? The homebrew shop said 2 -4 days or when gravity drops by 1/3 but I’m interested in what you guys do? What’s the best indication of the right time? Does it hurt to leave it in primary even after it has calmed down? Will it gain flavor or will those hops and other material start to rot?

Same question for the secondary fermenter. What’s the best amount of time in there before bottling? My homebrew shop said 2 weeks.

Thanks for any and all advice,
Dennis

 

[carnevoodoo]

Most people in these parts don't use a secondary. I go 2-4 weeks in primary and then right into kegs (bottles are the same principle) The secondary these days is good for clearing, but you really want fermentation to finish in primary.

As for your temps, it sounds like you got them way too high. You'll likely notice an extra alcohol type kick in this batch, but with better temp controls, your next batch will come out better.

And yes, everything you read on here before you asked these two questions was great advice.

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

Ditto on not using a secondary. I've only used a secondary when:
1. I want to dry hop the batch, like for an IPA
2. If I plan to store the beer for more than a couple months.

A good long primary will yield beer that is just as clear as primary+secondary. I usually plan for 3 weeks at the least, and usually bottle/keg at around 4 weeks. If I want it to be REALLY clear beer, I'll leave it in there for 6 weeks.

 

[Dennis1979]

I used the pelletized hops and I didn't strain them out so they are in there. Is that any problem if I leave the beer in the primary for a few weeks.

Dennis

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

Not sure if I can be much help in that department, because I always use whole leaf hops. However, if a TON of those hops got into the fermenter and you are planning on keeping it in the carboy for a long time, I'd use a secondary. If there is just a small amount that made it in there, I wouldn't sweat it. Next time though, grab a strainer when you're racking from the kettle to the primary. Either that, or get some nylon mesh bags to put your hops in. That way, when you're done with the boil you just take the bags out.

 

[Dennis1979]

The reason I left them in there is because that is what the guys at the homebrew shop said to do. They said it would add flavor to leave them in but they also told me to move to secondary in 2-4 days so perhaps that's why.

So do you think the hops have done all they can after the boil or does it add anything to leave them in for a while during fermentation?

Sorry for all the dumb newbie questions.

Dennis

 

[McKBrew]

Definately look at temperature control, but disregard what your LHBS told you about fermentation taking at least 24 hours to start. Several factors determine this, and it is not unreasonable at all for it to take less than 12 hours even when temperatures are in the normal range. On the same note, don't start worrying about fermentation not starting for at least 72 hours after you pitch your yeast.

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

Brew shop owners are typically pretty knowledgable, but not nearly so as John Palmer or Charlie Papazian. Do some reading in your free time, and make sure you're being given the correct information. I highly recommend the Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Papazian, and How to Brew by Palmer. The latter even has his book for free online...How to Brew - By John Palmer - Introduction

 

[knownikko]

Brew shop owners are typically pretty knowledgable, but not nearly so as John Palmer or Charlie Papazian.

Another thing to consider is that they have a vested interest in getting you back into the store to buy more ingredients.

I've noticed a lot of homebrew stores and their recipe kits seem to suggest racking/bottling far sooner than most on this site would recommend. moving to a secondary vessel after just 2 days seems very early to me.

The sooner that primary is free, the sooner you can start on the next batch.

I don't necessarily think this is subversive or dishonest of the LHBS, but probably in their best business interests. I think more people are convinced to give the hobby a try when you can say "hey, look at this recipe! You could be drinking your own brew in 2 weeks!"

It's a bit harder to convince people to buy in if you've got a 6 week delay between investment and any proceeds.

 

[Dennis1979]

Brew shop owners are typically pretty knowledgable, but not nearly so as John Palmer or Charlie Papazian. Do some reading in your free time, and make sure you're being given the correct information. I highly recommend the Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Papazian, and How to Brew by Palmer. The latter even has his book for free online...How to Brew - By John Palmer - Introduction

Thanks for the link. It's good info.