new member brew advice

[old rock & roll brewer]

Hey, I just registered after stumbling onto this cool forum.I'm not exactly a beginner but I brew infrequently & still have lots to learn.

Anyway, I'm currently trying to re-create a very succesful brew I did a few years ago using ginger root as a spice- real ginger ale! I was a hit then & I thought I'd try it again. So I went & got some amber liquid malt, cascade hops for the main boil, fuggles for the finish. The grated ginger was in the boil the whole time. I cooled the wort down to just under 90 degrees & used some of the wort itself as the medium to start the dry ale yeast, as I usually do, rather than warm water. Previously the action in the airlock started within 12-24 hours & was quite vigorus for about a day & gradually died down. This batch was different, though. I boiled it last Saturday & put it in the fermenter that night. Nothing happened, apparently, till overnight Tuesday. I saw minor bubbling in the air lock in the AM but there seemed to be plently of foam on top of the brew. I've checked the gravity several times and as of last night it remains unchanged at 1.010. Also, there seems to be a lot of sediment in the test tube, despite using irish moss to help settle it. I thought I'd transfer it to another fermenting container for a week & then see how it is.

So what do you pro's think? Is this batch in trouble? Should I dump it & start again or pursue it & bottle it? Any advice appreciated.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Sounds like you made beer while you were sleeping. All seems alright to me.

After 1 week in the primary rack (transfer) it to a secondary for another week or two to clear and mellow some.

Next time make a starter a day or two prior to brewing.

Where are you on the Jersey Shore?

 

[old rock & roll brewer]

Thanks for the reply, Bill. It's a relief to know that the brew is OK & my efforts are not in vain. Each batch seems to behave a little differently but this one was really odd. I thought I had screwed something up big time. I'll do the transfer today & probably bottle it next weekend.

I live in Pt. Pleasant, which is about 20 miles south of Asbury Park. Sounds like maybe you've spent some time here at the NJ shore.

Tyler


"Beer is proof that God loves us & wants us to be happy"
Ben Franklin

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

i 2nd HB 99. she's a brewed! let it set for a week, then bottle/keg. tell's how it turns out!

 

[homebrewer_99]

Sure, I spent some time in Jersey, like most of my growing up years.

I was born in Camden, 1954. I have relatives in Cherry Hill/Haddonfield area.

I lived in Atlantic City for 4 years, '69-72, went to AC High School. '72-'80 I was in the Army. Half of that time was in Beer Heaven...Germany.

My parents lived in Manahawkin for 20 years until a few years ago. I still have a sister in Tom's River.

I used to work at Ft Dix ('80-'86). I lived in Brown's Mills and Mt Holly. LOts of time at Seaside Heights. Yeah, I was a Piney. I graduated from Burlington Cty College and Trenton St.

Closer to you, I lived in Ocean when I worked at CECOM (Ft. Monmouth) in Eatontown/Tinton Falls...yeah, I've spent LOTS of time at the Jersey Shore.

I left Jersey for good in '87. I still visited a lot, 3-6 times a year.

Moved out to IL. Last year me and the wife moved back from Germany. We were there for 5 years. Prior to that we lived in NC (my 3rd time). Prior to that I lived in IL for 10 years.

So much for my life. Now I've purchased my retirement home. I have less than 4 years to go. WHOA!!

Oh, yeah, if your brew has a large head on it in the primary...DO NOT OPEN IT! It is in a state of high kreusen and should not be disturbed... Your making beer!

Welcome aboard!

 

[old rock & roll brewer]

Thanks for the great advice, guys. I haven'y gotten to the keg bit yet but plan to down the road. In fact, for my birthday last year my wife got me an antique, pump style twin keg tap outfit made in the UK. I'm not set up to use it yet but hope to in the not too distant future. It will help being able to get info from this forum whem I'm ready to try it. For now I'm still bottling, using Grolsh bottles I've collected over the years. It's real handy to just snap them lids down with the rubber seal rather than using a bottle capper.

I'll certainly let you know how this batch turns out.

Tyler

"Beer is proof that God loves us & wants us to be happy"
Ben Franklin