Newbie brewing concerns

[jpw123]

I finished my first batch today and have a few concerns. My biggest concern is that i did not let the wart cool long enough before poring it into the fermenter. I am not quite sure what the temp was when it went in, but im worried that it was hot enough to kill off the yeast. Will this destroy my batch, or could i simply add another packet of yeast if that one is not working?

Second concern is the airlock i am using on my fermenter. I have filled it with sanitized water, but when i go and look at it after a while the water levels have changed, usually so the airlock is broken. Im wondering if it is because the wort is still relatively warm and is cooling down, so it is messing with the air pressure.

Thanks
JPW

 

[c.n.budz]

1. Without knowing what temp you pitched at, we can't tell you if it was hot enough to kill the yeast. Chances are the yeast is not dead, and fermentation lag times can sometimes be upwards of 72 hours, so wait and see. If the wort was too hot and your yeast is dead, you can repitch, but wait at least a few days before doing that.

2. Your airlock is not broken. It is the cooling wort messing with the pressure. You may have sucked some liquid into your fermenter, which shouldn't be a big deal. Though, when you say sanitized water do you mean boiled and cooled water or water with sanitizer mixed with it? personally, I fill my airlocks with cheap vodka, that way if anything does get sucked back into the fermenter it doesn't matter.

 

[jpw123]

Thanks for the quick response!

I meant boiled and cooled water, so its not a huge deal.

Ill update in a few days what is happening with it, until then i need to find another hobby so i dont loose my sanity worrying about it.


JPW

 

[malkore]

1. get a thermometer. you can NOT brew properly without a good, accurate thermometer
2. do you have a hydrometer? if not, buy one when you buy a thermometer. again this is a mandatory item.

you won't let someone build your house without a level and a tape measure would you?