Newbie Here!! - First Brew - Bock Beer

[ASassyBeerChick83]

Hey, guys!!

It's like day 6 on my fermentation & air lock has stopped bubbling... Kind of confused... A bit worried... I took a couple of pics to update what's going on at day 6...
Originally, we set the temp. at about 58 - 60 degrees... We have bumped the temp. up to about 64... - TODAY. Hummmm.... Taking all & any suggestions & advice!

Day 6 Fermentation - Bock Brew Home Kit

It looks alright... I don't see any discoloration...
What do you guys think!!?


Hope You Guys have a Fun-Day Sunday!
Peace. Love. & Beer.
CHEERS

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Totally normal, fermentation's sure to be slowing down (if not done) at this point so it won't push the airlock as much. Let it sit til all your krausen drops and then start taking FG readings. Congrats BTW, you made beer!!

 

[DeafSmith]

Fermentation should be almost done at this point, so no worries about your airlock not bubbling. The picture looks totally normal. You could let the temp. warm up to about 68 ºF now if you want, just in case the yeast have gone to sleep - the low temps are really most critical during the active fermentation, so warmer temps now won't hurt and may help get rid of any diacetyl. Give the beer another week for the yeast to clean up after themselves.

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

nestar: Sweet! nestar:


Another week in the carboy - bottle it up - and in about 3 weeks - we are gonna be having our first tasting!!
CHEERS!!

I turned the fridge up and now we are just chilling on it. The hubby & I decided that we needed to drink a few more beers for a few more bottles. But I think we can handle that one! We have some Alaskan Amber waiting for a tasting tonight! We have never had it. Anyone ever taste it?


Peace. Love. & Beer!
CHEERS!

 

[DeafSmith]

BTW - if the airlock starts bubbling again, that doesn't necessarily mean that fermentation has restarted - it will most likely just be CO2 coming out of solution because warmer liquids can't hold as much gas as cooler liquids. Only two identical hydrometer readings a couple of days apart will tell if fermentation is really finished.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Alaskan Amber's a pretty solid Altbier. Of their regular lineup, that's the only one I get regularly.

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

BTW - if the airlock starts bubbling again, that doesn't necessarily mean that fermentation has restarted - it will most likely just be CO2 coming out of solution because warmer liquids can't hold as much gas as cooler liquids. Only two identical hydrometer readings a couple of days apart will tell if fermentation is really finished.

Thanks for the tip!! I am glad someone told me... That probably would have been my "what's up with this" post, next.

I need to get a Hydrometer!! -- Thursday

 

[Stauffbier]

Thanks for the tip!! I am glad someone told me... That probably would have been my "what's up with this" post, next.

I need to get a Hydrometer!! -- Thursday

Yeah airlocks are just for off-gasing and visual entertainment (plus they put out great aromas!)..

It's good that you're getting the hydrometer, because that's the only way to really know what your fermentation is doing..

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

Greetings & Cheers



I just thought that I would throw around what we had for dinner tonight at my house! Absolutely Delish! Hubby did the Burgers :rockin: & I made the Guacamole & Bacon Baked Barbeque Beans! :rockin: Feast your eyes on this... :rockin: & try not to drool as you look!!

An Appetizer......

A Side Dish....

The Main Course...

Hope You Have Enjoyed!!
It was Delish!
... And so were the Alaskan's!



Peace. Love. & Beer.
CHEERS!

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

Hey, guys!!
Greetings! Ha!
Happy Hump Day!

Quick question... I opened my fridge that is my fermenter & the smell is incredibly strong... It smells incredible but I am worried that it might already be done fermenting... (the smell is strong of an alcoholic beverage.. Kind of like the smell of a strong beer.. ) Duh! Because this is the first brew.. I wonder what happens when & if the fermentation finishes before the 2 week period (we are only on day 9) or if it has already completed & the krausen has already dropped... I know I should probably have include a pic in this post but we're driving & I don't have one at this sec... @ home, the hubby & I are going to check it & I will snap a pic then.. I know that there is a ring around the too of the carboy.. I am feeling that is maybe the sign of the krausen that has been dropped.. Hopefully.

*Pic Coming Soon!
Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers!!!

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Hey, guys!!
Greetings! Ha!
Happy Hump Day!

Quick question... I opened my fridge that is my fermenter & the smell is incredibly strong... It smells incredible but I am worried that it might already be done fermenting... (the smell is strong of an alcoholic beverage.. Kind of like the smell of a strong beer.. ) Duh! Because this is the first brew.. I wonder what happens when & if the fermentation finishes before the 2 week period (we are only on day 9) or if it has already completed & the krausen has already dropped... I know I should probably have include a pic in this post but we're driving & I don't have one at this sec... @ home, the hubby & I are going to check it & I will snap a pic then.. I know that there is a ring around the too of the carboy.. I am feeling that is maybe the sign of the krausen that has been dropped.. Hopefully.

*Pic Coming Soon!
Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers!!!

No, it's fine. Fermentation can be quite aromatic, especially in closed quarters. And it'll undoubtedly be 'finished' fermenting inside of two weeks, but you still want to leave it be so it can condition a bit on the yeast. Trust me, you're beer will be much better for it.
The smells you're getting are co2 and the other 'beer' aromas it carries out of the fermenter. It's totally normal and can smell really good, or really bad, either way it's normal and nothing you're smelling now will be carried over into the finished beer. Well, maybe some of the hops and other 'beer' smells, but the co2 (burning/acidic) smell, or sulphur (rotten egg/aka "rhino fart") are normal smells that will be gone by the time the beer is done conditioning.

Did you figure out what you're brewing next? Hefewiezen is another great summer brew, and those yeasts are pretty temp tolerant as well. In my experience, they work well into the mid 70's. You'll get more 'banana' and less 'clove' when it ferments warm, but still a very nice Hefe.

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

No, it's fine. Fermentation can be quite aromatic, especially in closed quarters. And it'll undoubtedly be 'finished' fermenting inside of two weeks, but you still want to leave it be so it can condition a bit on the yeast. Trust me, you're beer will be much better for it.
The smells you're getting are co2 and the other 'beer' aromas it carries out of the fermenter. It's totally normal and can smell really good, or really bad, either way it's normal and nothing you're smelling now will be carried over into the finished beer. Well, maybe some of the hops and other 'beer' smells, but the co2 (burning/acidic) smell, or sulphur (rotten egg/aka "rhino fart") are normal smells that will be gone by the time the beer is done conditioning.

Did you figure out what you're brewing next? Hefewiezen is another great summer brew, and those yeasts are pretty temp tolerant as well. In my experience, they work well into the mid 70's. You'll get more 'banana' and less 'clove' when it ferments warm, but still a very nice Hefe.

Sweet!! Yay!!! That makes me such a happy girl & will make a satisfied hubby!! I think Tuesday of next week we will bottle & let it set for a couple of weeks in the bottles Yay!! I cannot wait!!!

No... We haven't decided what we are gonna brew... I am trying to talk the hubby & do a siasin... But inside the house... & maybe do something else in the fermenter.. But the hubby wants to do 2 brews in the fridge... Idk why, but okay... I really want to do the warm fermenting.. Just to say that I have done it... Remember.. Buying a larger carboy this weekend!! So, we will not have 2 carbons & I am gonna get another 5 gallon bucket for fermenting... So.. 2 fermenters & 2 carboys... Here we go!!!



Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers!!

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

You guys sound like my wife and I when we first started out.... b@lls out from the beginning. If I'd only known about HBT then..... Since you're stocking up on buckets, you can brew it all. There'll always be things you want to brew. Trust me, you'll always have beers planned ahead. I always have the next several brews (at least) planned out.

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

You guys remember the pictures....

Let's see here.... Day 9....

Whatcha think!!?? :rockin:


And I think the pups had a bitter beer face for the moment...

Peace. Love. & Beer!
CHEERS!!

 

[DeafSmith]

Sweet!! Yay!!! That makes me such a happy girl & will make a satisfied hubby!! I think Tuesday of next week we will bottle & let it set for a couple of weeks in the bottles Yay!! I cannot wait!!!

No... We haven't decided what we are gonna brew... I am trying to talk the hubby & do a siasin... But inside the house... & maybe do something else in the fermenter.. But the hubby wants to do 2 brews in the fridge... Idk why, but okay... I really want to do the warm fermenting.. Just to say that I have done it... Remember.. Buying a larger carboy this weekend!! So, we will not have 2 carbons & I am gonna get another 5 gallon bucket for fermenting... So.. 2 fermenters & 2 carboys... Here we go!!!



Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers!!

Looks like things are going well!

Couple of comments:
Most beers need at least three weeks in the bottle at room temperature for carbonation and conditioning. But go ahead and sample one at one week and another at two weeks, if you want, to see how it evolves.

I do all my fermenting in 6 gallon Better Bottles and really like them - I do have one 5 gallon glass carboy that I sometimes use for secondary, but think I may switch to 5 gallon Better Bottles or kegs for secondary, after reading some of the threads where people have ended up in the emergency room due to broken glass carboys. If you decide to use Better Bottles, check their web site - there is a lot of good info there about how to use them and clean them - some things you want to avoid doing which could damage them. If you get another bucket for fermenting, it needs to be bigger than 5 gallons!

As for going all-grain, remember that you will need to do a full boil, starting with 6 or 7 gallons of wort. Do you have a stove or other heater (turkey fryer?) that will handle that? If you need to buy/build something, think carefully about whether you want to use propane or electric - lots of info about both here.

I've never brewed a Saison, so I can't give any advise about that.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

As for going all-grain, remember that you will need to do a full boil, starting with 6 or 7 gallons of wort. Do you have a stove or other heater (turkey fryer?) that will handle that? If you need to buy/build something, think carefully about whether you want to use propane or electric - lots of info about both here.

Nah, you can do AG without a full boil. I did AG BIAB batches using a partial boil for awhile before I got a large enough kettle to do full boils and had pretty good results. Now mind you, the results are better with a full boil, but that holds true for all batches, AG, PM and extract, a full boil just seems to lend itself to a better end product.
As far as the bottles, dead on, at least 3 weeks at room temp for most ales to carb up in bottles. Sometimes longer. I've had the occasional batch carb up in a week or two, but in general, 4 weeks is the avg. for my beers.

 

[DeafSmith]

Nah, you can do AG without a full boil. I did AG BIAB batches using a partial boil for awhile before I got a large enough kettle to do full boils and had pretty good results. Now mind you, the results are better with a full boil, but that holds true for all batches, AG, PM and extract, a full boil just seems to lend itself to a better end product.
As far as the bottles, dead on, at least 3 weeks at room temp for most ales to carb up in bottles. Sometimes longer. I've had the occasional batch carb up in a week or two, but in general, 4 weeks is the avg. for my beers.

I've never done a BIAB. Did you have to modify your hop schedule because of the partial boil? If so, how much?

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

I've never done a BIAB. Did you have to modify your hop schedule because of the partial boil? If so, how much?

With partial boils, I always up the hops a bit whether it's extract or AG, maybe ~10% depending on the brew. What I've been reading lately, is that may or may not be necessary. Palmer's even talked a bit about wort grav. maybe not having the effect on utilization that we once thought. Still, I like hops, so I bump 'em up a little for a partial boil. That said, since I got my turkey fryer, I only do partial boils on extract kits, but I add all of the extracts at flameout, so the wort grav. is very low in the boil.

And, since we're talking about BIAB, maybe we should let the OP in on the easy way to brew PM or AG..... Sassy, BIAB, or Brew in a Bag is a great way to get into mashing without extra equipment or space. There's a sticky by Deathbrewer in the beginner's forums that lays out the process very well. DeathBrewer also has a thread (not a sticky) about using this method for AG beers. It's as easy as extract with steeping grains, just takes a bit more time and attention to detail. I've been doing BIAB, both AG and partial mash, for awhile and I really like it... and I really like the beers I make. Check out DeathBrewer's sticky for sure. If you have any questions, you can post them on his thread or back here. I'd be happy to help if you have ?'s.

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

I do all my fermenting in 6 gallon Better Bottles and really like them - I do have one 5 gallon glass carboy that I sometimes use for secondary, but think I may switch to 5 gallon Better Bottles or kegs for secondary, after reading some of the threads where people have ended up in the emergency room due to broken glass carboys. If you decide to use Better Bottles, check their web site - there is a lot of good info there about how to use them and clean them - some things you want to avoid doing which could damage them. If you get another bucket for fermenting, it needs to be bigger than 5 gallons!

As for going all-grain, remember that you will need to do a full boil, starting with 6 or 7 gallons of wort. Do you have a stove or other heater (turkey fryer?) that will handle that? If you need to buy/build something, think carefully about whether you want to use propane or electric - lots of info about both here.

I've never brewed a Saison, so I can't give any advise about that.

The Better Bottles are plastic, right? When I went to the HBHQ, they guy really pushed the glass carboy because it cleans better than the plastic & that the plastic could potentially acquire grooves in the sides, which could trap bacteria... Do you clean these plastic bottles just as you would the glass carboys? PS - I am going to look more into these bottles.

My stove is a gas stove... I do not know if it has the capabilities to bring 6 - 7 gallons of Wort to a boil... I have only tried the smaller 5-gallon boil.. The gas stove worked fine then... But now that you mention it.. i want to be sure that I can boil that much on my stove... If not, I might be looking into buying the turkey fryer... (I need one of those anyways - so does the hubby! ) Which do you guys prefer - gas or electric? I read some information about that a bit ago... Read a thread about it & the differences...

Lots & Lots to Think About.....



.... I need a beer to ponder about this one!!


Peace. Love. & Beer!
CHEERS!!

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

Nah, you can do AG without a full boil. I did AG BIAB batches using a partial boil for awhile before I got a large enough kettle to do full boils and had pretty good results. Now mind you, the results are better with a full boil, but that holds true for all batches, AG, PM and extract, a full boil just seems to lend itself to a better end product.
As far as the bottles, dead on, at least 3 weeks at room temp for most ales to carb up in bottles. Sometimes longer. I've had the occasional batch carb up in a week or two, but in general, 4 weeks is the avg. for my beers.

Okay.... A couple of things here - let's see, I could do a PB on my stove & be okay doing an AG? & I am sorry, I am lost at the BIAB --- what is this again? We have a 5 gal kettle now... We have a larger one -- the one we used to sanitize our equipment in... I guess I could boil some water in it to see if it did a FB... If not, I could go with the PB with an AG...

& Bottling.... Tuesday - next week - will be Day 15 & we thought we would bottle?? Then, after we bottle, we're gonna keep them for about 3 weeks before they will be ready?... Approx. Does this depend on the kind of beer that is brewed?


CHEERS!

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

And, since we're talking about BIAB, maybe we should let the OP in on the easy way to brew PM or AG..... Sassy, BIAB, or Brew in a Bag is a great way to get into mashing without extra equipment or space. There's a sticky by Deathbrewer in the beginner's forums that lays out the process very well. DeathBrewer also has a thread (not a sticky) about using this method for AG beers. It's as easy as extract with steeping grains, just takes a bit more time and attention to detail. I've been doing BIAB, both AG and partial mash, for awhile and I really like it... and I really like the beers I make. Check out DeathBrewer's sticky for sure. If you have any questions, you can post them on his thread or back here. I'd be happy to help if you have ?'s.

Ha! I posted & asked... Whoops! Thanks for the Clarification...

Totally gonna look into this thread... Just to familiarize myself with AG brews....


CHEERS!!

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

BIAB, or Brew in a Bag is a really easy way to mash grain with no added equipment. Check out these two threads:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-partial-mash-brewing-pics-75231/

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-stovetop-all-grain-brewing-pics-90132/

Also, check out these YouTube vids of an AG BIAB brew day of mine last weekend:
Part One

Part Two

As far as gas v. electric goes, I have a electric stove which can boil a full volume for a 5 gal batch (~6.5-7 gal pre boil) with ease. Not all electric stoves do that, but mine's new, bought it in 2010 when we bought our house. I brew indoors in the winter. I also have a turkey fryer, propane, that I use when the weather permits, spring summer and fall. The propane fryer definitely brings my kettle to a boil faster, and brewing outside makes the clean up easier, no trashed kitchen.
I'm in the process of converting part of our garage into my brewery, so I can brew outside year round.

 

[DeafSmith]

The Better Bottles are plastic, right? When I went to the HBHQ, they guy really pushed the glass carboy because it cleans better than the plastic & that the plastic could potentially acquire grooves in the sides, which could trap bacteria... Do you clean these plastic bottles just as you would the glass carboys? PS - I am going to look more into these bottles.

Glass vs. plastic is one of those areas where people have really strong opinions. My experience is that the plastic Better Bottles work very well, if you follow the recommendations listed on the BB web site. I use the ones without the port for a spout (the ported ones don't seem worth the price to me). The only way the BB's will get grooves in the sides is if you use a brush to clean them, which you should not do. Just let them soak for a few hours in a solution of PBW or OxiClean Free (follow Better Bottle instructions for maximum concentration and don't add the powder before the water). Then dump most of the liquid and put a dishrag or cloth inside to act as a scrubber and swirl with the remaining liquid. Rinse thoroughly. I like to follow that with an acid rinse (vinegar or StarSan) to remove any mineral deposits and after rinsing that out, I put in just a pint or so of distilled water and swirl it around so it will dry spot free. I would probably not use a Better Bottle for long term aging (several months or longer) due to the possibility of oxygen absorption, but they are fine for a few weeks, IMO.

My stove is a gas stove... I do not know if it has the capabilities to bring 6 - 7 gallons of Wort to a boil... I have only tried the smaller 5-gallon boil.. The gas stove worked fine then... But now that you mention it.. i want to be sure that I can boil that much on my stove... If not, I might be looking into buying the turkey fryer... (I need one of those anyways - so does the hubby! ) Which do you guys prefer - gas or electric? I read some information about that a bit ago... Read a thread about it & the differences...

A lot of people prefer electric - I believe I have read that it is cheaper than gas and you don't have the hassle of exchanging tanks - also more and more people seem to be going that direction, so maybe its the wave of the future.
I have never used gas, but my electric setup is very much "off the beaten track":
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/lives-stovezilla-born-177317/

If you go electric, I'd recommend the more conventional approach of using an electric water heater element in the kettle. My approach works great for me, but probably is not worth the trouble for most people. It was an experiment that worked out pretty well, but if I were doing it again, I'd probably just use a water heater element.

 

[DeafSmith]

I'm in the process of converting part of our garage into my brewery, so I can brew outside year round.

Must be nice to live in Minnesota. If I brewed outside in the summer here, it'd have to be in the wee hours.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Must be nice to live in Minnesota. If I brewed outside in the summer here, it'd have to be in the wee hours.

It's f'n hot here too this summer. Mid 90's today and yesterday. I know that's nothing compared to N. Tx, my brother lives right down the road from you guys on Emily and Coit right under the 635-75 hi five, and my parents are in Keller. I refuse to visit there in the spring, summer and fall because of the heat.

Ha! I posted & asked... Whoops! Thanks for the Clarification...

Totally gonna look into this thread... Just to familiarize myself with AG brews....


CHEERS!!

No worries. Check out the vids I linked too. Pretty much walks you through a stovetop BIAB brew day.

 

[Stauffbier]

No worries. Check out the vids I linked too. Pretty much walks you through a stovetop BIAB brew day.

Nice vids, but Dude! Feed your cat!

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Nice vids, but Dude! Feed your cat!

Oh man, that's my wife's Bengal cat, he's f'n insane. They're part wild cat and he howls like that to go back and patrol our yard. He's gorgeous though, leopard spotted, lean like a panther.... I'll try and get him on video sometime.

 

[eastoak]

I would probably not use a Better Bottle for long term aging (several months or longer) due to the possibility of oxygen absorption, but they are fine for a few weeks, IMO.

actually better bottles are fine for extended aging, PET does not let in as much O2 as other plastics. i age my sour beers in better bottles.

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

BIAB, or Brew in a Bag is a really easy way to mash grain with no added equipment. Check out these two threads:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-partial-mash-brewing-pics-75231/

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-stovetop-all-grain-brewing-pics-90132/

Also, check out these YouTube vids of an AG BIAB brew day of mine last weekend:
Part One

Part Two

As far as gas v. electric goes, I have a electric stove which can boil a full volume for a 5 gal batch (~6.5-7 gal pre boil) with ease. Not all electric stoves do that, but mine's new, bought it in 2010 when we bought our house. I brew indoors in the winter. I also have a turkey fryer, propane, that I use when the weather permits, spring summer and fall. The propane fryer definitely brings my kettle to a boil faster, and brewing outside makes the clean up easier, no trashed kitchen.
I'm in the process of converting part of our garage into my brewery, so I can brew outside year round.

Yo! Yo! Yo!

Dude! Awesome! The AG seems a little more difficult than just my can kit... But something I want to do!! & it seems easy... just more detailed i wanna do an AG!! :rockin: And I think I want to do a Hefeweizen I think it would be okay is this awful heat down here! I watched both videos & have read through the thread that you told me to go to.. Haven't read it all.. It's over 100 pages.. But I did read how the guy did it & looked at his pictures... Interesting. & I wanna do one!

nestar: Sweet Video!! nestar: Ha! & converting your garage? i just need a bigger house!!



CHEERS!

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Ha! & converting your garage? i just need a bigger house!!



CHEERS!

Ha! You 'n' me both! BIAB is pretty easy. It takes a few go 'rounds to get your mashing process down, and there's a bit more clean up for sure, but it's not hard.