NSMikeD
Well-Known Member
Coming up on 48 hours since pitched. A few thing that may or may not be a problem Firstly one of the ball locks is difficult to hook up. It was hard to tell if my blow off tube was properly connected. Secondly the weather has not cooperated with 40* swings. I have a lager aging at 45 in my mini fridge so I decided to put NEIPA in the basement. Alas, yesterday the ambient temp was 70 in the basement, way warm for this time of year but not bad for a start. It’s usually 65.
I didn’t see sign of fermentation after 24 hours though.
I went to check on it today and the basement was 56 and still no obvious signs of fermentation even though the yeast hydrated nicely before pitching
first with the ball locks. With all the struggling getting the blow off tube on, the tube for the the float had come off. Ok. Since it’s still very early and O2 is desired I opened sanitized and reattached the float tube. Since I was able to get my hands on a working gauge (another thread documents the bad gauge I received with my spunding kit) I decided to pressure ferment at room temperature. So I hooked up the kit put on some CO2 and the gasket on the ball lock was leaking. So I reattached it and hook it up and was able to hold steady at 4 psi.
I believe I have this set now so that I can either continue to pressure ferment or switch to the blow off tube once I see progress. Which leads me to issue two.
I think the cold temps over night in the basement might have put slowed the years to a crawl. I want able to observe any air leaving and there is no usually circulation of yeast nor formation of krausen. I’ll know more in the next day or 2. I am holding off part hopping until I see action and do so on the back side.
One last note. I have a cambro that i can turn on its side and nicely fit my keg. I decided to move the lager in it, and put a few large ice packs. The cambro (food service coolers) is like Yeties when it comes to insulation and I have a number of large food service ice packs. Since the larger was in primary at 55 for three weeks and then in the keg at 45 for another week so far, I think the cambro with rotating ice packs will keep it in a safe range.
Thus I can move the NEIPA into the mini fridge on a dialed in ambient temperature once I see action.
I hate having to cross my fingers after trouble shooting but it is what it is. Life with DIY modifications.
I didn’t see sign of fermentation after 24 hours though.
I went to check on it today and the basement was 56 and still no obvious signs of fermentation even though the yeast hydrated nicely before pitching
first with the ball locks. With all the struggling getting the blow off tube on, the tube for the the float had come off. Ok. Since it’s still very early and O2 is desired I opened sanitized and reattached the float tube. Since I was able to get my hands on a working gauge (another thread documents the bad gauge I received with my spunding kit) I decided to pressure ferment at room temperature. So I hooked up the kit put on some CO2 and the gasket on the ball lock was leaking. So I reattached it and hook it up and was able to hold steady at 4 psi.
I believe I have this set now so that I can either continue to pressure ferment or switch to the blow off tube once I see progress. Which leads me to issue two.
I think the cold temps over night in the basement might have put slowed the years to a crawl. I want able to observe any air leaving and there is no usually circulation of yeast nor formation of krausen. I’ll know more in the next day or 2. I am holding off part hopping until I see action and do so on the back side.
One last note. I have a cambro that i can turn on its side and nicely fit my keg. I decided to move the lager in it, and put a few large ice packs. The cambro (food service coolers) is like Yeties when it comes to insulation and I have a number of large food service ice packs. Since the larger was in primary at 55 for three weeks and then in the keg at 45 for another week so far, I think the cambro with rotating ice packs will keep it in a safe range.
Thus I can move the NEIPA into the mini fridge on a dialed in ambient temperature once I see action.
I hate having to cross my fingers after trouble shooting but it is what it is. Life with DIY modifications.