Second Batch

[awillis]

I just racked my hefeweizen into the secondary. Initial fermentation was rockin and I could see the kreusen form, for the first time. I also had to clean the primary carboy for the first time. Its really easy with the brush, I was worried about it being tedious. Cant wait to taste!

 

[Porter fan]

You can taste it when you rack to the secodary just be a bit on the green side with some yeast bite and will be flat ofcorse.But sould still give you an idea of the final product.Have fun!

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

nah, it's easy with a regular carboy brush. plus it's cool to see it ferment and it's stuff.

tasting it at bottling time will give you a good idea too. should taste like flat beer!

 

[brewhead]

plus it's cool to see it ferment and it's stuff.

i still am amazed at all the energy expended during fermentation. the young beer churning itself - all manner of weird manifistations in the krausen - a plethora of alien like flocculant - a life of it's own...

it is a neat process to watch

 

[andre the giant]

IMO, its the second best reason to use a glass carboy over a plastic bucket. The first reason is sanitation, but being able to watch the yeast churn, bubble and settle out is a show unto itself.

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

the first time i made a starter, i was amazed at the ativity. i guess being in such a small vessel it's more violent of a ferment. cool stuff man, cool stuff......
the first time i used a 6.5 g carboy for primary was way cool too. i'll never go back (unless i break both my 6.5 carboys!!!! knock on wood!!!)

this may be on another thread, but how many aerate the wort, by other than "sloshing" the cooled wort around?

 

[Porter fan]

I thought long and hard bout aerating the wort and will try it soon..Hell I'm just getting used to making a starter..

 

[brewhead]

this may be on another thread, but how many aerate the wort, by other than "sloshing" the cooled wort around?

i do everything pre pitch to aerate. sloshing yes - i also whisk while the wort is in the kettle and i use a funnel that has a wide mouth which makes a lot of turbulance - also when i rack from the kettle to the carboy i use the auto siphon...when it's done it's thing and all the wort is in the carboy - i vigorously pump the auto siphon which also churns the wort....anything and everything...'cept i don't do the air stone. i gotta figure that's one more thing i gotta wash and sanatize afterwords. plus i have a hesitation about nasties harboring in the stone itself

 

[Sir Sudster]

I did the air stone thing for quite sometme and it just got to be a big pain in the cabouse. I never had a problem but I didn't really see much change of not doing it. I always made a starter and that's the biggest boost you can give. So, I just started back doing the same things Brewhead does and things work out fine without the added extra work. After a long brew session it's really hard to justify the extra work. By the end of a session I'm pooped.

 

[SwAMi75]

I just pour somewhat aggressively, then slosh for a couple minutes, then pitch a starter. After sweating my butt off in the garage all day, anticipating all the cleanup, it's not something I feel the need to spend much time on, nor dirty up any more equipment.

LOL....sorry we crapped up your thread, awillis. Damn you, Deroux!!!

 

[Sir Sudster]

Sorry awillis .. Brewheads the one that sent me to left field.

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

that's funny how ya'll think the aeration stone is such a pain. i just wash/sanitize it with my siphon tubing and let it dry while i brew. may take an extra 2 minutes, at the most. i've never had contamination problems, and the smaller air bubbles at a slower introduction to the cooled wort is better for the yeast. i usually let mine run for 1.5-2 minutes (depends on the SG of the batch).
again, just one of the little things to help the beer, but not necissary!

sorry i took a wrong turn here awillis! (and SAM!) :~)

 

[Laurel]

I just used a liquid yeast for the first time (wyeast)yesterday and I'm blown away by how violently it's churning. I just pour the wort through a funnel, and my top off water as well. Then I just cover the top of the carboy with a double layer of saran wrap, the my hand and shake the bejesus out of it, well, to the best of my ability. My upper body strength isn't exactly on-par with a body builder. I've always had just fine fermentation.

Out of curiosity, what is the end result of NOT aerating your wort at the beginning?