Suggestions for first brew: True Brew kit

[Johncyz]

Hello,

I am completely new to this process, but a big fan of craft beer, and wanted to work on brewing my own beers. Thus far I've bought the following:

• Haier 5.0 Cubic Foot Freezer for Fermentation
• 24qt. Aluminum Stock Pot
• 24-inch Aluminum mixing spoon
• 24 New Brown bottles
• ST-1000 Temperature Controller with all accessories
• Gold Complete Beer Equip. kit (K6)
• True Brew Bavarian Hefeweizen kit

Any suggestions on some other things I may need before I begin brewing next Saturday? Any helpful tips on things to watch out for that are common issues for Newbies?

Thanks,
John Cyzycki

 

[flars]

Check out the operation of the freezer and temp controller with a bucket of water. Tape an insulate the probe to the side of the bucket.
Get a plastic stir spoon. The aluminum one will just scratch the bottom of the kettle inviting scorching.
I think True Brew recipes recommend 4 or 5 days in the primary, been a while since I brewed one, then move to secondary. Plan a three week primary then bottle.
This will give you time to get more bottles. You'll need at least 48 bottles.
Did the kit come with a hydrometer? You will need one to know if fermentation has completed.
How will you cool the wort to yeast pitching temperature?
It is better to pitch into wort that is cooler than the fermentation temperature. Will work to pitch into warm wort, but there is the risk of off flavors from the yeast.
Do you have a good 11 gram pack of dry yeast to pitch? Will you rehydrate the yeast before pitching? If you use liquid yeast what is the viability? Will you need a starter for the liquid yeast before brew day?
Do you have all the equipment cleaned and ready for sanitizing?

There is more. Just ask the question. You will get good advice.

Just a few things to think about, or question, before brew day.

Hoping your first brew day is a good day.

 

[unionrdr]

Definitely get long plastic spoons/paddles. They don't scratch. I've gotten as many as 53-54 bottles out of five gallons, so you definitely need twice the number you have, at least. Stick on thermometer strips at least for the fermenters. Hydrometer & tube. At least a large bag of ice to chill the wort in the kettle in the sink. If you partial boil, you can chill a couple gallons of spring water in the fridge a day or two before brew day to chill the wort further during top off.

 

[jimbobbillyray]

I have never done that exact kit so YMMV

I've done several (some very good btw) what I have found in mine (Porter, IPA, Pale Ale to name a few)

Do not boil the extracts (LME/DME) add them slowly after flame out (though a bit (maybe 1/4 of one pkg of LME for the hops is OK) so long as you watch for boilovers, the rest does not need boiling and IMO (at least) it leads to darkening and off tastes. Be sure to put the LME (if supplied) can into some hot water LONG before you will add to pot also to thin it a bit....you will thank me later LOL

I am not a fan of the Munton's yeast that comes with them I usually use Nottingham (which I make a starter before hand and "split" so clean yeast for easily ten gallons from one package (usually split that one remaining after pitching also - though this is not "required" it works for *ME* and saves me a bit of $$$ LOL)

I'm not sure that the Munton's yeast eats the complex sugars but seems to be OK on the simple sugars??? I'm not sure but seems to at least to me underpitching the yeast - but I have no way to actually verify that- I have had much better results using Notty (and even US-04 in the True Brew kits/styles) I've used. And yes you'll likely need to double up on bottles also assuming they are 12 oz size

Oh I'd also suggest you get some "Star San" (non rinse sanitizer) and a new spray bottle to fill with some diluted S-S

Probably not much help here- sorry

 

[Johncyz]

Check out the operation of the freezer and temp controller with a bucket of water. Tape an insulate the probe to the side of the bucket.
Get a plastic stir spoon. The aluminum one will just scratch the bottom of the kettle inviting scorching.
I think True Brew recipes recommend 4 or 5 days in the primary, been a while since I brewed one, then move to secondary. Plan a three week primary then bottle.
This will give you time to get more bottles. You'll need at least 48 bottles.
Did the kit come with a hydrometer? You will need one to know if fermentation has completed.
How will you cool the wort to yeast pitching temperature?
It is better to pitch into wort that is cooler than the fermentation temperature. Will work to pitch into warm wort, but there is the risk of off flavors from the yeast.
Do you have a good 11 gram pack of dry yeast to pitch? Will you rehydrate the yeast before pitching? If you use liquid yeast what is the viability? Will you need a starter for the liquid yeast before brew day?
Do you have all the equipment cleaned and ready for sanitizing?
.

I've got a couple 64oz growlers, and a 32oz growler. Think it'd be okay to use those in stead of additional bottles?

The kit does have a hydrometer. Any tips to understanding it?

As for cooling, I was thinking of ice bathing it in the sink. Any cheap alternatives that would yield a better result?

The ingredient kit comes with yeast. Is it better to rehydrate? What are the benefits? What is a "starter"?

I have never done that exact kit so YMMV

I've done several (some very good btw) what I have found in mine (Porter, IPA, Pale Ale to name a few)

Do not boil the extracts (LME/DME) add them slowly after flame out (though a bit (maybe 1/4 of one pkg of LME for the hops is OK) so long as you watch for boilovers, the rest does not need boiling and IMO (at least) it leads to darkening and off tastes. Be sure to put the LME (if supplied) can into some hot water LONG before you will add to pot also to thin it a bit....you will thank me later LOL

I am not a fan of the Munton's yeast that comes with them I usually use Nottingham (which I make a starter before hand and "split" so clean yeast for easily ten gallons from one package (usually split that one remaining after pitching also - though this is not "required" it works for *ME* and saves me a bit of $$$ LOL)

I'm not sure that the Munton's yeast eats the complex sugars but seems to be OK on the simple sugars??? I'm not sure but seems to at least to me underpitching the yeast - but I have no way to actually verify that- I have had much better results using Notty (and even US-04 in the True Brew kits/styles) I've used. And yes you'll likely need to double up on bottles also assuming they are 12 oz size

Oh I'd also suggest you get some "Star San" (non rinse sanitizer) and a new spray bottle to fill with some diluted S-S

Probably not much help here- sorry

Alot of what you said is still foreign to me, but I definitely will look into getting some Star San lol.

Thanks!

 

[jimbobbillyray]

Good Sanitation is a pre-requisite to great beer clean and sanitize anything and everything that may possibly come into contact with your wort

 

[flars]

I've got a couple 64oz growlers, and a 32oz growler. Think it'd be okay to use those in stead of additional bottles?
Some growlers have been known to not be able to hold carbonation pressure. They explode.

The kit does have a hydrometer. Any tips to understanding it?
This is a good primer on using a hydrometer. Lot of other good information in this previous edition of Palmers' book.
http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixA.html

As for cooling, I was thinking of ice bathing it in the sink. Any cheap alternatives that would yield a better result?
I use a sink ice bath. Keep yor stir spoon clean and stir the wort with just cold water in the sink at first. This will reduce the temperature quite a bit. Then drain the sink add ice and more cold water. Begin cooling with the lid partially off the kettle.

The ingredient kit comes with yeast. Is it better to rehydrate? What are the benefits? What is a "starter"?
Buy different yeast. The included yeast may be old or not handled properly. Sprinkling dry yeast on top of the wort can kill up to half the yeast. Danstars site on rehydration. http://www.danstaryeast.com/articles/dry-yeast-rehydration-conditions The water you hydrate in can be from 85° to 95°F. Here is information on how to rehydrate, especially the amount of time before pitching. Ignore the bit about rehydrated in wort, (which is water with sugar). http://www.brewwithfermentis.com/tips-tricks/yeast-rehydration/




Alot of what you said is still foreign to me, but I definitely will look into getting some Star San lol.
Starsan is great stuff. It is a no rinse, wet sanitizer. Sanitize just before using the equipment or filling the bottles. It only works when it is still wet.

Thanks!

This is just a quick response, perhaps incomplete, but my ribs are near done.

 

[Johncyz]

So, I've finished building the Temperature controller, and have a question: What would be a good heat source for a 5.0 cubic foot deep freezer? I've heard people say that their fermentation fridge only activates around 2 times an hour. Mine is coming on about 4 times an hour (since around 9:30 last night). I'm currently using a hair dryer, but would like something a bit less noisy due to the freezer being located in my bedroom. Ideas?

Also, what are these items used for in my kit?

 

[flars]

The red clip is for holding the racking cane in position, inside the carboy, when transferring to the bottling bucket. The long tube is probably the racking cane, can't see both ends though. The drilled bung is for the fermentation air lock.
The other tube looks like a spring loaded bottle filler. This is attached to the spigot of the bottling bucket. The white piece I haven't seen before.

 

[yeastylad]

For heating, if you can get a heat mat before next Saturday, that's a good way to go. You can buy the branded FermWrap ones (which are quite expensive, around $30-$38 usually), or go somewhere like http://www.reptilebasics.com/12-heat-tape, get a 2 - 3 feet of heat tape, get them to attach the connectors etc for you and you would tape them to your carboy/bucket, or tape it to the inside of the chamber which is what I do. It's essentially exactly the same item.

 

[unionrdr]

As was alluded to, in partial boils, late extract additions are good for lighter color & cleaner flavor. no more than a pound of extract per gallon of water is good. DME is better to use in the boil then LME, in my experiences. DME doesn't darken as readily as LME does in the boil. Even in my pb/pm biab beers, I save the extract for flame out additions, since I usually mash 4-6lbs of grains. That's usually enough for boil hop additions.

 

[Johncyz]

Thanks for all the help guys. Excited to start my brews.

Anyone got tips on an STC-1000 deep freezer fermenter that seems to be kicking on alot? I've got the temp diode taped to the side of the carboy (with a sponge on top of it to prevent ambient temperature. I am using a hair dryer, and the lowest freezer temperature, and it still seems to heat too much and cool too much, rather than attempt to find a middle zone. How long should it take for it to stop cutting on 5 or 6 times an hour?

 

[yeastylad]

Those probes are waterproof. Fill a 12 or 22 ounce bottle with water and suspend the probe in it inside the freezer. It should buffer enough to stop it cycling frequently. Works for me anyway.

 

[yeastylad]

Also, maybe widen your tolerance on the set point, the swings will be bigger, but should stop it kicking on so much.

 

[ong]

Thanks for all the help guys. Excited to start my brews.



Anyone got tips on an STC-1000 deep freezer fermenter that seems to be kicking on alot? I've got the temp diode taped to the side of the carboy (with a sponge on top of it to prevent ambient temperature. I am using a hair dryer, and the lowest freezer temperature, and it still seems to heat too much and cool too much, rather than attempt to find a middle zone. How long should it take for it to stop cutting on 5 or 6 times an hour?

A hair dryer is way too much heat for your freezer, in my opinion, and presents a pretty significant fire risk. I use a 40W light bulb in a tin can, which is enough to heat an 11 cu ft. freezer in my garage all winter.

On the STC-1000 you can increase the temp differential and increase the time to help stabilize things a bit.

 

[Johncyz]

Just wanted to update everyone. Thanks for all your help! I fermented in my carboy in my chamber for 1 week, than bottle fermented for 2 weeks. Everything seems to be alright, although I wish the color was a bit more golden. Plan to have some folks over today to test the beer.

Thanks!

View attachment IMG_4131.MOV

 

[unionrdr]

Looks like you could've left a lil more dregs in the bottle. While pouring, when you see the gunk coming up to the shoulder of the bottle, stop pouring.

 

[Johncyz]

Looks like you could've left a lil more dregs in the bottle. While pouring, when you see the gunk coming up to the shoulder of the bottle, stop pouring.

Okay, cool. I was wondering what the general consensus was on that. I've heard some say to just pour it as normal, and some say to hold off on it.

 

[unionrdr]

That's also why it's good to leave the bottles in the fridge 5-7 days. The yeast & trub compact on the bottom of the bottle, allowing more beer to pour off. You also get longer lasting carbonation & thicker head.