The Cannman Diary: A Beginner's Journey In Home Brewing

[gladius270]

I have also heard of the hour boil of water followed by dumping that water. I have not yet heard anyone who has given a good answer as to how to clean an aluminum kettle so as to maintain that layer in the kettle. I am eyeing larger aluminum kettles for my next purchase, simply because of cost.

 

[cannman]

I'm getting ready for Brew-Day TOMORROW NIGHT (Brew Night I guess) but I'm getting most of the equipment cleaned up right now. What's the best way to get a new Wort Chiller Clean and ready for first use? Just CLEAN as tomorrow I'll serialize. I was reading OXI-Clean is great to use on copper, but if the crowd has another suggestion I'd like to consider it!

Current idea: Hot water and Oxi-Clean soak (10 Minutes, followed by terry cloth wipe down and rinse).

Thank you,

-C

 

[davis119]

I just through mine in didn't clean it at all first

 

[ACbrewer]

There are oils used in the milling of metal that might need removal from your wort cooler (it is a cleaning thing). You don't need to sterlize it as you will be putting it into hot wort - generally in the last few minutes of the boil.

I don't remember what people say to use to clean of any dirt/oils that might be on the chiller prior to use.

 

[lylo]

Floating a SS bowl in the wort can sometimes be the difference between a simmer and a hard boil.I hope you have tested your stove for its ability to boil? This would be a major fox pas if you have a kettle full of wort and int won't boil!S OL

 

[cannman]

Floating a SS bowl in the wort can sometimes be the difference between a simmer and a hard boil.I hope you have tested your stove for its ability to boil? This would be a major fox pas if you have a kettle full of wort and int won't boil!S OL

For the first brew I'm going to go with a partial boil of 3 gal. By the time I'm ready for batch 2, I'll have the propane set up good to go. Besides, going through with the partial boil will allow me appreciate the future qualities of full boils.

 

[cannman]

I read that people are surprised how shinny the wort chiller Looks after the first boil, so I'm boiling it in water. Below is 3 gallons of water boiling.

 

[cannman]

Need to delay Brewday until this weekend.

I got the shippment of my brew equipment but it did not come with a sanatizer, only a cleanser. So I'm heading off to the brew store Friday for some no-rinse. In the mean time, I have some Newcastle's Founders Brew ALE to work on...

-Cannman

 

[cannman]

I got the brew day in last night about10pm and wrapped up about 3am.

At about 9 am I noticed there was zero activity in the bubble stopper, but noticed a bit of activity once I moved the bucket into a warmer room. Here in the desert, its about 50 at night indoors and the room it was in was not being kept at any other temperature but ambient.

Now 14 hours later, I notice almost no bubbles once again...

Take a look at the photo I've attached to see the set up. If I don't see bubbles, should I pitch a second packet of Yeast? I used about 11g of Coopers. I have Nottingham Ale handy as well... Shake it first perhaps (I gave it a pretty good aeration after cooling)?

I've enhanced the color on the thermometer to help with the temperature reads.

- cannman

 

[Yooper]

I can't see the temperature there, but it looks to be in the mid 60s which is fine. I wouldn't warm it up at all, and just let it be.

 

[cannman]

I can't see the temperature there, but it looks to be in the mid 60s which is fine. I wouldn't warm it up at all, and just let it be.

66-70... Those are the ones lit up.... Upload shrunk the photo a bit...

 

[DJP00829]

At about 9 am I noticed there was zero activity in the bubble stopper, but noticed a bit of activity once I moved the bucket into a warmer room. Here in the desert, its about 50 at night indoors and the room it was in was not being kept at any other temperature but ambient.

Now 14 hours later, I notice almost no bubbles once again...

Bubbles aren't always a the best indicator of fermentation. You did see some, so that's a good sign, but now you just have to relax and trust the yeast to do their job.

Cheers!

 

[cannman]

Arg... Ok. I feel the need to get a second batch going ASAP. I think I'll try one of those #7 PET bottles from Walmart for secondary fermenting... Start it Wednesday or Thursday depending on how this week and this first brew goes...

 

[cannman]

Lots of bubbles today. Looks like the beer was just a little cold... Need to invent a beer blanket

-c

 

[cannman]

Ok next stAge. Recipe states that after 4 days I should transfer into secondary. Do I want to do this if the airlock bubbler is still showing activity??

 

[bluemoose]

If you do transfer to secondary, you don't need to, I would wait until the beer has substantially fermented.

 

[davis119]

Ok next stAge. Recipe states that after 4 days I should transfer into secondary. Do I want to do this if the airlock bubbler is still showing activity??

yeah OP i just saw you sig ( a few posts back) that you will be transfering in 4 days ..... and was going to post something about it \

then i saw you posted this

wait at least a week

alot of people on here will say dont transfer at all unless your dry hopping or adding fruit.....

next time just use your carboy a a primary and then you get to see all swirling it cool

 

[cannman]

next time just use your carboy a a primary and then you get to see all swirling it cool

Arg!!! Next time I guess. I'll need to prep for the next brew so I'll need the bucket...

 

[davis119]

Arg!!! Next time I guess. I'll need to prep for the next brew so I'll need the bucket...

u dont have to use it as a primary im just saying its cool to see what goes on in there......
grab a cheapo bucket from depot to use to prep

 

[cannman]

Wow. What an amazing experience. I transferred into a secondary glass carboy today! I took a hydrometer test and it came out to 1.020. Interesting since Original estimate og is 1.076 but I must remind us that an official og was not taken ( because I'm new and well, this is a learning experience). I drank the sample and it was uncarbonated, smelled great, cloudy, and was pretty plain in flavor. I'm not sure what this really means but these are my observations. Another issue I noticed is how low the liquid level in the carboy is. Please see the attached. Perhaps I only came up with 4.5 gallons at primary... I should run a test next time to see where the 5 gal mark is in the carboy. I did eliminate a huge amount of crap at the bottom ... But still, the carboy makes me feel that I only fermented 4ish gallons instead of 5 gallons.



-C

 

[davis119]

Well your gravity is still high. Probably because its was still fermenting. It had only been 4 days.
and it didn't start right away so maybe only 3 days?

 

[bluemoose]

5 or 6.5 gallon carboy?

 

[spearko520]

I have also heard of the hour boil of water followed by dumping that water. I have not yet heard anyone who has given a good answer as to how to clean an aluminum kettle so as to maintain that layer in the kettle. I am eyeing larger aluminum kettles for my next purchase, simply because of cost.

the pre- boil is to create a layer of oxidized metal, which you can visibly confirm because the metal will turn a darker, brownish color. I clean with a soft sponge and very hot water- every now and then i take my weldless fittings off and apart and clean those, too.

 

[atom]

Well your gravity is still high. Probably because its was still fermenting. It had only been 4 days.
and it didn't start right away so maybe only 3 days?

yeah. you should have waited to transfer. (or not secondary at all as others have pointed out).

 

[cannman]

yeah. you should have waited to transfer. (or not secondary at all as others have pointed out).

Yeah, but I had to stick to the recipe the first time around so I can compare future batches as I change things up...

 

[cannman]

5 or 6.5 gallon carboy?

6 gallon carboy...

 

[cannman]

Update and new question!

Carboy looked like it was sweating from the inside. Droplets of beer were on the inside of the glass at the upper end of the container. Getting too hot??? The thermometer shows the brew in perfect range... Anything to worry about?

 

[ACbrewer]

It is just water evaporation condensing on the inner surface. Beer like coloration is probably caused by the kaurusen (sp?) - the foam of fermentation - coming up and leaving behind some of itself on the surface. The water condenses and takes some of that into the beer.

I doubt you have a problem due to temps over this.