What's up with THIS photo - never saw THAT before

[Grinder12000]

OK - I did a few things different today tryitn to get that cold break faster.

The things I did different was I used Whirlfloc for the 1st time - I also deluted with 34 degree water - about 2.5 gallons.

The temp went from 200 to 66 in ABOUT 20 minutes.

HOWEVER - this is the results - I'm wondering if I messed up the recipe (looking back I can't see anything).

Comments?? The OG is way high which did not surprise me looking at the carboy.

 

[BierMuncher]

That my friend is perfection.

 

[SavageSteve]

That's perfectly normal-- it's just the break settling. It will compact more over time.

 

[eschatz]

thats beautiful! nice job!

 

[Grinder12000]

OH - well - Im not sure if I'm happy for NOW or sad for the ones that came before this LOL

Thanks

 

[DrinksWellWithOthers]

I nearly shat my pants the first time I had a beer look like that in the carboy. I thought I F'ed up something, too. Turns out my brewing process was just getting better.

 

[Chef Stress]

I was wondering about his for extract brewing - is it ok to cool the dilution water, like Grinder did, to get to a lower pitching temp faster? My friend and I are doing extract brews, usually 2.5 gallon brews. can we add cold water to the carboy and then pitch yeast?

 

[Yooper]

Beautiful cold break! Nice. You'll have a super clear beer for sure!

You CAN definitely add cold water to the carboy to cool the wort faster, but you still have to cool the wort to under 90 degrees before you pour it into the carboy. I'd cool the wort, then put it in the carboy, then top off with cold water. Do it slowly, so you don't overchill the wort (that happened to me!).

You don't want to pour hot wort into the carboy- first of all, there's the real risk of cracking and breaking the carboy by pouring hot wort into it, and there are some other possible risks.

 

[Grinder12000]

I was at 100 when I poured the 34 degree water.

I STILL am worried about the 1.072 OG Not shere where THAT came from!

Stirring really helped cooling the beer in ice water bath.

 

[Brewer3401]

Yeah, looks good. You did good.

Always scary the first time.

Cover that thing..........light is bad.

 

[Grinder12000]

It's in darkness - no worries

 

[Brett0424]

As you can see, the wort is all separated up and not uniform. Most likely you simply got a bad hydrometer reading if you think your gravity is too high. It is a very common beginner mistake. Make sure the wort is mixed up real well next time you take an OG reading.

 

[GunnerMan]

Is there a problem with adding hot wort to water in your carboy? Does it screw up the cold break? Im not to worried about clear beer, im here to drink it not look at it..

I have just been soaking my hot wort in an ice bath till it reached 130 F or so and then putting it in cool water thats already in the carboy. By that time the whole deal is usually right around 70 F.

 

[Grinder12000]

Gunner - I have read in a number of places this is not a problem. First time I've tried ultra cold water though.

Also - no prob with the reading = still at 1.072

SO the question is will this make an extremely alcoholic beer?

 

[Yooper]

Your SG is a "set" SG if you used extract- was this recipe a PM recipe? Did you top off to 5 gallons? It's hard to tell in that picture!

What was your recipe? And what was your OG supposed to be?

Thanks for sharing the picture- that's great.

 

[Grinder12000]

Recipe was an Americam Amber from Brewing Classic Styles.

The only real difference was I used an Amber Extract instead af a English Pale ale.

Everything else, I THINK, was the same. 1.044 is the listed Pre-Boil gravity. However I take my reading AFTER the boil - is this something I've been messing up on? How can you take a "pre-boil" gravity anyway.

 

[drunkatuw]

Is your reading right after the boil or after you topped off to 5 gal? The 1.044 is the SG for 5 gal of beer, not 2.5. You also have to adjust your SG based on the temperature of the wort.

But to answer your first question, it's definitely whirlfloc: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=56392

 

[Bobby_M]

The term "preboil" gravity is associated to the All Grain method. There's no way to get 1.072 OG in 5 gallons using 7.2 pounds of LME. Did you use dry extract? If so, that's pretty close.

The recipe calls for an OG of 1.067 doesn't it? You're not far off.

 

[Grinder12000]

It's LME.

Forgot about the temp - however the Hydrometer was still in the tube this morning and still the same - HOWEVER (just thought of this)- I wonder if it was mixed well enough - maybe when I put the auto siphon in I was only getting one layer.

I bet that's it.

I put in the cold water and then stuck the siphon in. I bet I got a thick layer!

How do mix a 600 pound carboy anyway!! LOL

 

[cheezydemon]

The reason to cool the wort before pouring is (*gulp*) hot side aeration.

 

[Grinder12000]

hot side aeration?

Wort was at 100 - I could wait until 90 and then dilute with warmer water? 40 degree instead of 34 degree??

 

[Laurel]

My candy thermometer only goes down to 100º. I cool the wort in my pot until it hits 100, then pour it on top of a gallon of refrigerated water, and top off as necessary. I've never had a cardboard beer yet.

 

[fratermus]

OK - I did a few things different today tryitn to get that cold break faster.

Looked at the pic before reading the text and thought "I bet he used whirlfloc for the first time".

 

[Grinder12000]

whirlfloc - YUP - is this something whirlfloc does???

 

[carnevoodoo]

The reason to cool the wort before pouring is (*gulp*) hot side aeration.

Do not worry this guy with hot side aeration. Really, it isn't a concern at all.

 

[eddie]

whirlfloc - YUP - is this something whirlfloc does???

Whirlfloc is basically Irish moss in a tablet form and it work very well. It helps to coagulate the proteins in the boil to result in clearer finished product. I believe it continues to do its magic even after the boil, though. What you see clinging to the sides of the carboy is a combination of these coagulated proteins an yeast. It's not a bad thing at all. If you let it set long enough, it will eventually settle to the bottom of the fermenter.