1st brew/ Caribou Slobber

My 1st brew is NB Caribou Slobber extract kit. Hit my OG at 1052 and a week later I'm at 1019. Should I let it set another week before transferring it to 2ndary? I'm getting antsy after tasting it today Going to transfer it on top of a vanilla bean sitting in about 2oz vanilla vodka for a light vanilla flavor. Then two weeks later I'm kegging it. Should I wait one more week b4 2ndary? Suggestions will be greatly appreciated. BTW I love HBT!

Why do you feel that you need to secondary? Just put the vanilla in now, and in a week it will be done and you can bottle it.

bottlebomber said:

Why do you feel that you need to secondary? Just put the vanilla in now, and in a week it will be done and you can bottle it.

Click to expand...

I am worried leaving it on the trub might impart some off flavors. My noob mistake was pitching at mid/high 70s temp. I was over zealous and pitched the dry yeast as soon as I poured it into the fermenter. Figured out my mistake when I read the yeast directions a few hrs later, co I crashed it to 64 in the fridge quickly. I jet don't want any weird flavors from sitting on the trub and the recipe calls for a 2ndary. I added the vanilla step on my own and figure it will need to sit a while to pick up flavor and aroma. How long I don't know.

hey4q2pal said:

I am worried leaving it on the trub might impart some off flavors. My noob mistake was pitching at mid/high 70s temp. I was over zealous and pitched the dry yeast as soon as I poured it into the fermenter. Figured out my mistake when I read the yeast directions a few hrs later, co I crashed it to 64 in the fridge quickly. I jet don't want any weird flavors from sitting on the trub and the recipe calls for a 2ndary. I added the vanilla step on my own and figure it will need to sit a while to pick up flavor and aroma. How long I don't know.

Click to expand...

You will be fine letting it sit in the primary. I regularly let batches ride 4-weeks in the primary with no ill effect.

-John

My first Caribou Slobber got sent with the wrong yeast and came out terrible. NB sent me a replacement and it somehow went all the way down to 1.010 after a couple weeks. Quite a bit thinner than yours. I'll bottle it soon and hopefully it is decent.

Also, just skip secondary. A simple brown ale doesn't need it.

hey4q2pal said:

My 1st brew is NB Caribou Slobber extract kit. Hit my OG at 1052 and a week later I'm at 1019. Should I let it set another week before transferring it to 2ndary? I'm getting antsy after tasting it today Going to transfer it on top of a vanilla bean sitting in about 2oz vanilla vodka for a light vanilla flavor. Then two weeks later I'm kegging it. Should I wait one more week b4 2ndary? Suggestions will be greatly appreciated. BTW I love HBT!

Click to expand...

There were already 428 posts on this, congrats on being number 429!!!

mike_in_ak said:

There were already 428 posts on this, congrats on being number 429!!!

Click to expand...

Who cares how many posts there already were, if you're being sarcastic. If you're not, cool! It's a popular kit

I didn't mean just on caribou slobber, but rather on this exact permutation of issues. I know, it boggles the mind!

Don't be a jerk, there are also 429+ posts with equally non helpful responses to a first time brewers question.

I would advise not transferring to secondary, there are lots of posts about the reasoning for this. Essentially you don't gain anything from transferring, and you only increase the potential for something bad to happen. Just drop the bean in and you will be good to go. Also, I would advise letting the beer sit in the fermentor for 4 weeks before kegging. By no means are you rushing anything by kegging at 3 weeks, but if you let it sit longer the yeast will clean up even more.

Good luck, and congrats on your first brew! Caribou Slobber is my favorite NB recipe!

mike_in_ak said:

There were already 428 posts on this, congrats on being number 429!!!

Click to expand...

Wow, guess I never thought that it would be so difficult to just skip the thread as opposed taking the time to read a thread you had no interest in, post in it trying to be a jerk, then come back and respond to another poster after getting called out. Shockingly, it is possible to skip threads you don't want to read.

As for the OP, heard really good things about Caribou Slobber, plan on making it as the last extract before i switch to all grain. Let us know how the vanilla beans turn out in it.