Anyone else feel like a big papa bear???

[dieden187]

Ok, so I just brewed my first batch a couple days ago. I was super nervous for the first four or five hours before fermentation...
..My SG was way too high
..I should have topped off my batch
..I pitched too much
.. I don't have temp control
Blah, blah, blah

But now that all seams healthy, I can't help but sit close enough to hear the blow off tube bubble, and enjoy the slightly yeasty smelling CO2 emanating from the product of a VERY complicated process that I kinda controlled.

Is it weird to just want to sit and listen???

 

[mcbaumannerb]

Nope - even with all the mistakes it's still beer!

 

[MathiasMicrobrew]

That not weird at all! I like smelling my air locks just to get a peep show of what's join on in there! The sound of a blow off tube bubbling away will put me to sleep knowing that the yeasties are hard at it.

 

[dieden187]

Ok, well after about 50-60 hours my blow off tube seems to not have any pressure to it (sani level in the tube is exactly the same as in the sani container) I can still smell the fermentation, so I'm wondering if maybe the carboy cap isn't sealing fully. I can still see activity in the fermenter, albeit much less than before. Should I swing by my LHBS and get a stopper and airlock just to make sure?

 

[mcbaumannerb]

no - for a lot yeasts I would expect it to slow down by now. Just let it go - even after the active fermentation the yeast are going to clean up after themselves. After 2-3 weeks start checking gravity to see if it has leveled off and move on to bottling (or bulk aging if you need to do so)

 

[VWBug5000]

If you think you have a leak you can always spray some starsan around base of the carboy cap and check for bubbles. Otherwise, I agree with mcb

 

[scoundrel]

Ok, so I just brewed my first batch a couple days ago. I was super nervous for the first four or five hours before fermentation...
..My SG was way too high
..I should have topped off my batch
..I pitched too much
.. I don't have temp control
Blah, blah, blah

But now that all seams healthy, I can't help but sit close enough to hear the blow off tube bubble, and enjoy the slightly yeasty smelling CO2 emanating from the product of a VERY complicated process that I kinda controlled.

Is it weird to just want to sit and listen???

There are times when my kid wakes me up with nightmares and I tip toe downstairs to watch my beer ferment. The morning after brew day is like Christmas, when I was a kid.

 

[dieden187]

Well, it's another story with my most recent batch... Hit EVERY number perfectly. Mash temps (two step and a mash out), mash times, pre boil volume, pre boil gravity, post boil volume, OG.
Brewed a Black Belgian Wit. OG was 1.049/1.050, split into 3gal better bottles (2.5 gallons each) and pitched a half a vial each of WLP400 with no starter. Pitch temp was about 71° or 72° and the fermenters slowly cooled to 69°. The yeast did sit at room temp for about 3.5 to 4 hours and I pitched 2 hours after chilling. It has now been 12 hours and I have NO activity in the blow off tubes.

 

[IL1kebeer]

How old was the yeast? Old and less viable yeast will take longer to start. Unfortunately the stressed yeast can lead to some off flavors. It's usually good practice to make a starter especially if the yeast are on their last legs in terms of viability

Also, no activity at 12 hours is nothing to worry about yet. Even with old yeast your fermentation will start, although it may take a few days.

 

[dieden187]

The yeast label said use by August 23rd. I really wanted to do a starter on this one, but my girlfriend was visiting from out of state until the night before and I didn't think it would be right to stop the festivities to do a starter.