blackbird939
Member
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2022
- Messages
- 9
- Reaction score
- 10
Been lurking in here, unregistered for a while. Ages ago, my wife bought a kit. Of course, all of that went bad. So, this year I got a couple of refill kits as presents. Extract kits..
We went to the local brew supply shop, asked the staff for help, watched tons and tons of videos, read, etc. Bought a 10 gallon boiling tank, gas burner, wort chiller etc. All the goodies for basic brewing.
The first kit we started with was an Imperial Stout (extract). Followed the instructions to the letter, timing the steeping and boil stages, kept the temperature between 155-165 best we could. Sanitizing everything, did not allow an overflow, which was tricky. Pitched yeast around 68, etc. The OG was pretty much spot-on per the kit 1.076-1.080, we put in container, similar to a carboy. All sanitized to perhaps even ridiculous levels.
We are in Florida, and this time of year, the house is about 65, give or take. We placed the fermenter in the dark. Fermentation started after about 48 hours. Gurgled regularly for a week.
The kit highly recommended a secondary fermentation. Read a thread here that asserts how this step is largely unnecessary. We didn't know that, the sheet said it wasn't necessary, but recommended. After about 7 days, but before the gurgling stopped, we carefully transferred from primary to a new, and thoroughly sanitized beer fermenting paint-bucket-style fermenter with a hole in the lid for off-gassing. Took special care not to transfer sludge or foam. It gurgled for a few more days, slowed and stopped. Let it rest maybe even for a week. This was exactly what the sheet told us to do. Overall, the beer was in secondary for ~13 days, 21 days total fermentation stage since brew day.
Today, was bottle day, per the sheet. We boil the sugar water, cool it. Sanitize everything. Carefully, without too much disruption, we put the sugar-water into a new third bucket, siphon, mix. Then siphon-fill the bottles. Leave about 1.5" from the top. Basically, with the bottle siphon, you can't fill it any more, because you must touch the bottom and when you retract it. it leaves a void. You all know I'm sure.
We tasted some of what was left over. It was nice and stouty- but still pretty bitter, even with the sugar.
Here's the oops...
I tested the FG after we had bottled. Just rookie stupidity. It was around 1.030. Our OG was 1.076. The kit wanted 1.017 - 1.020 !
From what I am reading here, we were too ambitious. The yeast did not have time to 'clean itself up' and settle out. Should we expect our bottles will now explode in the next week.
Many thanks in advance .. and cheers.
Michael
We went to the local brew supply shop, asked the staff for help, watched tons and tons of videos, read, etc. Bought a 10 gallon boiling tank, gas burner, wort chiller etc. All the goodies for basic brewing.
The first kit we started with was an Imperial Stout (extract). Followed the instructions to the letter, timing the steeping and boil stages, kept the temperature between 155-165 best we could. Sanitizing everything, did not allow an overflow, which was tricky. Pitched yeast around 68, etc. The OG was pretty much spot-on per the kit 1.076-1.080, we put in container, similar to a carboy. All sanitized to perhaps even ridiculous levels.
We are in Florida, and this time of year, the house is about 65, give or take. We placed the fermenter in the dark. Fermentation started after about 48 hours. Gurgled regularly for a week.
The kit highly recommended a secondary fermentation. Read a thread here that asserts how this step is largely unnecessary. We didn't know that, the sheet said it wasn't necessary, but recommended. After about 7 days, but before the gurgling stopped, we carefully transferred from primary to a new, and thoroughly sanitized beer fermenting paint-bucket-style fermenter with a hole in the lid for off-gassing. Took special care not to transfer sludge or foam. It gurgled for a few more days, slowed and stopped. Let it rest maybe even for a week. This was exactly what the sheet told us to do. Overall, the beer was in secondary for ~13 days, 21 days total fermentation stage since brew day.
Today, was bottle day, per the sheet. We boil the sugar water, cool it. Sanitize everything. Carefully, without too much disruption, we put the sugar-water into a new third bucket, siphon, mix. Then siphon-fill the bottles. Leave about 1.5" from the top. Basically, with the bottle siphon, you can't fill it any more, because you must touch the bottom and when you retract it. it leaves a void. You all know I'm sure.
We tasted some of what was left over. It was nice and stouty- but still pretty bitter, even with the sugar.
Here's the oops...
I tested the FG after we had bottled. Just rookie stupidity. It was around 1.030. Our OG was 1.076. The kit wanted 1.017 - 1.020 !
From what I am reading here, we were too ambitious. The yeast did not have time to 'clean itself up' and settle out. Should we expect our bottles will now explode in the next week.
Many thanks in advance .. and cheers.
Michael