Ok so i just put my first batch to bed and have been reading that the only way to tell if the yeast are working is to take hydro readings. My question is how do yall take them without contamination? Do you remove the lid or siphon from the airlock hole? Any help is appreciated.
Taking a Hydro reading
- Thread starter Punity
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I just pop the bung off and suck it right out with a straw. I can tell how much ABV there is by how hot my belly gets. No hydrometer needed. But seriously, I use a highly questionable method that I would never admit to. Too many bad reviews on that wine thief.. Might as well siphon manually.
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
Actually, another way (with zero contamination risk) is to measure the fermenting beer temperature. Even something as inaccurate as one of the fermometers will help. Depending on how low you chilled the wort before pitching, and if it's below ambient temp, then you'll see the fermometer/thermometer show an increase above that indicating yeast activity inside (generating heat)...
Personally, I have a thermowell going into my fermenters, so that I have an easy way to get a temperature reading. The thermometer unit records high, low and shows current. This allows me to see when it's peaked and is on the drop as well. I also don't take a gravity reading after pitching the yeast until it's gone to the keg. I've used the same few strains of yeast enough times to know when they're done. Plus, I give them enough time to be done without question.
Since this is your first, a few gems to help...
1. Ignore time frames on the kit/recipe instructions when it comes to time fermenting. The yeast will work at it's own pace and humans have no rights to interrupt their work.
2. You don't need to rack to another vessel for the vast majority of brews. Basically, if you're making something with ale yeast, you can leave it in primary for the duration.
3. When it's done fermenting, and you're trying to figure out if it's time to bottle/keg it, pull a sample, take a gravity reading and TASTE it... Repeat 3-7 days later and you'll know if it really is done fermenting and IF it's ready to keg/bottle. If you detect any off flavors, give it more time right where it is.
4. More time can cure almost all issues with a brew. Only a few things cannot be fixed this way. Included are oxidation (each time you rack the brew, chances of that happening increases), infection (opening the fermenter too long will increase that risk, as well as not using proper sanitation practices) and issues due to water chemistry.
5. If you're not already, get some no-rinse sanitizer like StarSan and DON'T use something chlorine/bleach based.
There's more, which can be found just by cruising the boards or using the search tool.
Personally, I have a thermowell going into my fermenters, so that I have an easy way to get a temperature reading. The thermometer unit records high, low and shows current. This allows me to see when it's peaked and is on the drop as well. I also don't take a gravity reading after pitching the yeast until it's gone to the keg. I've used the same few strains of yeast enough times to know when they're done. Plus, I give them enough time to be done without question.
Since this is your first, a few gems to help...
1. Ignore time frames on the kit/recipe instructions when it comes to time fermenting. The yeast will work at it's own pace and humans have no rights to interrupt their work.
2. You don't need to rack to another vessel for the vast majority of brews. Basically, if you're making something with ale yeast, you can leave it in primary for the duration.
3. When it's done fermenting, and you're trying to figure out if it's time to bottle/keg it, pull a sample, take a gravity reading and TASTE it... Repeat 3-7 days later and you'll know if it really is done fermenting and IF it's ready to keg/bottle. If you detect any off flavors, give it more time right where it is.
4. More time can cure almost all issues with a brew. Only a few things cannot be fixed this way. Included are oxidation (each time you rack the brew, chances of that happening increases), infection (opening the fermenter too long will increase that risk, as well as not using proper sanitation practices) and issues due to water chemistry.
5. If you're not already, get some no-rinse sanitizer like StarSan and DON'T use something chlorine/bleach based.
There's more, which can be found just by cruising the boards or using the search tool.
if you JUST finished it, like 2 hours ago. STOP walk away. poking it will not help. the bubbles will start in 12 hours not twelve min.
if ya did it 5-7 days ago and want to know if its finished then thats where a spigot(tap) at the bottom comes in handy. also handy for bottling/transferring. homebrew store will install one for u for 5 bucks and well worth it.
sanatise a turkey baster thingmabob and steralise your hand, or a cup/glass and just dunk it in there and take a sample. if the lid is open for less than a min its fine.
to tell if its finished the gravity reading will not change over 2 days. with extract kits its usually about 1.010 or 1.020.
good luck with it. patience is key(says the guy drinking beer thats WAYYY too young)
if ya did it 5-7 days ago and want to know if its finished then thats where a spigot(tap) at the bottom comes in handy. also handy for bottling/transferring. homebrew store will install one for u for 5 bucks and well worth it.
sanatise a turkey baster thingmabob and steralise your hand, or a cup/glass and just dunk it in there and take a sample. if the lid is open for less than a min its fine.
to tell if its finished the gravity reading will not change over 2 days. with extract kits its usually about 1.010 or 1.020.
good luck with it. patience is key(says the guy drinking beer thats WAYYY too young)
SnowBird
Active Member
While it is true that a hydrometer reading will tell whether or not the yeast have eating up sugars I personally would recommend holding off on taking a reading for at least a week. The thing you should be watching right now is your airlock. It should begin to bubble in as little as 3 hours and can take as long as 48 hours. A bubbling airlock is the sure sign the yeast are going to work. They eat sugar and give off 2 things - alcohol (stays in the beer) and CO2 (gas which leaves via the airlock).
In short, you avoid contamination by not taking hydrometer readings at all until your air lock slows down (7 to 10 days after you pitched your yeast). If you just pitched your yeast tonight open a beer, relax, and check your airlock tomorrow. If its still not bubbling tomorrow open another beer and relax. All you can do at this point is ensure that your wort is at the proper fermentation temperature for the type of yeast you are using.
In short, you avoid contamination by not taking hydrometer readings at all until your air lock slows down (7 to 10 days after you pitched your yeast). If you just pitched your yeast tonight open a beer, relax, and check your airlock tomorrow. If its still not bubbling tomorrow open another beer and relax. All you can do at this point is ensure that your wort is at the proper fermentation temperature for the type of yeast you are using.
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
Patience is better recommended by someone that lets his 'normal' batches go 3-4 weeks from pitch to kegging, then two weeks on gas to carbonate before pulling a pint... I have some batches aging that were started in December of 2011 (wee heavy and three batches of mead)... You couldn't give me a bucket, or carboy, with a spigot in it to use for anything (anymore). In days past I might have used it to bottle a brew, but never to ferment a batch. I ferment all my beers in sanke kegs now. Much happier this way. I've also gone past the stage where I need to see the yeast working in order to know it's working.
Trust in the yeast.. F the force.
Trust in the yeast.. F the force.
Poking will help, in my experience. But you must recite the italian alphabet while poking.
Cool thanks guys. I put it up about 5 pm i checked it just now to make sure temp was good and noticed a little activity in the airlock so it got me excites i didnt screw up the yeast. Why is it that the instructions from the brew store recommend a secondary? If it isnt required, it makes sense to me to just leave it alone but just wondering why they say to
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
Kit instructions are notorious for rushing a batch from boil to bottle so that you'll be looking to brew again sooner. Having patience means the batch will turn out better and be more enjoyable. Not racking to a second vessel (no secondary fermentation unless you're adding another source of sugar) means less risks in your early batches (where they're needless). I've even dry hopped in primary with solid results (I'm not alone there either).
I would also suggest using one of the priming calculation sites instead of just using the bag of sugar that came with the kit. They typically package a generic 5oz pack of sugar with every kit no matter what it actually is, or needs. You don't carbonate a stout to the same level as an IPA or Belgian. Although the kit makers would let you think so. Also, weigh the sugar, don't go by volume measure.
I would also suggest using one of the priming calculation sites instead of just using the bag of sugar that came with the kit. They typically package a generic 5oz pack of sugar with every kit no matter what it actually is, or needs. You don't carbonate a stout to the same level as an IPA or Belgian. Although the kit makers would let you think so. Also, weigh the sugar, don't go by volume measure.
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
http://hbd.org/cgi-bin/recipator/recipator/carbonation.html?13524782#tag
http://www.brewheads.com/priming.php
As for iambeer... Impatient nits rush their brews along and then post up asking why it tastes like green apples...
[j/k, unless it actually applies to you ]...I have enough fermenters to not need to empty one out in order to brew something. I have one with a high OG brown ale that was started about 3 weeks ago. I won't be doing anything with it for another couple of weeks. I'm brewing a honey ale this weekend, and have another fermenter to use (tall 1/4 barrel keg)... :rockin:
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