worried rookie brewer

[Jpierce3]

Hello all. New to the site and to home brewing , thanks for having me.
Im sure I am just worried about my first batch but here is what i have.I sanitized everything with star san. To sanitize the carboy i just poured some in there that I mixed water and swirled it around for a bit and turned it upside down to dry out. I am using a american wheat extract kit from northern brewer.I do not have initial SG or any other specifics like that. It is in a 6.5 gallon carboy coming up on two weeks.the airlock is no longer active but my girlfriend said there is a occasional bubble coming off the foam on top. I am out of town for work but my girlfriend has been sending me pictures. I believe what I am seeing is just yeast that hasnt settled but any thoughts or opinions may help to ease my mind that it is mold. I have already looked on some threads and compared the pictures. Again I think its just yeast but still worried a bit. Thanks all

 

[Kevin79]

I'm assuming these pictures were taken on different days? Looks like healthy beer to me.

 

[stratslinger]

I agree - Looks pretty good to me - but can you clarify something about your sanitation process:

You said you poured some Star San solution in there, swirled it around, then turned it upside down to let it dry out.

1) I'm assuming that you diluted the Star San solution as instructed on the bottle? Something like 1oz to 5 gallons water - or at least, diluted to that ratio?

2) Don't let it dry in the future!!! Star San is a wet contact sanitizer. It sanitizes on contact, and its presence - that wet film that it leaves behind, and yes, the foam - leaves a barrier to further infection agents. If wild yeast or bacteria happen to land on the foam or the wet layer of Star San, it's no sweat - the Star San will protect you. If the sanitized surface is allowed to dry, however, that protection is gone. And don't worry - for one, the amount of Star San that's left behind, in proportion to the 5+ gallons of wort you're putting in your fermenter is inconsequential - it'll never be detectable. And even if it was, the stuff is neutral, at worst, to fermenting beer - I've read that it actually breaks down effectively to yeast nutrient, though I'm a little dubious about that claim.

 

[Mallcrawler]

It looks fine. Looks like the Krausen hasn't fully fallen back in the wort. I would get a hydrometer if you don't already have one, it's really the only way to know what's happening with your beer. You could have no airlock activity and it will be fermenting away. Don't use the airlock to determine fermentation. Also I would put that carboy in a dark closet or cover it with a blanket.


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[shtoive87]

Yep, let it ride another week or two. If you still have that much activity after 2 weeks, I'd say you didn't pitch enough yeast. For next time, use a yeast pitch rate calculator to see how much yeast would be a proper pitch.


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[Jpierce3]

Stratslinger. Yes I did dilute it to the proper ratio. On the bottle it said spray let sit for a minute and wipe clean. I couldn't wipe the inside if the carboy so I choose that other method. So in the future your saying to swirl like I did. Or submersion, and immediately bit the wort into the carboy. Allowing the star san to not dry? Thanks for all the replies. Very helpful

 

[stratslinger]

Yeah - the instructions on the bottle are a little odd. For whatever reason, they do instruct you to wipe the stuff off, or to let it dry. Yet the maker has, in various presentations, stated that this is not only not necessary, but counter productive to how StarSan actually works. Very weird, I don't really understand why they label it like they do.

 

[Jpierce3]

Ok so do not sanitize until ready to fill the carboy or use a funnel etc... Spray or apply star san and while it's still wet fill carboy or use funnel etc... Sounds good thanks!

 

[Tutsbrew]

I was in that same spot once... I got some ideas about where to go for more knowledge and more importantly, depending on your sobriety level upon reading this, I got some replies noting the need to RDWHAHB!

 

[alaskana]

Jpierce3,

I'd say as long as the carboy stays wet after rinsing with Starsan you should be fine. I fill my 5 gal carboy up an hour (or more) before brewing then dump the Starsan solution that is left inside shortly before I fill it with wort. I do agree that it is totally odd that they say to dry it, as that would seem to allow the beasties access to the surface of the vessel again. I've done it this way for at least 13 batches and all have been fine.

 

[Hermit]

If the carboy was upside down when you dried it out you should be good to go. You could turn it upright and put a cover over it also. But, like others, mine is still somewhat wet. I turn my upside down into a bucket so there is still some starsan covering the opening until I'm ready to fill it. I drain it into the bucket and then lower the carboy into the bucket.

 

[Chadwick]

To repeat what others have said: Your beer looks fine. Star San doesn't need to dry.

I know, it seems against everything you know to put your beer into a carboy with suds of a cleaning agent still in there. But I assure you, it's fine. These suds are not the same as soap suds. The yeast will thank you.

Good luck with your brewing!