First time brewer

[niday2288]

So I am brewing my first batch of irish stout (Midwest supply extract kit). I fermented in the primary for five days and just racked to the secondary. The starting OG was 1.05 and was 1.018 at transfer. The beer seemed a tad light in color and weak in taste. There was plenty of sediment still present in the beer which could be contributing to the lighter color. I just want to make sure I'm not missing something. Thanks for any advice.

 

[Dan]

If you hit your expected volume, probably five gallons then you beer is going to be just fine. Others may well chime in with advice about aeration and keeping the beer cool during fermentation. That will be good advice. But mine is this. You just made beer, be patient. You just entered a new exciting world.

 

[niday2288]

If you hit your expected volume, probably five gallons then you beer is going to be just fine. Others may well chime in with advice about aeration and keeping the beer cool during fermentation. That will be good advice. But mine is this. You just made beer, be patient. You just entered a new exciting world.

Thanks Dan. It is very exciting! I just want to make sure I'm not botching the first batch. Thanks for your insight.

 

[brewski08]

So I am brewing my first batch of irish stout (Midwest supply extract kit). I fermented in the primary for five days and just racked to the secondary. The starting OG was 1.05 and was 1.018 at transfer. The beer seemed a tad light in color and weak in taste. There was plenty of sediment still present in the beer which could be contributing to the lighter color. I just want to make sure I'm not missing something. Thanks for any advice.

you are fine, my friend. gravities look good, and five days in the fermenter may not be enough time for it to take on its final color. the whitish grayish color of the yeast in suspension sometimes makes your beer deceivingly lighter in color. once more of it drops out of suspension, your beer should darken up.

RDWHAHB

 

[boydster]

I just want to make sure I'm not missing something. Thanks for any advice.

You did it! You made a great home for your yeasties and they are doing their job just like you wanted. They love to have a week or so to party (convert the sugar to ethanol), and then a couple weeks to clean up the mess they made while partying (acetaldehyde, diacetyl, etc). After that, they'll pass out from all the work and settle to the bottom of the fermenter (flocculate), leaving you with a clear beer much closer to the color you are probably expecting. Congratulations! You're going to have a lot of fun.

 

[unionrdr]

I don't wanna be a wet blanket here,but 5 days in primary is a little short.
Racking before fermentation is complete can lead to stalling. It's always a good idea to be at FG before racking to secondary,if you choose to use one.
3-5 days is usually enough time for initial fermentation to be done. It'll then slowly,uneventfully creep down to FG from there.

 

[niday2288]

you are fine, my friend. gravities look good, and five days in the fermenter may not be enough time for it to take on its final color. the whitish grayish color of the yeast in suspension sometimes makes your beer deceivingly lighter in color. once more of it drops out of suspension, your beer should darken up.

RDWHAHB

Thanks!, I was kind of thinking that once the yeast and proteins settle It would clear up and darken.

 

[niday2288]

I don't wanna be a wet blanket here,but 5 days in primary is a little short.
Racking before fermentation is complete can lead to stalling. It's always a good idea to be at FG before racking to secondary,if you choose to use one.
3-5 days is usually enough time for initial fermentation to be done. It'll then slowly,uneventfully creep down to FG from there.

No worries, thanks for the advice. First go round will always be a learning process. I was in between using the primary or a longer period than the directed 5-7 days. My primary is a bucket with a glass carboy being the secondary. Is it detrimental to the fermenting beer if I open the plastic to test the gravity? I thought I needed to maintain a good Co2 cap.

 

[unionrdr]

If you don't have a spigot on your primary,then open it & take a sample for testing. Seal it right back up & you should be fine. Just sanitise what ever you use to draw the sample first.

 

[boydster]

The CO2 that the yeast makes is heavier than air, so when you open the bucket it should stay in a protective layer over your beer.

 

[LaurieGator]

No worries, thanks for the advice. First go round will always be a learning process. I was in between using the primary or a longer period than the directed 5-7 days. My primary is a bucket with a glass carboy being the secondary. Is it detrimental to the fermenting beer if I open the plastic to test the gravity? I thought I needed to maintain a good Co2 cap.

One of the things I love about making beer is the learning experience. I don't think we learn it all, but we make some damn fine beer along the way!

I haven't had any ill effects opening up buckets for a short time to get a sample for gravity readings, just be sure that what you use to get a sample is sanitized.

You sound like you are on the road to a good beer!