First Batch Fermenting :)

[Newgene]

Well, for my first batch I made an AG SSR clone, and it is now in the primary. Surprisingly, all of the water volume calculations, temperatures, and SG values were dead-on what they were predicted to be. It turned out to be a LOT of work because I was doing everything for the first time. All went well, and it took a lot of time, but I was definitely in no hurry. A lot of things that seemed like they could have gone wrong, didn't. I used C-brite on everything I touched, and I think I did a really good job of keeping everything clean. The wort chiller and the turkey fryer were probably the two most impressive things so far.

The only thing I wound up doing wrong, was not realizing the airlock required liquid. I even looked at it wondering how that would make a seal with just plastic on plastic...knowing we ran a similar setup through a tube into a water beaker back in chem class. I guess I was tired and took it for granted. So, after ~9 hrs in the primary, I realized my mistake and swapped out the airlock with a clean one with some c-brite at the fill line. I can't imagine anything happening from there. Surely would suck to lose all that effort for something so small. BTW, I still don't have any bubbles in the airlock after an hour with the liquid. The temperature is 68F, and I'm using 1 pack of US-05 for the 5 gallon batch. The yeast was actually forming bubbles on the pockets of yeast as I stirred it in last night. I just haven't pulled the lid off to look in, and don't plan to. Again, I can't imagine there being a problem.

BTW, thanks everyone for posting some really good info on here.

 

[Six_O_Turbo]

Everything you did will work fine, however I would suggest that rather than C-Brite in the airlock, you use some cheap vodka or similar. C-Brite is a chlorine based cleanser/sanitizer, and though it is probably not enough to change the noticeable flavor in beer, I wouldn't want it to accidentally be sucked into the fermenter (that is IMO of course).

Also, when using dry yeast, it is best to re-hydrate your yeast in a cup or two of pre-boiled water at about 80-90 degrees for 30 minutes or so. You will kill approximately half of the yeast cells in the packet pitching directly into the wort.

 

[Nurmey]

Sounds like you did really well. Congratulations!
No big deal on the liquid in airlock.

 

[Newgene]

Sounds like you did really well. Congratulations!
No big deal on the liquid in airlock.

Thanks a bunch. I was actually battling all the things that could go wrong by setting up each step ahead of time. For example, my hose connection on the outside of the house was somehow eaten off by a squirrel or other animal. Good thing I caught it ahead of time, or else I would have been running around scrambling to run the spare hose while my wort was chilling. My wife was also in the middle of baking a pie and making gumbo. So, we were tripping over each other for a while. I pressure tested the valve on my mash tun, but somehow it leaked a little bit of sugar water onto the kitchen cabinets. I need to work on the o-ring I added to the inside.

Also, I laid everything out and noticed my starter kit was missing the bottle filler. No biggie. The local shop has the kit being mailed to me this week. I also tried to prefit the #7 stopper to the glass carboy and realized it doesn't fit very well wet. It fits fine now that it's dry. I'm glad I also realized that now instead of when I tried to rack to the carboy.

It's all the little things!

 

[Newgene]

Also, when using dry yeast, it is best to re-hydrate your yeast in a cup or two of pre-boiled water at about 80-90 degrees for 30 minutes or so. You will kill approximately half of the yeast cells in the packet pitching directly into the wort.

You've got me thinking now. I'm wondering if it makes sense to take another pack of US-05, rehydrate it, and then pitch it into the wort at this point. It would be almost a day after the first yeast was pitched, depending on when I did it.

I wasn't going to worry about it, but since my OG is over 1.080, I'm thinking it may make sense to do it. I'm just wondering if the extra pack of yeast, and the trouble to do it, is worth any benefits at this point.

 

[mfraier]

Everything you did will work fine, however I would suggest that rather than C-Brite in the airlock, you use some cheap vodka or similar. C-Brite is a chlorine based cleanser/sanitizer, and though it is probably not enough to change the noticeable flavor in beer, I wouldn't want it to accidentally be sucked into the fermenter (that is IMO of course).

Also, when using dry yeast, it is best to re-hydrate your yeast in a cup or two of pre-boiled water at about 80-90 degrees for 30 minutes or so. You will kill approximately half of the yeast cells in the packet pitching directly into the wort.

Won't the yeast just re-hydrate in the brew? s-05 directions on their website state that you can sprinkle dry yeast on top, let it sit and then stir.

 

[Newgene]

She's now bubbling! It may be slow, but it's a few bubbles a minute. So, I don't really want to touch it now. I'm really didn't want to mess with too much for this batch, since it is the first. I can tweak it later, including adding more dry hops to the secondary. I'm using the tastybrew recipe for SSR, but I think they're too low on the simcoe and amarillo. Either way, I'm going to run it normal and see how it comes out. I know for the next batch, I will rehydrate the yeast first.