How bad did I screw up?

[Joshua Hughes]

First time doing this myself. First brew in a bag as well.

1. I think my mashing temp was too high. For much of the hour it hovered around 155-160.

2. I didn’t have a stopper for my airlock to go in so I used Saran Wrap with a rubber band securing it and put the airlock through a little whole i made in it.

3. I only got the wort to 80 degrees in 30 minutes.

Have I screwed my first quarantine batch?

 

[Joshua Hughes]

I also had extra wort so I’ll probably have a hop tea

 

[WBB]

Did you screw it up? Doesn’t seem like it. I think you’ll still make beer, as long as you pitch some stable yeast.

 

[Joshua Hughes]

I got the sanitation and yeast part right lol.

 

[fourfarthing]

First time doing this myself. First brew in a bag as well.

1. I think my mashing temp was too high. For much of the hour it hovered around 155-160.

2. I didn’t have a stopper for my airlock to go in so I used Saran Wrap with a rubber band securing it and put the airlock through a little whole i made in it.

3. I only got the wort to 80 degrees in 30 minutes.

Have I screwed my first quarantine batch?

Sounds like you MacGyver'd quite well.

 

[S-Met]

First time doing this myself. First brew in a bag as well.

1. I think my mashing temp was too high. For much of the hour it hovered around 155-160.

2. I didn’t have a stopper for my airlock to go in so I used Saran Wrap with a rubber band securing it and put the airlock through a little whole i made in it.

3. I only got the wort to 80 degrees in 30 minutes.

Have I screwed my first quarantine batch?

Absolutely ruined. And the way you ruined it, it's going to become toxic nuclear waste. It will require special disposal and it will be very costly.

Fortunately I'm fully licensed for disposal and I could easily add it to one of my waste sites. Just send me your bottled and fully carbed beer, er, um, I mean toxic waste and I'll help you rid the world of this travesty.

Or, you know, it may not be perfect, but it will be beer. Learn from any mistakes you have made and keep brewing. It will probably be better than you think.

 

[Joshua Hughes]

Sounds like you MacGyver'd quite well.

Loved MacGyver as a kid

 

[Snark_Wolf_Brewing]

I'm not seeing where you screwed up. 155 to 160 for an an hour long mash is still in the zone for conversion of starches to sugars. The Saran Wrap and rubber band solution is an ok MacGyver-ish quick fix for the airlock. Getting your wort down to 80 degrees in 30 minutes is fine. Relax, you still made beer!

 

[RM-MN]

First time doing this myself. First brew in a bag as well.

1. I think my mashing temp was too high. For much of the hour it hovered around 155-160.

2. I didn’t have a stopper for my airlock to go in so I used Saran Wrap with a rubber band securing it and put the airlock through a little whole i made in it.

3. I only got the wort to 80 degrees in 30 minutes.

Have I screwed my first quarantine batch?

That sounds a lot like how I brew my beer. I've never had the mash temp to 160 but 155-157 seems to work fine. While I do have airlocks on most of my fermenter buckets I do have one that has Saran wrap taped over the opening. It all comes out as beer. 30 minutes to cool? Well, there's your problem. You need to discuss that with those of us who do no chill and don't get to pitching temperature for 8 to 12 hours.

 

[Joshua Hughes]

Thanks guys feel a little better. Going to try brew again in 2 weeks once my next shipment comes. I’ll get some pics of this later. My wife is using he den for Zoom teleconferences

 

[coonmanx]

In general I try to mash at 155 degrees so you were in the ballpark and there should be no problem.

 

[Joshua Hughes]

I’m concerned about my fermenter, air lock technology

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

i think you did your best in regards the airlock. if you could get your hands on a stopper in the next couple days you could sanitize it quick and get it on there with your airlock. outside of that i would leave it alone to avoid any oxidation and let it run its course and bottle when ready.

 

[bracconiere]

Sounds like you MacGyver'd quite well.

+1

Getting your wort down to 80 degrees in 30 minutes is fine

damn, i didn't even think of cooling, i thought he was talking about the boil at first! doh!

 

[Joshua Hughes]

i think you did your best in regards the airlock. if you could get your hands on a stopper in the next couple days you could sanitize it quick and get it on there with your airlock. outside of that i would leave it alone to avoid any oxidation and let it run its course and bottle when ready.

Stopper will Probably come Friday or Saturday.

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

where are you at as far as fermentation? with any luck you will still have some fermentation going on when you get the new stopper that way once you have it put on c02 will production will take care of any oxygen. either way youll be all good to go. im sure it will be good.
cheers.

 

[Joshua Hughes]

As of this morning I didn’t notice any activity but I didn’t move the jug around to inspect real well either.

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

cool, i dont think you need to worry. get that one on when you get it and you should be fine.

 

[bracconiere]

As of this morning I didn’t notice any activity but I didn’t move the jug around to inspect real well either.

i doubt a tube through a hole in saran wrap would be air tight enough to bubble an airlock....but there is the possibility of blow off! (if there is you HAVE to post pictures! )

 

[Joshua Hughes]

Got some action in there. Here is the top

 

[rburrelli]

View attachment 675995 Got some action in there. Here is the top

Is there any liquid in the airlock? I can’t tell from the picture. If not you definitely need to address that.

 

[Joshua Hughes]

Yeah I did that when I put it in

 

[Joshua Hughes]

A little update fermentation looks good. My stopper was delivered by UPS.....to my post office. So got to wait till tomorrow for that.

 

[Joshua Hughes]

 

[bracconiere]

congratulations!

 

[Joshua Hughes]

In gave it a little shake. Later I’ll get another pic to show the fermentation or lack there of. Not real experienced obviously so I’m not sure. Seemed more bubbly yesterday

 

[bracconiere]

Not real experienced obviously so I’m not sure.

normally there would be more krausen....or evidence of it have been being there......that wouldn't have anything to do with your airlock though....(i can't tell if that thick ring in the pic is a krausen ring, or the other side of the fermenter...)

 

[Joshua Hughes]

Was sitting more on top of the wort but in gave it a shake earlier

 

[bracconiere]

there be krausen there! lol, looks like it had it's active phase and is finishing up.....(and by god, keep it out of the light! )

 

[Joshua Hughes]

I got it in a much better place. Just moved for the pic. I can see why the ancient thought the gods mad this stuff...lots of variables. Glad I got good resources here.

 

[Joshua Hughes]

Well tonight I’ll open up a bottle and see how it turned out.

 

[Joshua Hughes]

Didn’t turn out to taste as I expected. It is a little “watered down” probably from not boiling off enough water, I had about a quart and a half extra wort. the Carbonation isn’t there yet so the others may be better. I kind of like it. Instead of an IPA I got grapefruity hazy golden/blonde ale.

 

[danimal92sport]

The watery sensation may be partially cured with full carbonation...

Nice work!

Dan

 

[Joshua Hughes]

The watery sensation may be partially cured with full carbonation...

Nice work!

Dan

Thanks! That’s what I’m hoping. I’m going to give the rest another week.

 

[Joshua Hughes]

After a third week it tastes good. Carbonation is better as well. Going to enjoy the rest of these!