Irish stout kit

[longcj2]

I am very excited next Wednesday I should be receiving my home brew kit, and with much anticipation I bought a beer ingredient kit today. I bought an ingredient kit for an Irish stout but would kind of like to make some modification to it to make it my own. You guys have any suggestions?

 

[RM-MN]

I'd suggest you make it exactly as it is. Find out how the kit should taste, then make changes to the next batch. If you make changes and don't like how it turns out, you won't be sure if it is the change or the process that made it that way. One suggestion I would make is to learn about fermentation temperature. My first few batches were fermented too warm and subsequent batches where I controlled the temperature came out much better.

 

[longcj2]

Yeah thanks for the advice I appreciate it, also how did you control the fermentation temperature I'm planning on putting mine in a dark closet. Any other advice for a first timer?

 

[RM-MN]

I have an entire room in my house that I can maintain at the 62 to 65 degree range from late fall into spring so I do my brewing then. Other people use tubs of water with ice packs or ice chunks to keep the fermenter cool. if you have more money to spend and want the best setup you get a freezer and a controller that will keep your fermenter within a couple of degrees or even less.

 

[bwirthlin]

I recommend straining the wort while transferring it to the carboy/bucket. I know it seems like common sense but my first beer ever was an Irish stout kit and I followed the directions to the letter. Unfortunately that wasn't one of the directions so all the hop crud and everything else went in to the fermenter. It definitely effected the taste of the beer. Also ditch the airlock and use a blow off tube. I learned that the hard way with the same Irish stout kit when I woke up in the morning and had beer on the ceiling above my bath tub.

 

[chickypad]

I agree with the blowoff tube, especially if you are fermenting in a carboy with little headspace. I don't agree with the need to strain though (unless you're harvesting yeast?). Strain if you want, but plenty of people (me included) just dump everything in with no ill effects. I would attribute an off flavor on a first batch to numerous other things before I'd blame it on too much trub. Search the forum for swamp cooler to control fermentation temps (basically what RM-MN described).
Have fun!

 

[FATC1TY]

Yeah thanks for the advice I appreciate it, also how did you control the fermentation temperature I'm planning on putting mine in a dark closet. Any other advice for a first timer?

I'd suggest getting the book, How To Brew, or even read the online version for free.

Also, check out the beginners forum on here, tons of good info in there, and/or the extract brewing.

I'd also second that you don't change the recipe first. You'll only end up raising the risk of screwing something up the first time around!!

Oh, and welcome to HBT.

 

[longcj2]

Also guys I have few more concerns. I still have been thinking about where i could be storing my brew while it is fermenting i still would like to be able to my closet, but the temperature kinda concerns me. I have a thermometer in my closet and have been taking readings of the temps i mean it averages around 70 degrees would that be okay? Another concern of mine is the water i'm going to be using for my brew any suggestions?

 

[Hogarthe]

70 temp air would be a bit too warm. the fermenting beer will be warmer than the air, by about 5 degrees, and you'll get off flavors. If you use the tub of water idea, 70 degree air would be ok, as you can keep the water a few degrees cooler, and keep the beer at 70 or less. most ale yeast give you the best flavor if you don't go over 70.

 

[longcj2]

Here is just a cheap solution I was thinking about possibly, I was considering buying one of those orange coolers that you used for sports for water and Gatorade getting like one of the 10 gallon ones and sitting my bucket inside of it and putting water and ice inside the cooler and therefore regulating the temperature of the fermentation itself. Does anyone know if this would work?

 

[andycr]

Here is just a cheap solution I was thinking about possibly, I was considering buying one of those orange coolers that you used for sports for water and Gatorade getting like one of the 10 gallon ones and sitting my bucket inside of it and putting water and ice inside the cooler and therefore regulating the temperature of the fermentation itself. Does anyone know if this would work?

That would work, but I just use cheap rubbermaid containers. Ice and water for primary fermentation, and a tshirt afterwards until it's time to bottle.

You only need a few inches of ice water in the bottom, as primary fermentation not only produces heat, but also swirls the contents of the fermenter around. This moves the heat down to the level of the ice water and disperses it without having to be more than about 15% immersed. I freeze water bottles so they are re-usable.

Once primary fermentation is over, you'll be moving to pretty much ambient temperature, no matter the amount of ice you put in the water at the bottom - the cold just can't get to most of the beer. At that point I stop using ice and just put a tshirt over the carboy. This wicks water up and evaporates it off the shirt, taking the heat with it - just like how sweating works. It also means you can just forget about the beer after the first few days of primary.

If you have a temp strip on your carboy (I hope you do!), you can cover it with clear packing tape so it's waterproof. I find the water hasn't destroyed mine, but they are hard to read when they get soggy.

There are tons of ways to do it, but this keeps my temps in a pretty narrow range, even during the summer in Arizona. You'll get your own method dialed in for your environment after a couple batches.

 

[VegasJ]

I did an Irish Stout brewer's bets kit not too long ago.

A buddy told me it tasted as good as a Guinness... I really need to do another. What brand or name is on the kit you have?

 

[longcj2]

I bought a brewers best kit, I was pleasantly surprised to find a brewer supply store very close to where I live and they carry nearly all of the brewers best kits, the rogue kits, and one other brand can't think of the other one

 

[longcj2]

Alright here's an updates on my first brew, everything has gone well up until this point and now I have a question. I am one day away from the minimum primary fermentation dated in my brew kit and fermentation has stopped nearly 24 hours ago. Should I move it into secondary?

 

[Yooper]

Alright here's an updates on my first brew, everything has gone well up until this point and now I have a question. I am one day away from the minimum primary fermentation dated in my brew kit and fermentation has stopped nearly 24 hours ago. Should I move it into secondary?

No. I don't use a "secondary" (more properly a clearing vessel, or in a brewery it's called a bright tank), but if you're using one wait until fermentation has ended and has been ended for at least 2-3 days.

I leave my beer in the original fermenter for 2 weeks or so, then package.

 

[longcj2]

Sorry I'm a newbie when it comes to home brewing what's this clearing vessel mean would a carboy work for this?

 

[chickypad]

Sorry I'm a newbie when it comes to home brewing what's this clearing vessel mean would a carboy work for this?

What she means is that "secondary fermenter" is kind of a misnomer - there is really no fermentation going on (unless you've added new fermentables). Most folks who use a second vessel are really using it as a clearing vessel, the beer sits and clears and conditions. A common type would be a carboy with limited headspace so you don't get oxidation.

I agree with Yooper, you don't really need to use one unless you are lagering or aging for a long time, as the beer will clear just fine in the primary. Definitely don't see the need on an irish stout. To me it's just one more chance to get an infection or oxidation, but you can decide for yourself (pros and cons summarized well in this thread).

 

[RM-MN]

Sorry I'm a newbie when it comes to home brewing what's this clearing vessel mean would a carboy work for this?

When your beer is fermenting the activity of the yeast churns up the fermenter. When the fermentation slows the beer is very cloudy. Giving it time will let the dormant yeast settle out and the beer clear. This happens regardless whether it is in the fermenter or in a secondary "clearing vessel" but in the past it was feared that the yeast that had settled in the primary would autolyze which would give the beer a bad flavor. That hasn't been a problem for the home brewer and we as a group usually advise to leave the beer sit in the primary to cool as racking it to another vessel gains you very little and adds a real chance of an infection.

 

[longcj2]

You guys have me second guessing the whole secondary thing for an Irish stout which would simply my whole first batch. Also though I have a few more questions, if I did decide to do secondary fermentation in the future how would I go about checking the temp would a thermometer on the outside do alright like on my primary bucket? And also if I do decide to just keep it in the primary how long would I keep it in the bucket for the recipe in my kit calls for two weeks in secondary.

 

[chickypad]

I tend to go about 3 wks in primary for average gravity beers then package. At minimum you'd want to give it a few days after reaching final gravity. Temp control doesn't need to be as tight after fermentation is complete, although I would try not to store it too hot. As the yeast are not active and giving off heat the beer should stay pretty close to ambient temp. A stick on thermometer, a probe taped to the side and insulated, or a thermowell that goes in the fermenter and holds a temp probe are all ways you can measure the temp.