Somebody tell me to relax and have a homebrew....

[BrewOnBoard]

I just wouldn't be doing the veterans any justice unless I, to expose my noobness, posted a beer anxiety thread. So here goes:

Oh my god! I've brewed a simple cooper's lager and after 3 days I've got no airlock activity! Help! Help! Help! I pitched it at 22c and I've kept it in an outside locker that touches the hull of the boat (which touches really cold water). The fermometer on the fermenter read 74deg for the first day or two during the day (no idea at night temps here have been in the high 50s and low 60s) and today was reading 64 deg in the afternoon.

Sat and watched for bubbles and haven't seen any come through the airlock. The fluid levels in the 2 airlock chambers are unequal which means some gas is being created right? I could have an air-leak but if I squeeze the fermenter slightly the fluid levels change or I can create a bubble so I don't think that's it. My guess is that the yeast is a little on the cold side and fermenting very very slowly. That must be normal for lagers right? Cold = slow?

Tonight since it was only reading 64deg and it's supposed to be in the mid 50s I wrapped it in a blanket and put a hot water bottle next to it. That made my boat hottie laugh, though she loves homebrew and supports my habit so it's all good.

Besides wrap it in a blanket I did try and relax while drinking a hombrewed cider that I found lost in the locker. 7months after brew date and it's pretty damn good! Much MUCH better than 5 months.

Tomorrow if there's no bubbles I'll take a reading. Y'all should be proud, I actually took an OG reading! (1.042 at 24deg C). What's my FG supposed to be anyway?

BrewOnBoard

 

[oldschool]

Glad to see you are still doin the whold brewin on the boat thing! Though i have not yet brewed a lager i've heard that you should keep temps above 70 until fermentation is vigorous. you sleep on your boat right? I would just bring it inside with you until it takes off( i had one in my bedroom not long ago, it's nice waking up to the sound of your airlock ticking). btw still didn't have an oat porter explode like they said. happy brewing

 

[oldschool]

oh i almost forgot....DWRHAHB

 

[Picobrew]

Two options:

1. Take a reading
2. chill bro

either way, make sure you DWRHAHB before and after. all of the things you said are true.

 

[BrewOnBoard]

Two options:

1. Take a reading
2. chill bro

either way, make sure you DWRHAHB before and after. all of the things you said are true.

As a matter of fact I did both. I was pretty sure it was fermenting (a hunch I guess) and so yesterday I RDWAHAHB which I can do since I found some making space for the fermenter.

Today, still no bubbles so I moved the fermenter inside where I could keep an eye on it. One bubble all day. Decided to take a reading. 1.020 so it's working. Everything seems airtight but maybe it isn't. When the brew is through I'll do a little experiment with baking soda and vinegar and test for leaks.

Question: Can anyone point me in the direction where I can find what my FG is supposed to be? I used a cooper's lager kit with 2 lbs of extra light DME. Do I plug that into a recipe maker somewhere?

BrewOnBoard

 

[oldschool]

Question: Can anyone point me in the direction where I can find what my FG is supposed to be? I used a cooper's lager kit with 2 lbs of extra light DME. Do I plug that into a recipe maker somewhere?

BrewOnBoard[/QUOTE]

From what i've read on the muntons can(when using corn sugar Vs DME) it says that the FG will be very close to 1.008 (very watery) since you used DME i would bet you will be around 1.01ish. Did you say that it's already down to 1.02? How long have it been fermenting with no krausen? that seems low to me. btw no oat bottle bombs yet!

 

[BrewOnBoard]

Question: Can anyone point me in the direction where I can find what my FG is supposed to be? I used a cooper's lager kit with 2 lbs of extra light DME. Do I plug that into a recipe maker somewhere?

BrewOnBoard

From what i've read on the muntons can(when using corn sugar Vs DME) it says that the FG will be very close to 1.008 (very watery) since you used DME i would bet you will be around 1.01ish. Did you say that it's already down to 1.02? How long have it been fermenting with no krausen? that seems low to me. btw no oat bottle bombs yet!

Seems quick to me too, especially since there are no bubbles. It's been brewing for 4 days at cool temperatures. The coopers instructions do say that you can bottle after 3-5 days depending on temperature. THAT seems fast but what do I know.

Maybe I should add a handful of oats. That ought to stir the pot and cause foaming. :cross:

BrewOnBoard

 

[homebrewer_99]

Question: Can anyone point me in the direction where I can find what my FG is supposed to be? I used a cooper's lager kit with 2 lbs of extra light DME. Do I plug that into a recipe maker somewhere?


Answer: FG is really dependent upon the attenuation of the yeast...

Most yeasts work in the 75% range so I use it for almost every batch.

Since you started at 1.042 take the 42 and divide by 4 = 10.5. Your FG should be in the 10-11, or 1.010 to 1.011 range.

 

[LordHedgie]

Also, don't stress the airtightness, especially during primary. No biggie if its not airtight. You don't want dust drifting in and getting bacteria and wild yeast in the wort, but beyond that it's no big deal.

 

[BrewOnBoard]

Question: Can anyone point me in the direction where I can find what my FG is supposed to be? I used a cooper's lager kit with 2 lbs of extra light DME. Do I plug that into a recipe maker somewhere?


Answer: FG is really dependent upon the attenuation of the yeast...

Most yeasts work in the 75% range so I use it for almost every batch.

Since you started at 1.042 take the 42 and divide by 4 = 10.5. Your FG should be in the 10-11, or 1.010 to 1.011 range.

Finally got around to taking a reading today. Not in any hurry about this, been to busy RDWAHAH.:cross: Reading was 1.10 & a hair. Perfect! Tasted the sample and it tasted a little like a BMC (which isn't far off for this style me thinks ) but no bananna or other crap that I had in my last coopers batch gone bad. Now it's back down in the cool lazarette locker to clean up after itself for a few weeks.

Good thing I took a reading on this batch (my first time I bothered to). Maybe y'all are right from time to time.

BrewOnBoard