Hey all, I just wanted to share about my first brew day. I got an all-grain starter kit for Xmas, but decided to get a few extract kits under my belt first. So, I started with Brewers best Holiday Ale. I did a full boil on this kit. As per research I started off with around 6.25 gallons of water. Heated that on a high pressure burner. Then I just followed the instructions. It was interesting that this kit has you add the final hop addition at 15 mins instead of 5. Didnt know if this was significant. The target SG was from 1.068-.1072, I got 1.075. Im not gonna complain. I think I boiled just a tad too long and got just under 5 gallons. It took about 6 hours to start fermenting, and now is going crazy!! I have had to change out the blow off bottle water 4 times in about 24 hours. Hope it doesnt get clogged! I have brewed cider with a higher gravity reading with the same yeast, but this is the most active fermentation I have seen! Why would that be?
Very first brew!
- Thread starter Bombeque
- Start date
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If you have a 5 gallon carboy and are getting a lot of blow off liquid then you probably have ended with more wort than you thought. Try to keep the temps in the low 60's. Test the SG after a week (assuming it will be done by that time) and wait another week and test it again.
What yeast did you use?
What yeast did you use?
Bombeque
Well-Known Member
Thanks! I thought I had done everything right so far, but to my dismay I realized that my temp is too high! I have a big cooler i can put it in with water (swamp cooler) but is it too late?? It started fermenting Monday night. I wont be able to get it to the cooler til this evening. My house stays at 72.
Do you have a stick on thermometer on your FV? What temps have you been observing? And the temps don't have to be high to get blow off. I've had brew temps of 67F that needed one. The cooper's ale yeast,for instance,is good down to 62F if you can get it that low. But blow offs can happen at the yeast's low end. With ale yeasts at least. Lower temps just tend to slow them down a little.
A big,healthy yeat pitch can have the same effect.
A big,healthy yeat pitch can have the same effect.
Put it in the water bath with a cover on top if you can and add bottle or bags of frozen water to drop it to 65F. The water will regulate the fermentor to the same temp.Then change the bottles daily as needed. Your high OG will take some time. Good to here it is rocking and rolling with 1.075. Just get it down asap.
Bombeque
Well-Known Member
You might have some slight off flavors, but it will probably be drinkable. It's your first batch and I wouldn't worry too much. It probably won't be the best beer you've ever tasted in your life, but you'll enjoy it because you made it. Honestly, 1.075 is a fairly high gravity beer for your first time.
Bombeque
Well-Known Member
Ok good stuff. Yea I get a little over zealous sometimes. I picked out the highest gravity BB kit I could find! My next kit is a Imperial stout. I also have a Watknees cream stout (all grain) that Im going to try next week. Learned a lot this week.
Well,yes,temp is more important during initial fermentation in primary. But I like to maintain temps the whole time it's in primary to make sure. Better to be safe than sorry.
Having said that,it's good to start at the yeasts lower range for initial fermentation,then raise it slowly toward the end to make sure it finishes within FG range. This will give fewer esters,thus cleaner tasting beer,if so desired.
Having said that,it's good to start at the yeasts lower range for initial fermentation,then raise it slowly toward the end to make sure it finishes within FG range. This will give fewer esters,thus cleaner tasting beer,if so desired.
The heat generated while fermenting will be highest while it's peaking. The blow off is evident of this. Then as time passes, it should stay a few degrees cooler and closer to the ambient room temp. One thing I just learned is that the water bath helps to keep the temps from getting extreme too fast as the atmospheric temps raise and lower between early morning and afternoon. My temps go from 40F at 6:00 AM to 75F at 1:00 PM right now where I live.
Bombeque
Well-Known Member
Well just got back home from work. The fermentation is still strong but the Krausen has died down. I put the strip thermometer on it and it read 73. I put it down stairs and I had a spare 5 gallon bucket. To save space I put the carboy in there and filled it with water. But then I couldnt see the thermometer strip. So I thought well ill just move it. Another lesson learned. One shot one kill on those. So until I get another thermometer I wont know the temp. But I know it will be lower. I can feel the temp difference downstairs, and Im guessing the water will lower it to atleast the high 60s. Anyone else try the bucket method?
The water in the bucket should help to keep the temperature more stable and if you moved it to a cooler area, that will help also.
I think that controlling my fermentation temperatures is the single greatest improvement in my beer. Look up swamp coolers, or get an old fridge/freezer from CL and a temperature controller. If you can get your beer temperature in the mid 60s for the first three days your beer will thank you.
Bombeque
Well-Known Member
Hey man! I have frequented your brew shop for the past few weeks! FYI, I just tried this beer. Granted 10 days in the bottle and not refrigerated, it was carbed but tasted pretty bad! Lots of hot alcohol flavor. Debating on weather to keep em or toss em to free up the bottles for other beer!
The hot alcohol flavor may diminish over time, but not all the way. Bottles are cheap (I get them at the dump), so I would keep it around for a while to see how it ages. Next time try to get the wort down to the mid 60s before pitching the yeast, and try to keep the beer temp (not the ambient temp) in the low to mid 60s for the first few days of fermentation. We've all been there, and it is all part of becoming a better brewer
Bombeque
Well-Known Member
The hot alcohol flavor may diminish over time, but not all the way. Bottles are cheap (I get them at the dump), so I would keep it around for a while to see how it ages. Next time try to get the wort down to the mid 60s before pitching the yeast, and try to keep the beer temp (not the ambient temp) in the low to mid 60s for the first few days of fermentation. We've all been there, and it is all part of becoming a better brewer
Yea, I just bought a case of bottles from you! Last time I do that, goin to the dump
. The beer is getting better, flavor is still all over the place. But my recent brew, a Saison, is delicious. Fermented at 65. Thanks for the tips. Got some grain from your dad yesterday to make a mild ale. Marris otter base malt. Let you know how it turns out.Tim
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