Fermentation Process

[BKBrews]

Hi everyone,

I'm new around here and finding it hard to figure some things out.

I made my first BIAB batch of IPA last Sunday. I used:

1.4kg Marris Otter
0.1kg CaraMunich I
6g Chinook
6g Galaxy
US-05 Yeast

The OG was 1.074 as I overshot a little bit (calculated a recipe using 70% efficiency but I got closer to about 78%). I was going for a 5L batch so used about 8.1L of water (no sparge).

So my beer appeared to ferment well and the lock stopped bubbling on about Wednesday night/Thursday morning (read that full fermentation with dry yeast can take only 3 days, so not worried). What I'm worried about at the moment is that it appears that there is no gunk left in it at all? The top has very minor bubbles/foam, but other than that, the top looks like a flat lager that's been left out over night. I'm hoping everyone will tell me this is a good thing? It's a lot darker than I thought it would be, but I'm assuming that will just keep clearing.

I'm going to take a gravity reading tomorrow and see where it's at, with an aim to bottling next weekend. Just want to make sure it's on the right track.

Cheers

 

[danestead]

Sounds right to me.

Relax!

 

[BKBrews]

Thanks mate - I thought so but a bit paranoid being my first attempt. Never even done an extract brew, just threw myself in the deep end with all grain.

In regards to bottle conditioning, I used a calculator to work out the dextrose required to carbonate my IPA and it spat out 2.1g per 330ml bottle. Does this sound right? Any chance of bottle bombs with this level?

 

[stewy]

Carb level seems about right off the top of my head (calculating back from a normal sized batch) but trust the calculator.

As for bottle bombs, make sure it has finished attenuating fully & you won't have to worry. How long are you leaving in fermenter before bottling? I usually do minimum 2 weeks with a temp rise up to about 21C. Sometimes I leave for 3 weeks... Don't rush it

 

[Danscraftbeer]

I trust in Carb Drops for bottle fermenting. The variables between 1 drop for 330ml to 375ml.
Or 2 drops for 650 to 750ml bottles are reliable.

 

[Yob]

Gravity reading is the first port of call, all danger lies in the path of not knowing what that figure is..

12 grams seems a little short for IPA range.. Sure you didn't mean 60? I'd spill 6g while weighing out for an IPA...

 

[BKBrews]

Carb level seems about right off the top of my head (calculating back from a normal sized batch) but trust the calculator.

As for bottle bombs, make sure it has finished attenuating fully & you won't have to worry. How long are you leaving in fermenter before bottling? I usually do minimum 2 weeks with a temp rise up to about 21C. Sometimes I leave for 3 weeks... Don't rush it

I didn't manage to take a reading yesterday, as I'm concerned about my siphon equipment (don't want to attempt it until totally necessary). My plan is to bottle next Sunday, which would be 2 weeks from the brew day. The weather has been pretty stable on the coast, so it's been fermenting at 20 degrees give or take.

 

[BKBrews]

Gravity reading is the first port of call, all danger lies in the path of not knowing what that figure is..

12 grams seems a little short for IPA range.. Sure you didn't mean 60? I'd spill 6g while weighing out for an IPA...

Yeah - I only used 12g hop pellets total. I thought that was low as well, however the site I used to make my recipe (brewtoad.com) said that I would get an IBU in the 50's with this mix. I did 2g Chinook and 2g Galaxy at 60min, same again at 20min and same again at 10min. I'll see how it goes and adjust for next time if need be

 

[Ben1]

I can tell you with confidence that you are not hitting 50ibu with that amount of hops. Most mainstream lagers use more hops than that

 

[droid]

^5ltr batch so the numbers are right

how much yeast did you use?


Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: American IPA
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 8.1 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.044
Efficiency: 78% (brew house)


STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.072
Final Gravity: 1.018
ABV (standard): 7.07%
IBU (tinseth): 57.27
SRM (morey): 7.59

FERMENTABLES:
1.4 kg - American - Pale 2-Row (93.3%)
0.1 kg - German - CaraMunich I (6.7%)

HOPS:
2 g - Chinook, Type: Pellet, AA: 13, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 13.88
2 g - Galaxy, Type: Pellet, AA: 14.25, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 15.22
2 g - Chinook, Type: Pellet, AA: 13, Use: Boil for 20 min, IBU: 8.41
2 g - galax, Type: Pellet, AA: 14.25, Use: Boil for 20 min, IBU: 9.22
2 g - Chinook, Type: Pellet, AA: 13, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 5.03
2 g - Galaxy, Type: Pellet, AA: 14.25, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 5.52

 

[rude]

I didn't manage to take a reading yesterday, as I'm concerned about my siphon equipment (don't want to attempt it until totally necessary). My plan is to bottle next Sunday, which would be 2 weeks from the brew day. The weather has been pretty stable on the coast, so it's been fermenting at 20 degrees give or take.

I didn't manage to take a reading yesterday, as I'm concerned about my siphon equipment (don't want to attempt it until totally necessary). My plan is to bottle next Sunday, which would be 2 weeks from the brew day. The weather has been pretty stable on the coast, so it's been fermenting at 20 degrees give or take.

You might as well give it a cc @ 1c or there abouts for a while if you can
will drop a lot out to help clear up the beer

 

[Ben1]

@droid I should perhaps read properly before I run my mouth!!! Haha thanks for rectifying. OP please ignore my comments and listen to wiser people like droid ;-)

 

[droid]

... and listen to wiser people like droid ;-)

you don't have to dig too deep to see my unwisey-ness

 

[BKBrews]

^5ltr batch so the numbers are right

how much yeast did you use?


Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: American IPA
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 8.1 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.044
Efficiency: 78% (brew house)


STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.072
Final Gravity: 1.018
ABV (standard): 7.07%
IBU (tinseth): 57.27
SRM (morey): 7.59

FERMENTABLES:
1.4 kg - American - Pale 2-Row (93.3%)
0.1 kg - German - CaraMunich I (6.7%)

HOPS:
2 g - Chinook, Type: Pellet, AA: 13, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 13.88
2 g - Galaxy, Type: Pellet, AA: 14.25, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 15.22
2 g - Chinook, Type: Pellet, AA: 13, Use: Boil for 20 min, IBU: 8.41
2 g - galax, Type: Pellet, AA: 14.25, Use: Boil for 20 min, IBU: 9.22
2 g - Chinook, Type: Pellet, AA: 13, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 5.03
2 g - Galaxy, Type: Pellet, AA: 14.25, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 5.52

Glad that it came out similar to what I calculated. We'll see how it goes. It's clearing out well and I can still see little bits falling out of suspension.

I used 3g of the dried yeast, as per the brewtoad.com recommendation. I have been told elsewhere this probably isn't enough but it looks to have been doing its job!

 

[BKBrews]

You might as well give it a cc @ 1c or there abouts for a while if you can
will drop a lot out to help clear up the beer

Excuse my ignorance, but what is cc?

 

[brewdjoffe]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is cc?

Cold crash

 

[BKBrews]

Cold crash

Right, so when I'm ready to bottle, just leave the fermenter in iced water for a while prior to moving to my bottling bucket? From my limited knowledge, I thought extremely cold temps "killed" the yeast off? Don't I want the yeast to still do some work while bottle conditioning?

 

[danestead]

Right, so when I'm ready to bottle, just leave the fermenter in iced water for a while prior to moving to my bottling bucket? From my limited knowledge, I thought extremely cold temps "killed" the yeast off? Don't I want the yeast to still do some work while bottle conditioning?

If you are using a fermenting fridge, set the temperature to near 0 degrees. Leave it for a few days to help the yeast flocculate. This will result in clearer beer in your keg/bottles. Yeast will not be "killed off" if they are kept above freezing (there is a way to freeze yeast successfully, but that is an advanced topic). In fact, this will keep them alive longer, as you have slowed their metabolism down significantly. The yeast won't be doing much in the way of active fermentation at those near freezing temperatures though.

If you don't use a fermenting fridge, don't bother with the "cold crash" (this just means to set your fridge to near zero degrees to chill your beer for flocculation purposes usually).

 

[BKBrews]

If you are using a fermenting fridge, set the temperature to near 0 degrees. Leave it for a few days to help the yeast flocculate. This will result in clearer beer in your keg/bottles. Yeast will not be "killed off" if they are kept above freezing (there is a way to freeze yeast successfully, but that is an advanced topic). In fact, this will keep them alive longer, as you have slowed their metabolism down significantly. The yeast won't be doing much in the way of active fermentation at those near freezing temperatures though.

If you don't use a fermenting fridge, don't bother with the "cold crash" (this just means to set your fridge to near zero degrees to chill your beer for flocculation purposes usually).

Right. Thanks.

Not that far advanced yet and don't have much equipment, so I'm just fermenting in a small glass carboy in my cupboard.

A lot to learn, and we'll see how this batch turns out, but I can sense this is a definite long-term hobby I have come across!

 

[BKBrews]

Hi guys, quick question. I still haven't bottled as yet due to time constraints and it has been 3 weeks today since brew day. Advice above is that 3 weeks is fine - am I pushing it leaving it any longer?