Finally Did My First Homebrew

[EVOSTi]

so i finally got around to doing my first homebrew since i got the kit for christmas. is a brewcraft microbrewery kit, with a brewcraft ultra imperial pale ale. bare with me and ill explain what i did and if anyone wants to correct me im happy for it.

i put 20L of water in the fermenter, then 30ml of bleach then 30ml of white vinegar. chucked everything in to sit for a while.
while the bits were soaking i bolied some water with a jar in it, then put some of the boiled water in the jar and attempted to cool it in the freezer down to the 20's cause im inpatient. i then chucked the yeast in cause i read somewhere on this forum it was a good idea
put the hops in a jar of hot water for 10 mins, it came with the kit. put the two cans in the sink with hot water for 10 mins.
rinsed the fermenter out with hot water, then chucked the two cans in the fermenter with a saucepan full of hot water and stired. i then transfered cold tap water into the fermenter via the saucepan. also chucked in the jar with the hop bag.
i shook up the yeast then chucked it in and stired again.

at this point i put on the airlock and thought it would be a good idea to put some of the beer into a jar to get the OG. did this and it sucked the water out of the airlock, i freaked out a bit and stoped with the 500ml jar nearly full. toped up the airlock again.

i then put the fermenter in a 50L square box with water, and chucked in two ice bricks, temp was around 26 at this point.

i then tried to check the OG but the jar wasnt deep enough and the glass thingo bottomed out. i couldnt find another suitable jar so what i did was get the container the glass thingo came in, put the cap on one end and put the beer in there and quickly got a reading before it ran out the bottom, dodgy i know. i still have some beer in the jar to check at a later date i spose.

so how can i check the reading at the end if when i open the tap, it suckes the water in the fermenter? if anyone has any advice id love the hear it. will prob wait around two weeks then bottle. at the moment its not bubling yet, put it in the fermenter around an hour ago. long post, sorry

 

[wambesi]

Congrats on the first one down.
You basically started how I did, putting everything into the fermenter, I now (well used to - doing my first AG shortly) use a 20L stockpot and boil up a bit of malt with hops etc, dissolve the can in it (after flameout) then add to the fermenter and topped up with water.

I wouldn't really worry about re hydrating the yeast at this point, just sprinkle it on top and it will be fine, later on maybe get into it but until you get a few under your belt I think it's better to keep it as simple as possible.

The hops should be boiled/steeped in water with a little malt in it for better utilisation, hence why I moved to the stockpot. But my first use of hops were in plain water and it wasn't too bad.

From what I have read you are better of draining some of the wort out before adding the yeast to test the OG, never have myself (as I always forget) so the way around sucking the airlock water in is to release the tap slow, and if needed stop to allow the pressure to equalise.
Also make sure you use cooled boiled water in it so no nasties living in it.
I dont know about how your hydrometer came, but the ones I have you are supposed to use the tube it is packaged in, keep one end on fill her up and drop the hydrometer in.
The stuff you kept in the jar will be no good for a reading later on as the yeasties will be working away on the sugars in there.

All up pretty good effort for a first try, best advice is to read up lots on the site - especially the stickies on how to brew better and the different techniques people use.
Before you know it you'll be culturing yeast starters and splitting them.

 

[pint of lager]

Congratulations on your first brew.

Keep reading posts on the forum and you will pick the brewing caper up.

Don't put so much fluid in your airlock, so when it bubbles, it doesn't get drawn back into the fermenter.

Like wambesi said, keep it simple at this stage and just sprinkle the yeast on top. The temperature you rehydrate at is pretty important.

 

[brettprevans]

as POL said, KISS. read all the basic starter stuff on here and you will have a solid foundation on which to build.

find a local HB club thats on AHB and attend meetings. not only will you get really good info and a support crew but youll get to taste heaps of great beer!

welcome to the brotherhood and the slippery slope to obsession with stainless steel, gadgets, hops and grain.

 

[kabooby]

Well done evosti

Try removing the airlock if you need to take samples. I cover the fermenter with glad wrap and use the rubber oring from the lid to seal it. Put a pin prick in it and away you go. This way it lets you see what going on during the fermentation.

Use the container the hydrometer came in for testing FG

You will probably have activity in the morning

Hope it turns out great for you

Kabooby

 

[barry2]

For sampling I remove the airlock and keep it upright in a small clean jug to stop the water running out.I then take the sample via the fermenter tap into the long thin container that the hydrometer came in and replace the airlock.
Good luck with the brew and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed my first brew.

 

[EVOSTi]

so you can use the hydrometer in its own tube? mine didnt seal well at all and was running out the bottom slowly.

i figured a jar with the beer in it would have the same FG as the main batch? ohwell ill get some out of the fermenter at the end.

i checked the fermenter this mourning, no bubbles as of yet. also raoted some ice blocks and the fermenter was at 18 degrees. will check again when i get home from work, might start to worry soon if it doesnt start bubbling

 

[wambesi]

so you can use the hydrometer in its own tube? mine didnt seal well at all and was running out the bottom slowly.

i figured a jar with the beer in it would have the same FG as the main batch? ohwell ill get some out of the fermenter at the end.

i checked the fermenter this mourning, no bubbles as of yet. also raoted some ice blocks and the fermenter was at 18 degrees. will check again when i get home from work, might start to worry soon if it doesnt start bubbling

Sure can use that tube, if it's not sealing well try some tape or something around it to seal better - or just do it real quick

The wort in the jar will most likely not ferment out like the beer due to many reasons, might not have a good yeast count, if it is sealed the CO2 is not being released. Better to do "live" checks.

Dont be in a rush to discount the start of the fermentation. You may not even get the airlock bubbling, I have three fermenters and they actually rarely bubble, sometimes the seal may not be %100 perfect but my beers have been alright.
Also it might take a while for it to start off, sometimes it can take abit (lag time).

What did the yeast look like in the jar after you re hydrated it? Was it frothy? Bubbly? Creamy? no different?

 

[barry2]

so you can use the hydrometer in its own tube? mine didnt seal well at all and was running out the bottom slowly.

i figured a jar with the beer in it would have the same FG as the main batch? ohwell ill get some out of the fermenter at the end.

i checked the fermenter this mourning, no bubbles as of yet. also raoted some ice blocks and the fermenter was at 18 degrees. will check again when i get home from work, might start to worry soon if it doesnt start bubbling

Give the bottom plastic lid a hard push to make sure it is flush with the tube.If leaking check for cracks in the lid and try putting some string or tape between the lid and tube to get a better seal.
How old is the yeast?Sometimes there is a use by date on the packet.If not there should be a use by date on the cans which may be a guide.I started brewing two years with the Coopers Microbrewery.The can that came with that had only three months to go to its expiry date.It turned out OK although the pale ale was pretty dark.
Can you estimate the temperature of the hot water you used to rehydrate the yeast ?
Most of my brews have started fermenting within 24 hours although a few took over 36 hours.
Hopefully you will see some foam (krausen) appearing on the surface soon.

 

[EVOSTi]

thanks for the replies.

i would say the yeast was creamy in the jar, still well within date. i cant remember the type but it was in a pink packet, prob could find it in the bin if needed.

cans were within date.

when i got home from work today the temp was 16 degrees so i took the ice out and its slowly going back to 18, will keep an eye on it, still no movement but not stressing yet. more stressed about my freeby fridge i got which i just filled with beer, went too cold and busted 3 coopers pale ales and a super dry

 

[goomboogo]

EVOSTi, if the hydrometer tube is cracked and beyond repair you're local hbs will probably stock sturdy test tubes that are great for the job. You are right not to be too concerned about a lack of visible airlock action at the 19 hour mark especially if you've maintained temp at 16-18c. As others have said, just because there is no action from the airlock doesn't mean fermentation hasn't begun. Let us know how it's going and as far as the yeast is concerned, a pink packet sounds like T58, but there is WB06 in a pale purple and the most likely is US05 (formerlyUS56) in a red packet. If it is the latter the 16-18c temp will be favourable. Although I would never guess what Brewcraft would do as far as there yeast selections are concerned.

P.S An exploded Super Dry is not something I would worry about - apart from the cleaning.

 

[wyatt_girth]

I am only a new brewer myself but everyone I talk to and everything I read says 'don't trust/rely on the airlock' Use a hydrometer to keep it in check. I bottled one yesterday (which was only my second brew) and the airlock didn't bubble at all but the hydrometer readings told me what I needed to know. Like I said I am only new also but am trying to relax a bit and not let worry take over.

 

[Cortez The Killer]

Try using gladwrap instead of the lid + airlock

You can see in and it's 2 things less to sanitise

Cheers

 

[EVOSTi]

just a bit of an update:

temp control is a problem at the moment, the little stick-on thermometer doesnt appear to be working correctly, maybe because its submerged? at first it would have one or two temp bars lit up but now all temp bars 22 and bellow are lit up. the hand in water test indicates its lower than 22 degrees but i might grab the thermometer out of the pool and check it.

ive had to move the fermenter a couple of times because im in the process of building a work bench and shelves in the garage, as well as respray a car so its been stirred around a bit. but i was hoping that after this weekend i can let it settle for probably a week before bottling, will check gravity reading also.

 

[Franko]

Evosti- firstly welcome to the forum mate you've come to the right place.

Congratulations on your first brew.

Looking at your location your from Mt Annan, so am I.
Send me a pm if you would like to come around and have a beer and meet other local brewers in the area.

Also check out our local Homebrew club here.
M.A.L.E macarthur Ale and Lager Enthusiasts
Happy to help anytime

Franko

 

[kabooby]

I think he joined on the 4th of Feb.

Also I will be doing a brew next Sunday if you want to come and have a beer

I will post details on the Male site

Kabooby

 

[Hefty]

Try using gladwrap instead of the lid + airlock

You can see in and it's 2 things less to sanitise

Cheers

I also do this. Because the glad wrap is see through (apart from condensation sometimes) you can leave your hydrometer in there the whole time. This saves re-opening and re-sealing so you there is less risk of contaminiation. Just be sure to take one reading for OG before you add the yeast, then take it out and re-sanitise it while you pitch the yeast, then put it back on and use the glad wrap and the rubber seal.
The only thing that might become an issue is if too much yeast froth residue builds up on it it might read a few points denser than it actually is, although I've never had a problem with this.

Jono.

 

[gerald]

Hey EVOSTi,

your on Toymods as well aintcha?? following me around are you ;-)?

im relativley new to homebrewing but heres a few tips ive learned in the last few months


1. dont ever be in a rush or impatient. if you dont have time to do it properly then wait till you have the time.

2. its better to keep a constant temp that isnt right on the recomended temp, than having a fluctuating temp. so if you can put your fermenter in a spot where the temp is constantly 24 degrees it will be better than if it changes from 16-18-20-22-20 and up and down etc.. forget the

3. my hydrometer sits in that tube thing and one end has a cap that fits really snug and the other has a cap that jsut falls off. maybe try using the other end as the bottom or as someone suggested, tape it up, or glue it. it only needs to hold the 60ml of liquid for a few minutes while u take a reading then u can take a sip and chuck it - never put it back into the fermenter.



happy toyoto moddifying and happy home brewing

catchyas
gerald

 

[Hefty]

Never float the hydrometer in the fermenter to take a reading. Always use a sample test jar and after taking a reading drink the sample or throw it out. If you tip it back into the fermneter, you will infect your brew.

After doing a bit more looking around the site, I found the above in the "FAQ for new brewers" and I'm assuming it means "don't keep opening your fermenter and putting the hydrometer in it to test your beer" to avoid infections.
My suggestion from before was to sanitise your hydrometer and leave it in the fermenter from the start. I've never had any problems doing it this way but I don't want to be giving advice and later finding out that it's wrong. Does anyone know if this is also bad/ineffective for any reason? Coz if so, I'll stop doing it too!

Jono.

 

[OzBeer_MD]

After doing a bit more looking around the site, I found the above in the "FAQ for new brewers" and I'm assuming it means "don't keep opening your fermenter and putting the hydrometer in it to test your beer" to avoid infections.
My suggestion from before was to sanitise your hydrometer and leave it in the fermenter from the start. I've never had any problems doing it this way but I don't want to be giving advice and later finding out that it's wrong. Does anyone know if this is also bad/ineffective for any reason? Coz if so, I'll stop doing it too!

Jono.

Seen plenty of youtube videos where brewers with Glass Carboys do that. If its sterilised, shouldnt matter. Personally I have the Pail style fermenter and cant see into it much, so I just take a sample from the tap at the beggining and at what I think is the end. I always brew a bit more than what a 19L corny holds anyway so not concerned about wasting 120ml of beer.

MD