First Brew Q's...stirring?

[railgun_livewire]

Hey all,
I set up my first brew two days ago and was enjoying the sweet sound of bubbling all yesterday.
However, today there was no bubbling...

I gave it until this afternoon - but then i couldn't resist, and gave the fermenter a good ol' shake (within reason...more of a wobble really). It's back to how it was yesterday...though I do have a sinking feeling I shouldn't have done that. What is the opinion out there?

Also, while I have your attention...I took a grav reading yesterday - just out of curiosity - and some of the airlock water snuck into the fermenter when the tap was opened. What are the risks of infection as a result of this?

Cheers!

 

[RetsamHsam]

G'day Mate,

I wouldn't worry too much about having stirred the fermenter, the main problem most would see with that is oxidation, however as the fermentation has already been going strong for two days the chances of there being any oxygen left in the fermenter are pretty much zero..

Also wouldn't give too much thought to the water sneaking into the fermenter from the airlock, seeing as fermentation has already begun, any bugs that potentially got in there probably won't be able to multiply due to the wort being saturated with CO2.

Cheers.

 

[loikar]

Hey all,
I set up my first brew two days ago and was enjoying the sweet sound of bubbling all yesterday.
However, today there was no bubbling...

Aside:
BUTTERS! GET BACK!.... FOR FAARKS SAKE!.....GET BACK!!....Put down the kitten and step away!!

I gave it until this afternoon - but then i couldn't resist, and gave the fermenter a good ol' shake (within reason...more of a wobble really). It's back to how it was yesterday...though I do have a sinking feeling I shouldn't have done that. What is the opinion out there?...

Forget your airlock, it means nothing...if there is Krausen....there is fermentation....if your krausen was clearing this early into it....then start getting worried.

Also, while I have your attention...I took a grav reading yesterday - just out of curiosity - and some of the airlock water snuck into the fermenter when the tap was opened. What are the risks of infection as a result of this?
Cheers!

Mate, I had my fermenter sitting in an esky with sanitised soulution 1/4 way up it.
My boy was sqeezing the fermenter to watch the bubbles and consequently sucking sanitiser into the wort, THEN filling it up with the esky water and doing it again.
The beer tastes good

in other words....relax and have a beer.

 

[raven19]

+1 for other comments here. It shall be fine.

Giving it a little swirl can help if you suspect a stuck ferment, or you could rack to a secondary fermentor. That usually kick starts things for me when I have one that gets stuck/slows right down.

The above is a good excuse to get yourself a second fermentor in anycase

 

[RetsamHsam]

if your krausen was clearing this early into it....then start getting worried.

Unless the fermentation was happening @ 30+ Degrees in which case a one day ferment is perfectly normal

 

[brendo]

Hey all,
I set up my first brew two days ago and was enjoying the sweet sound of bubbling all yesterday.
However, today there was no bubbling...

I gave it until this afternoon - but then i couldn't resist, and gave the fermenter a good ol' shake (within reason...more of a wobble really). It's back to how it was yesterday...though I do have a sinking feeling I shouldn't have done that. What is the opinion out there?

Also, while I have your attention...I took a grav reading yesterday - just out of curiosity - and some of the airlock water snuck into the fermenter when the tap was opened. What are the risks of infection as a result of this?

Cheers!

Good to see you are gettign stuck in and using the gear already... top work!!

As the others have said - don't worry about what the airlock is doing or not doing - if there is krausen (foam) and or condensation on the lid, then it is fermenting.

Don't stress too much about the airlock water (you can use sanitiser in there tho if you like) however prob a good idea next time to remove the airlock before drawing a sample (or moving the fermentor, etc).

You should be all good mate - just relax and let it do its thing.

Cheers,

Brendo

 

[railgun_livewire]

Holy Crap...I can't believe how good this forum is!
how did all of you get to my post before I did hahaha

Hi Brendo - thanks for this gear, it seems to be working just fine!

Thanks for the advice and support.
I did have a liberal layer of foam (what I now know to be Krausen) on the surface of the wort, though it has dispersed since 'the act'.


Beerfingers: I had a small press on the fermenter yesterday to make some bubbles - I fully understand your lad's interest in it hahaha!

P.S. can I have in on the butters joke?

 

[chappo1970]

Rails get a hydrometer for FFS. Always measure your OG (Orginal Gravity) that way there is no guess work, yeah? They are cheap and if yoour persist with this hobby you will always be using it. See it an an investment into your future in this hobby. The boys have given you great advice there and well worth taking notice.

Aside:
BUTTERS! GET BACK!.... FOR FAARKS SAKE!.....GET BACK!!....Put down the kitten and step away!!
....

Bwahahahaha! :lol: It just won't die huh?

P.S. can I have in on the butters joke?

Goes something like this railgun BUT your responsible for this OK not me? Be thankful these guys got to you before the B man did.

"If by action, you mean airlock activity, I'm going to drop everything I'm doing, come over to your house, and choke a kitten in front of you as an object lesson. h34r:
Airlocks are meaningless....look for other signs. Condensation inside the lid (usually this is the first sign), foaming on top of the wort, krausen ring forming on the fermenter at the fluid level, and of course drop in SG......"

Still cracks me up :lol:

 

[RetsamHsam]

Rails get a hydrometer for FFS. Always measure your OG (Orginal Gravity) that way there is no guess work, yeah?

He has a hydrometer..

 

[brendo]

Rails get a hydrometer for FFS.

Repeat after me Chappo....

"I will always read the entire OP... I will always read the entire OP..."

hehehe

Brendo

 

[chappo1970]

Really? Are you sure? For fark sake he has one...
I need a beer I'm hung over like 10 men today... Farking Sully's Brew Day!!! Mutter Mutter...

Sorry Rails ignore every single thing I have ever said to you and the entire world.

Now where's a gun to put me out of my misery?

EDIT: Ok Brendo I promise till next time...

 

[brendo]

EDIT: Ok Brendo I promise till next time...

We'll let it go this time Chappo... but next time mate you are going to the bin for 10...

 

[razE]

however prob a good idea next time to remove the airlock before drawing a sample (or moving the fermentor, etc).

+1

 

[railgun_livewire]

Thanks for the help anyway Chappo!

...it would have been sound advice if I didn't have one!

 

[chappo1970]

I soooooo farkin' need a beer but I'm stuck at work. <_<

 

[railgun_livewire]

At least you can have one when you get home,
I've just got a fermenter that makes it smell like I have beer!

 

[Gavo]

I took a grav reading yesterday

And what was the gravity reading? And what is it now? What temp was it at for the ferment?
With this info we can tell if it's done or not.

Gavo.

 

[railgun_livewire]

Hey Gavo, thanks for the interest!
The reading "yesterday" was actually very early this morning now that I think about it...


Temp yesterday: 25 - 28
Grav at reading: damn close to 1010
...i forgot to do an OG (but its just a dump and stir kit - so it should be as normal as it gets...)

 

[Gavo]

Looking at those temps, that you have used some malt extract (which is partly un-fermentable) I would say that it is probably finished or is close to finished fermenting. Take a reading for the next couple of days and if they are stable, then it is done. Leave it for a few more days to clear and you are ready to bottle.

Temp control is most important to improving your beer. For an ale you want to aim at 18-20 degrees for fermenting. Link.

Check the ariticles on this site for some good ways of improving your beer.

Cheers
Gavo.

 

[railgun_livewire]

Hey Gavo,
Thanks for that.

I'll take a reading tomorrow and see how it is.
I can't believe how fast its moved - probably not ideal, as you've indicated.

Despite my newly acquired indifference to airlock activity, it is bubbling along quite merrily...so I'm inclined to think it has a bit of time yet. There's one or two droplets of condensation on the lid and the fermenter's slowly developing a hearty layer of krausen.

I'll check in with you all after my next reading,
Thanks again!