First brew tinglers

[Jack of all biers]

There is no way you got a 1110 gravity from 3.5 Kg dried malt and 300gm cara malt in 23 L, so firstly you need not worry about the yeast not getting through your batch (unless there are more ingredients that 'accidently' found their way it like a couple of kilos of sugar?

Each Kg of dried malt should give you ~1015 per 25L, so either your hydrometer is out, thermometer is out (did you test the temp of your sample before reading the OG?) or you read it wrong twice on two different samples (not likely)?

Even being out by 50C would only put the gravity 10 points higher, so that's probably not it.
You reading two samples at the wrong level is possible, but not plausible (so don't doubt yourself yet).
So that leaves the only realistic conclusion, my dear Watson, that your hydrometer may be out. Or someone slipped a mickey into your brew when your back was turned. SWMBO? :lol: Had your life insurance renewed lately? h34r:

You will need to do a two or three point calibration for this. First test against water (tap is fine) which should read 1000 . Then test against a known sample of 1050 (35gm white sugar in 250ml water) and finally against 1100 (77.5gm white sugar in 250ml water). To ensure your samples have the sugar dissolved, either heat and stir, then cool again to 20C or just stir until it is fully dissolved. Ensure all your samples are tested at 20C or if out by a few correct (for every 5C over +1 or under -1.

EDIT - 77.5 gm or 155 gm in 500 ml water is easier unless you have accurate scales. Or just HB it and round up or down. The exact reading is not hugely important, but if your hydro is way out with these measured known quantities then you know that is your problem.

2nd EDIT - You didn't buy a 5kg dried malt bag and absent mindedly put the whole thing in instead of just 2.5kg right?

 

[Rocker1986]

Interesting comments on the yeast from the lhbs, the technical data sheet thingy from danstar recommends rehydration of the yeast. It'll still work, but yeah.

 

[Beil]

Hi Jack, thanks for your reply.
I did test my hydrometer in water and got a 1.000 reading at 20deg. C.
I thought maybe I damaged it, even though I've been careful with it.
I will test the other ratios tonight.

I bought 1kg bags not 5kg so didn't space out there.


Rocker, yea I was even unsure but took their word after saying it had a slow ferment with US-05

 

[Beil]

Also, Jack, I took a total of 4 readings as it was doing my head in, I shook the FV a second time; like leaning it almost all the way to the ground and then forcefully bringing it up to get a massive swirl/wave on the go.

The calculations don't add up, so I guess I'll just do all I can do: leave it alone, see if the FG gets to below 1.02..

I guess test it in a few days to see if by some anamoly I got 4 readings of dense wort and the yeast have mixed it all together by then?

The yeast have a foam on top this morning, atleast something is going as planned.

 

[Beil]

I tested the hydrometer in the 35g/250ml water solution and got 1.05.
So yea, I guess I managed to fluke it and get 4 readings of dense wort even after shaking it twice.
Lesson learnt, maybe add water,then wort, then more water..

I tested the gravity today and got 1.02, the lessen has come and gone, and it definitely didn't taste like a 12% beer which it would be of my ready was correct. Seeing as I used a recipe I'm going to use the estimated gravity as OG (1.058) so at the moment it's 5.0% which seems ok.

I had trouble keeping the FV as cool as I would like, with the two hot days we've had recently here in Adelaide, the bath water was sitting at 21-22. The bubbling has stopped now, I just hope it didn't ferment too quick. Last night I had the idea to fill all of our takeaway containers with water and freeze before dumping them in the bath this evening, now it's 19.
Another lesson learnt, look at weather and plan ahead with frozen blocks to cool everything.

Can anyone confirm that the photo in the link below are yeast floaties and nothing to be worried about,sample tasted fine.

http://m.imgur.com/5gvzJ1N

 

[Rocker1986]

Or get a fridge to ferment in so you don't have to faff around with frozen blocks and water baths. If space is available of course.

Fast fermentations aren't a bad thing unless they're fast because the temperature is way too high; from the temps yours appears to be at though, it shouldn't be an issue, in fact it's a good thing.

 

[Beil]

Space for an actual fridge is not available atm. I have toyed with the idea of building an mdf panelled chamber with spray foam filling the cavities to basically be a custom esky that fits a FV. Would still have to use frozen 1.5L water bottles, but I figure it would still be more efficient than a water bath. *(not too worried about the effort of building it, cost wouldn't be too much either)

We aren't planning on being in this house for more than a few more years, next house I will have either a powered shed/garage and be able to have a permanent set up (extension cord to shed atm for my power tools etc. So no permanent power

 

[Rocker1986]

Bugger. Gotta work with what you've got I suppose though.

 

[Beil]

True, this is working an SWMBO said that if the bath is working just use that rather than build something. We have an old ex-trust house with a stupid square tub thing, can't even call it a bath tbh, the only use we have for it is washing the dog in it (and now this). Bit of reno/landscaping and make a few quid hopefully for our next home though

 

[Rocker1986]

I'd be wary of sitting a fermenter in a water tub used for washing a dog. Seems like there might be a higher chance of a bug getting and hiding in the tap on the FV or something assuming it is submerged in the water. :unsure: Might be worth building that chamber after all.

I remember when I was with an ex a couple of years ago and was gonna move in with her, she had a laundry tub in her garage that she used for washing her dogs, no way in the world was I putting any of my brewing equipment near it.

 

[Beil]

Hmm,didn't think of that.
I did wash it out with dettol and hot water before doing anything in there.
I was concerned with the tap being submerged, but there wasn't really anything to do about it.
The FV is in there so nothing to be done this round. Maybe I spend a day making it over Xmas.

 

[decr]

Dog wash and water bath for a FV? No thanks, unless you get rid of the tap and seal it, then siphon the beer out.

My tap threads were stuffed after 5-10 brews on my (new) crappy plastic fermenters from the LHBS anyway so sealed them up and I use them like I did overseas as I'm used to siphoning anyway (the overseas ones didn't have taps to begin with).

 

[Beil]

I couldn't help myself (like I'm sure most new brewers can't) and cracked one of the 6 stubbies from my first brew I bottled for testing purposes.
It has only been in the bottle for a week, so only 4 weeks from being brewed.
Notes, little to no head, not carbonated enough and it didn't hold it's carbonation (expected)
It is bitter but fine for drinking, but there is not enough aroma for my liking, will dry hop a lot more or multiple times.
The malt flavour and the bitterness both come through which is good.
Not crystal clear, but no floating bits. I'm happy with the look.

Will test another bottle next Sunday.