First brew

[BadBeatSab]

Hi guys . I’m new here. From South Gippsland, Victoria.

I have just done my first brew and I am up to the yeast part. (pitching?)

I am pretty keen to get it finished and the lid tight so I can get on with other responsibilities for the day. So my question is can I stir the yeast in when the wort is 28° ?
Or is it absolutely essential to wait until it cools to 25° As the instructions on my mangrove jack brew kit describes?

On another note it’s good to find this community and I’m sure I will be a part of it for a long time to come

 

[phildo]

Do you know what kind of yeast you have?

 

[Garfield]

This question comes up a bit and there's varied viewpoints. Here's my humble input:

1. Pitching warm can be fine if handled with care. Yeast will enjoy a warm start but it's essential you cool as quickly as possible as even a few hours at 28 can contribute excessive fruity esters.
2. Ignore the instructions. 25 is higher than desirable for most beer styles (there are exceptions such as saison). Keep most ales below 21° for a clean flavour.
3. Be aware the temperature is harder to lower once fermentation begins and starts generating it's own heat. Some brewers find it more logical to cool first for this reason.
4. Have you got a means to keep it cool as the fermentation heats up?

Good luck with batch 1 and welcome to the sport!

Garf

 

[Danscraftbeer]

As Garfeild just said. and (Fruity Esters are flavours you usually dont want too much of, like wine flavours etc)
Best keep temps down. 18c is common for Ales. 11c Common for Lager but that's another story.
I have ice packs like Techni Ice that I wrapped around the fermenter with towels in summer brewing for the first main part of the ferment. Start off cooler 18 -20c and let it warm up at the end ~22c. 25c is high.
Welcome to the slidey slope into brewing!

 

[BadBeatSab]

Do you know what kind of yeast you have?

It is from the kit. In a silver foil package with the label ‘yeast’ lol.
So no I don’t sorry.

 

[BadBeatSab]

This question comes up a bit and there's varied viewpoints. Here's my humble input:

1. Pitching warm can be fine if handled with care. Yeast will enjoy a warm start but it's essential you cool as quickly as possible as even a few hours at 28 can contribute excessive fruity esters.
2. Ignore the instructions. 25 is higher than desirable for most beer styles (there are exceptions such as saison). Keep most ales below 21° for a clean flavour.
3. Be aware the temperature is harder to lower once fermentation begins and starts generating it's own heat. Some brewers find it more logical to cool first for this reason.
4. Have you got a means to keep it cool as the fermentation heats up?

Good luck with batch 1 and welcome to the sport!

Garf

Ok. Thanks for the information.
In this case I think I’ve probably ruined it.

I do have a good temp control as it’s sitting in an old chest freezer and I can plug it in occasionally to cool the brew.
Unfortunately tho I didn’t do this last night and have no idea how long it was sitting around 28.

I guess it’s trial and error. I’ll know for next time.

Cheers

 

[BadBeatSab]

I need a good temp guage that can poke in to the top of the fermenter.
Otherwise I have to lift the 23 litres up to check the temperature given it’s in a small chest freezer.

 

[Muzzanthrope]

Keep it around 20 and you will be fine

 

[pnorkle]

Ok. Thanks for the information.
In this case I think I’ve probably ruined it.

I do have a good temp control as it’s sitting in an old chest freezer and I can plug it in occasionally to cool the brew.
Unfortunately tho I didn’t do this last night and have no idea how long it was sitting around 28.

I guess it’s trial and error. I’ll know for next time.

Cheers

Yeah, 28's a bit warm. If your first beer doesn't turn out perfect, don't worry about it - first beers rarely turn out perfect.. but not to worry, if it's not perfect it's something you've made yourself, and so it's bloody great!

Before you put down your next brew, consider getting a temperature controller to use with your chest freezer - Inkbird is popular & value for money - check this link out: Ebay you can use it for accurate temperature control, and maintain a temp of, say, 19 Degrees which is ideal for an Ale. What I'd be tempted to do, is make exactly the same brew again, same kit, same yeast etc - but next time with proper temp control - just so you can see the improvement it makes.

Anyway, whatever you end up doing, make sure you have fun doing it.

 

[scomet]

In this case I think I’ve probably ruined it.

It WILL be the best beer you have ever made; period. Temp does matter a lot but maybe not quite as much as some folk bang on about........

 

[phildo]

I started with a bucket on the kitchen bench, no temperature control at all. Still managed the make some good beers. When the weather cools down a bit more I will be doing largers in the brew fridge and ales on the counter top with a temp controller and a heat belt

Chances are your beer will turn out just fine. I recently tried someone's home brew, it consisted of a $8 homebrand draught tin, table Sugar and the kit yeast fermented in the heat of summer and it tasted just fine

 

[BadBeatSab]

I started with a bucket on the kitchen bench, no temperature control at all. Still managed the make some good beers. When the weather cools down a bit more I will be doing largers in the brew fridge and ales on the counter top with a temp controller and a heat belt

Chances are your beer will turn out just fine. I recently tried someone's home brew, it consisted of a $8 homebrand draught tin, table Sugar and the kit yeast fermented in the heat of summer and it tasted just fine

Awesome. I’m really glad to hear these stories. It gives me some comfort. Thanks.

I now have my fermenter in a fridge that I can turn on if need be. And I can see the temperature by just opening the door. I did have it in a chest freezer which was annoying to check the temperature, I had to lift the whole thing up to see it properly

 

[BadBeatSab]

Yeah, 28's a bit warm. If your first beer doesn't turn out perfect, don't worry about it - first beers rarely turn out perfect.. but not to worry, if it's not perfect it's something you've made yourself, and so it's bloody great!

Before you put down your next brew, consider getting a temperature controller to use with your chest freezer - Inkbird is popular & value for money - check this link out: Ebay you can use it for accurate temperature control, and maintain a temp of, say, 19 Degrees which is ideal for an Ale. What I'd be tempted to do, is make exactly the same brew again, same kit, same yeast etc - but next time with proper temp control - just so you can see the improvement it makes.

Anyway, whatever you end up doing, make sure you have fun doing it.

Fantastic advice. Thanks.

I have been thinking about temperature control options but have no knowledge on the subject. I shall check them out. Cheers

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Awesome. I’m really glad to hear these stories. It gives me some comfort. Thanks.

I now have my fermenter in a fridge that I can turn on if need be. And I can see the temperature by just opening the door. I did have it in a chest freezer which was annoying to check the temperature, I had to lift the whole thing up to see it properly

Might be a good idea to get rid of the fridge drawer and put some support underneath the glass, could save a few tears down the track.

 

[phildo]

^ that's good advice, I still have my drawer in place but I have a piece of plywood covering the shelf and compressor hump and the slots on the side

 

[BadBeatSab]

I’m stressing about my first brew, still. Lol help

This current sg has been stable for over 48 hours so I believe fermentation is complete. Temperature stayed at 20° For the majority of the time and didn’t deviate Past 1° Either way.
If the photo doesn’t work , the SG is exactly 1.005 but when look at the corresponding alcohol volumeit reads less than half a percent now Please tell me this will change ?

My second concern is the colour . Would beer finnings help this situation or is this just a part of the process?
A sidenote question, Is this product an essential part of the process or closer to personal choice ?

As always all help and advice is much appreciated.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I think you will have to go through step by step what you actually have done.

 

[phildo]

Exactly what kit did you brew? The colour looks to be a pale straw colour and looks fine. Your sample is hazy but that's normal for the fact that there's Still heaps of yeast in suspension.

Also you need to consider the temperature of your sample because the hydrometer is calibrated to a certain temperature usually 20°c so if your sample is a few degrees each way that will effect the fg reading

 

[phildo]

I never use finnings in the fermentor. Just my preference, there's nothing wrong with using them i just think that it's unnecessary because I don't really care if my beer is clear or hazy and generally my beer clears up well with cold and time.

 

[phildo]

Lastly ignore the alcahol by volume it has no relevance to beer that I know of. We are only concerned with the specific gravity reading in your picture. I'm guessing that you have a beer around 5% alcohol. It's probably done so if you get the same reading again you are probably right to go ahead and package it.
Curious what was the original gravity? are you bottling or kegging?

Also I wouldn't stress, your beer is probably fine. And we are here to help so never be afraid to ask