Help - Is My Beer Ok Or Should I Start Again?

[icarussound]

Hello. I just joined! I suspect you may have heard this before but here goes anyway...

I got a Coopers kit as a gift, um 2 years ago. I did my first batch - using the ingredients in the kit, Coopers lager, yeast, and so forth - last week! I am an IPA fan so I ordered the Coopers IPA + fermentables etc. ready for my next batch. Here is my dilemma:

I read the instructions and did everything exactly right but I did not sanitize the fermenter - my thought was it was new in thr box and untouched so I just washed it out with boiling water. Mistake # 1 perhaps. Next I noticed the can & the yeast were about 2 months expired. I used them anyway. Mistake # 2 maybe and likely the worst of the two.

It has been more than a week, the bubbling never really happened emphatically but *something* did, there is scum around the top of the wort and there was some bubbles, anemic though it seemed to me having since read quite a bit on the subject! The temp has been a bit low (18-20.)

I used the hydrometer and the OG or whatever was 1014 or so a few days ago. The coopers guide suggests 1008- 1010. Today I did the test again and it was a little higher - maybe 1016! Temperature perhaps? Anyway I wonder if I should just bottle it, or scrap it all and use the new fresh IPA kit? Is there a way to tell if the beer is just not OK? I tasted it and it is OK I suppose though I have no idea what to taste for.

Any suggestions would be really welcome. I have done quite a bit more reading and am now in a position to make a decent batch I think, but I am not terribly enthusiastic at waiting 2 or 3 weeks to find this batch never should have been bottled!! On the other hand if this is viable I'd love to finish the process.

Steve da sleeve

 

[Jonez]

Hello. I just joined! I suspect you may have heard this before but here goes anyway...

I got a Coopers kit as a gift, um 2 years ago. I did my first batch - using the ingredients in the kit, Coopers lager, yeast, and so forth - last week! I am an IPA fan so I ordered the Coopers IPA + fermentables etc. ready for my next batch. Here is my dilemma:

I read the instructions and did everything exactly right but I did not sanitize the fermenter - my thought was it was new in thr box and untouched so I just washed it out with boiling water. Mistake # 1 perhaps. Next I noticed the can & the yeast were about 2 months expired. I used them anyway. Mistake # 2 maybe and likely the worst of the two.

It has been more than a week, the bubbling never really happened emphatically but *something* did, there is scum around the top of the wort and there was some bubbles, anemic though it seemed to me having since read quite a bit on the subject! The temp has been a bit low (18-20.)

I used the hydrometer and the OG or whatever was 1014 or so a few days ago. The coopers guide suggests 1008- 1010. Today I did the test again and it was a little higher - maybe 1016! Temperature perhaps? Anyway I wonder if I should just bottle it, or scrap it all and use the new fresh IPA kit? Is there a way to tell if the beer is just not OK? I tasted it and it is OK I suppose though I have no idea what to taste for.

Any suggestions would be really welcome. I have done quite a bit more reading and am now in a position to make a decent batch I think, but I am not terribly enthusiastic at waiting 2 or 3 weeks to find this batch never should have been bottled!! On the other hand if this is viable I'd love to finish the process.

Steve da sleeve

Just wait. It may turn out OK.
18 to 20 C is an ok temp

Edit:
What fermentables did you use? and did you take the OG on the brew day before pitching the yeast ?(this does not seem obvious from your post)
Your beer will taste "green" even on bottling day. I haven't really had an infection yet so I wouldn't know how it would taste in that case.

SG shouldn't really go up. Have you checked you hydrometer is reading correctly? I usually let the sample settle before taking the reading as it may contain sediments from the fermenter which will affect the reading.

Did I say Welcome to the forum? :beer:

 

[iScarlet]

If you tasted it and didn't gag and spit out your sample it should be fine. Just keep the beer in the fermenter for a couple more days and keep an eye on the hydrometer readings. A little extra time shouldn't hurt it.

 

[Pennywise]

Your temp is perfect for ales, so no need to worry about that. Not sanitiseing the fermenter could cause problems, but seeings as though it was new, and you rinsed with boiling water I reckon you'll be ok. Ditch the coopers instructions, they're not all that great. OG, is the reading you take before you pitch the yeast, FG is the final gravity reading when you are about to bottle/keg. The scum around the fermenter is what's left from the krausen (foamy stuff) that happens at the beginning of the ferment, so that's a great sign. Regarding bottling, wait till you have the same reading 3 days in a row that is within a reasonable range of what you were expecting. If the ingredients you used was just the kit and dextrose/brewing sugar the I'd say your FG will be around the 1008 mark (for a 23 litre batch), just give it time and it'll be fine. Welcome to the obsession :icon_cheers:

Edit: Speelangz

Edit, edit: Possibly the gravity reading went up due to a bit of sediment drawn out, I always discard the first fill of the test tube and then read with a second fill to make sure any sediment is out of the tap.

 

[icarussound]

OK thanks for the advice! I *am* obsessed as it turns out, a bit anyway. I got a book and supplemented my kit equipment somewhat and enough ingredients to brew another 18 gallons (!)

I will be patient and wait till Sunday. I will be out of town doing a lunatic race this weekend, back Sunday night. That will be a full 15 days. I hope I can bottle this and get on with the IPA! I am sure to have more questions but in the mean time I am feeling slightly less worried. So thanks!

Steve da sleeve

 

[Pennywise]

I wouldn't worry at all about leaving the brew in there, all my beers stay in the fermenter for 2 weeks, sometime 3 and a half if I don't have a free keg.

 

[damof]

As everyone has stated. It should be fine. I think everyone has experienced the first brew nerves. I didn't sanitise my fermenter as well when I got it. Did the same thing as you and just rinsed it with boiling water.

The only thing wrong I can see from your actions is waiting 2 years to brew your first one

 

[icarussound]

Just tested my beer and the hydrometer said 1012 - about the same as the last two times I tested. Turns out I think the higher reading was because of bubbles causing the hydrometer to float higher. Or something. I am bottling this afternoon, woohoo!

So how do you get accurate hydrometer readings anyway? I had to twirl the hydrometer to dislodge bubbles and still there were a few at the surface making it a bit hard to read and possibly inaccurate. Also temperature obviously alters things. Is 1010 about the same as 1012 or should I worry about that much spread?

 

[O'Henry]

You can take the sample you intend to measure and pour it from one container to the other several times at a height of about 30cm. This should get rid of most of the carbonation. Then back into the hydrometer and measure away. I usually take gravity in the evening, so sometimes leave it in the hyrdo overnight and take the reading in the morning as well.

Also, most hyrdometers are calibrated to 20C so you will need to adjust the gravity up or down depending on the temp. There are plenty of calculators online for this.

 

[Pennywise]

There's a good temp calibration tool in John Palmers How To Brew, linky http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixA.html

 

[barneyb]

Yes I just will the tube up and leave it for a while, 10 mins at least. This way the head bubbles have gone as well as the bubbles in the beer itself.

 

[icarussound]

Hello! I bottled this batch after 2 weeks in the fermenter, and it's been in the bottles 2 weeks @ 18-20 or so. I put a couple in the fridge yesterday and opened my first one today. Flat - no carbonation at all. No off tastes or anything but I think my yeast was in fact a no go (see beginning of the thread.)

Should I toss the lot now? I have 15 bottles + a party pig keg full of this stuff.

Just to see if there is anything there I am chugging down a pint on an empty stomach to see if there is any alcohol in it! Tastes OK cold, but no carbonation.

 

[Barry]

The 1.012 shows it has fermented. You can shake the bottles and keep them in a warm place and see if they carbonate. You could rehydrate some dry yeast and use an eye dropper to put some in each bottle then recap.

 

[icarussound]

Hmm, too much work for this stuff. I have another batch in the fermenter ready to be bottled and a bunch of ingredients for my next batch which will be a real boil and add hops thing! I think I will pour it all out and call it a learning experience unless anyone thinks a few more weeks in the bottles might yield something?

 

[Flash_DG]

is there any sediment in the bottom of the bottles?
this would be a good sign of yeast being present.
have you tried any other bottles yet? on my very first batch I must have missed priming a bottle and it was flat.
Also with a party keg don't you gas them?

 

[manticle]

Hello! I bottled this batch after 2 weeks in the fermenter, and it's been in the bottles 2 weeks @ 18-20 or so. I put a couple in the fridge yesterday and opened my first one today. Flat - no carbonation at all. No off tastes or anything but I think my yeast was in fact a no go (see beginning of the thread.)

Should I toss the lot now? I have 15 bottles + a party pig keg full of this stuff.

Just to see if there is anything there I am chugging down a pint on an empty stomach to see if there is any alcohol in it! Tastes OK cold, but no carbonation.

Don't be in such a hurry to chuck it. Shake a bottle and see if there's any fizz at all (open gently obviously). Carbonation can sometimes take a while. If you really, really must chuck it (the yeast was obviously viable in order to ferment in the first place) then at least set 5 bottles aside and see how they are in a month or two.

 

[muckey]

Patience is a virtue in homebrewing. as mantcle said - dont be in a rush to chuck it out

if the yeast was not viable there would still be a very detectable sweet flavour in there with the bitterness due to the beer not having fermented. I assume you noted that it was fermenting or you wouldn't have bottled it

put 'em aside and get going on another batch.

 

[brenjak]

Next time you buy a kit open the plastic top and throw the yeast in hte fridge. Also have a look at the other yeasts available. Both liquid and dry. Fermentis are the best dry yeasts. If oyu dont have temp control for your fermenting have a look at Safale or Safale US-05 which can make a good lager without the need for temps at 12-15 degrees. As already said in this thread, patience in homebrwing is a virtue and you only learn from any mistakes you make. Do yourself a favour and make yourself a homebrw checklist to tick off as you go. Clean and sanitise, yeast to room temp, reydrate yeast...that sort of thing.

Happy Brewing!

 

[Nick JD]

Flat - no carbonation at all. No off tastes or anything but I think my yeast was in fact a no go (see beginning of the thread.)

How much sugar did you put in the bottles?

 

[icarussound]

!! OK so thanks for all your help!. I used the coopers drops - 2 per bottle as recommended. I also put this in a party pig keg. Now I had a devil of a time with that but I can do much better next time of course having fucked up a bit this first time. While I was filling the keg I accidently dropped in the bottle attachment hose and had to fish it out. Anyway I just poured a glass of this out of the pig and it was carbonated quite well! I used the recommended amount of corn sugar in the keg. But the beer is a bit cidery so I think I infected it. Doesn't taste too bad though so I put the keg in the fridge and will drink it! Partial success me thinks. The bottles, as you all recommend, I will stick in a closet somewhere and forget about them for a few months maybe and see if that makes any difference.

Oh I do have on more stupid question: If I put a couple in the fridge and then take them back out of the fridge with the rest will that do them any harm?

Cheers!

Steve