How Do You Think My First Brews Are Going? (pics)

[Jethro]

[yes taking samples from tap is much better than opening the lid but if you do clean the head of the tap using boiling water, paper towels and sanitising agent.

I purchased a cheap 500 ml garden sprayer to clean my fermenter tap after sampling(water after use and steriliser pre racking) seems to do the job. (a bit messy inside but) Cheers Jethro B)

 

[big d]

each to there own devilsalterboy.
however the tap method is far less a risk of infection than opening the lid.ive never had an infection yet this way and if in doubt give the area a spray with orthphosporic acid (comes under various names).
for what its worth i regularly sample(taste) the progress of my beer this way during the secondary and have never ever had an infection.

cheers
big d

ps
samples through the airlock is a new one for me

 

[frenzix]

Hi again, thanks for the extra advice everyone. I have posted a couple of useless pics of us bottling (how exciting) I tasted both and i must say that the stout tasted fantastic. The Lager was a little weak, but thats to be expected i think. I just used castor sugar for the bottles. I'll let you know how they taste in a couple of weeks.

I'm the guy with big bones, the fella with the dreds is my brother in law.

 

[big d]

great pics frenzix good to see your enjoying your brewing endeavours.
hope you enjoy the fruits of your labour. :chug: :chug: :chug:

cheers
big d

ps. ya bro in law carries a mean head of hair

 

[frenzix]

hehe i think he has the strongest neck muscles in the southern hemisphere. Yeah thanks mate, and thanks everyone for the help !

 

[frenzix]

hey again, thought i'd give you an update, gave the stout and lager taste tests, they both tasted great, and as some of you said, i might try the secondry fermentation to get that sediment taste out. They both were a nice drop though! thanks guys. I have a draught, bitter and apple cider down now

CHEERS!!!

 

[Trough Lolly]

Sounds like you're getting into the swing of things Frenzix!

You might want to lash out and next time you carbonate your beers, use dextrose or malt extract rather than castor sugar - its only a little thing but it does help the brew in the long run.

Cheers,
TL

 

[frenzix]

Yes i was thinking of that also, might pop down to the brew shop today

 

[sosman]

I take my SG samples from the tap all the time. Never had an infection. My biggest concern with it is that if you don't clean the tap, there is the potential of nasties at bottling time. As others have said, one squirt with 2% phos acid works magic.

As for advice re racking to secondary, by all means give it a try and make up your own mind. Keep in mind that it is not without risk (admittedly low):

• Some people have attributed stuck fermentations to racking at the wrong time.
• Each transfer increases exposure of beer to oxidation, microbes.
• I'm lazy and don't like the extra cleanup.

 

[frenzix]

me lazy too, but will give it a go!

 

[sluggerdog]

thanks again, just settles my mind hehe. I just took readings and they seem to need a little more in there. they are just below the green line on the hydrometer. Can't see the reading as the light is very crap in that room. It's just above the "10" mark.

Sorry bout all the photos, but i like to document stuff.

Cheers ! Tim

So is it ok to open the lid of the fermenter as shown in the photos here, I ask because I need to text my beer too with the hydrometer soon but I have the fermenter sitting on the floor so I cannot get to the tap without disturbing the airlock on top?

Or coudld I take the lid off, move the fermenter to higher ground then put the lid on, is this ok? I thought air was no good in the fermenter?

Thanx

 

[jgriffin]

The air in the fermenter will have been pushed out by the heavier CO2 by now.
Opening the fermenter unnecessarily is not a good idea though, as you raise the risk of infection.

What i'd do i remove the airlock, pick the fermenter up and sit it on something, and take measurement from the tap. Move it back and replace the airlock.

Make sure you remove the airlock as the act of picking it up, or opening the tap can cause the liquid to get sucked in.

 

[sluggerdog]

The air in the fermenter will have been pushed out by the heavier CO2 by now.
Opening the fermenter unnecessarily is not a good idea though, as you raise the risk of infection.

What i'd do i remove the airlock, pick the fermenter up and sit it on something, and take measurement from the tap. Move it back and replace the airlock.

Make sure you remove the airlock as the act of picking it up, or opening the tap can cause the liquid to get sucked in.

awesome, thanks jgriffin, that's just what I thought I would have to do, next time I'll get a table to do it on for the whole time.
CHEERS

 

[Hoops]

Make sure you remove the airlock as the act of picking it up, or opening the tap can cause the liquid to get sucked in.

that's the whole idea of the airlock isn't it? When you remove the airock air is sucked straight into the fermentor including any dust and particles. With the airlock in place the air is sucked through the liquid removing particles and if the liquid is a sanitizer it should reduce the chance of bugs being introduced.

 

[Bobby]

the liquid acts a a barrier. it doesnt filter out anything.

 

[jgriffin]

Bubbling air through liquid sucks as a filter. (no pun intended)
Ask you local bong smoker to put a tissue over their mouthpiece and look at it afterwards for a demonstration.

Plus my brewing area may be different, but i find all kinds of things in the airlock like flies, spiders etc. No way i'm sucking them back into my beer.

 

[devilsaltarboy]

Ive always thought using the tap at the bottom to be slightly dodgy although not as bad as putting hydrometer in brew.
Get hold of something to suck the brew through the airlock hole. I use a 50mL pipette. I say this because opening the tap leaves residue on the tap and needs to be cleaned straight after. I also cant be stuffed lifting my fermenter either and this approach removes this requirement.
Cheer
Peter