Hey folks
My name's Nick, I've been thinking and dreaming about one day starting my own homebrew beer for many years and have finally gone and bought myself a starter.
Basically I bought a Coopers (Mr. Beer) craft brew kit, which only makes about 8 liters of beer at any one time, but comes with pretty much everything you need (except sanitizer as I discovered when I opened it and started my first batch last weekend)
Well, I got my first brew in the fermenter according to the instructions and had it kicking along for a couple of days when it stopped bubbling. I thought it was finished so I took a gravity reading, it only came to 1.024 (OG was 1.046) which tells me it's not done. Also did a taste test and it tastes carbonated as well as still a little sweet
Discouraged, I went to a LHBS and asked a few questions, the guy there suggested perhaps the temperature in my brew room was too cool as I don't have central heating in my house and it gets quite cold (15 degrees is not unusual, going to be good for bottling) and that my yeast had probably gone into dormancy. While I was there I also picked up a second fermenter, this time a 6 gallon job with a proper airlock as well as some Stout LME and some Stout brew enhancer (suggested by the guy) as well as some proper sanitizer.
So I checked the thermometer on the side when I got home and it was reading 16-18 degrees... too cold so I've put a small oil heater in the room with it and am now keeping the ambient air temperature around the 22-24 degrees mark. I'm at work now so hopefully when I get home it'll have restarted fermenting.
Last night I also got my second fermenter going with the Stout (OG 1.066, should be a strong one!) as well as ordered some more bottles and a digital thermostat to connect inline with the oil heater to keep the room more stable than the oil heater's thermostat can manage.
Anyway, so my plan is that once the first batch is done, I'm going to probably retire the tiny Coopers fermenter from beer duties and concern it with small batches of Cider (as that's the missus drink of choice)
That's basically my story to now, but if anyone could answer a couple of questions, that would be awesome:
1. Will putting an oil heater in the room with the brews (that room is a big walk-in linen press off my laundry where the temperature tends to stay stable and there are no windows or light in there which is nice) cause any ill effects? I don't imagine it would but have the thermostat on the way to keep it more stable
2. If my yeast has indeed gone dormant, will it reactivate once it's active temperature is again reached or was the LHBS clerk pulling my leg?
3. The air lock on my 6 gal fermenter doesn't deem to go all the way into the rubber grommet, only the first 5mm or so go in and it doesn't protrude through the lid. Is this normal? It does seal but doesn't look or feel secure
Other than that guys, thanks for providing this great resource site here, I hope to learn a great deal and be producing some fantastic brews pretty soon (expecting my first couple will probably not be spectacular)
Nick
My name's Nick, I've been thinking and dreaming about one day starting my own homebrew beer for many years and have finally gone and bought myself a starter.
Basically I bought a Coopers (Mr. Beer) craft brew kit, which only makes about 8 liters of beer at any one time, but comes with pretty much everything you need (except sanitizer as I discovered when I opened it and started my first batch last weekend)
Well, I got my first brew in the fermenter according to the instructions and had it kicking along for a couple of days when it stopped bubbling. I thought it was finished so I took a gravity reading, it only came to 1.024 (OG was 1.046) which tells me it's not done. Also did a taste test and it tastes carbonated as well as still a little sweet
Discouraged, I went to a LHBS and asked a few questions, the guy there suggested perhaps the temperature in my brew room was too cool as I don't have central heating in my house and it gets quite cold (15 degrees is not unusual, going to be good for bottling) and that my yeast had probably gone into dormancy. While I was there I also picked up a second fermenter, this time a 6 gallon job with a proper airlock as well as some Stout LME and some Stout brew enhancer (suggested by the guy) as well as some proper sanitizer.
So I checked the thermometer on the side when I got home and it was reading 16-18 degrees... too cold so I've put a small oil heater in the room with it and am now keeping the ambient air temperature around the 22-24 degrees mark. I'm at work now so hopefully when I get home it'll have restarted fermenting.
Last night I also got my second fermenter going with the Stout (OG 1.066, should be a strong one!) as well as ordered some more bottles and a digital thermostat to connect inline with the oil heater to keep the room more stable than the oil heater's thermostat can manage.
Anyway, so my plan is that once the first batch is done, I'm going to probably retire the tiny Coopers fermenter from beer duties and concern it with small batches of Cider (as that's the missus drink of choice)
That's basically my story to now, but if anyone could answer a couple of questions, that would be awesome:
1. Will putting an oil heater in the room with the brews (that room is a big walk-in linen press off my laundry where the temperature tends to stay stable and there are no windows or light in there which is nice) cause any ill effects? I don't imagine it would but have the thermostat on the way to keep it more stable
2. If my yeast has indeed gone dormant, will it reactivate once it's active temperature is again reached or was the LHBS clerk pulling my leg?
3. The air lock on my 6 gal fermenter doesn't deem to go all the way into the rubber grommet, only the first 5mm or so go in and it doesn't protrude through the lid. Is this normal? It does seal but doesn't look or feel secure
Other than that guys, thanks for providing this great resource site here, I hope to learn a great deal and be producing some fantastic brews pretty soon (expecting my first couple will probably not be spectacular)
Nick
h34r:
