Problem With First Brew

[bluejay]

Hey Guys,

I received, with much excitement, a basic beer brewing kit from my girlfriend for Christmas.

I started my first brew on Boxing Day and within about 12 hours (from memory) it started bubbling through the air lock. It continued as such for the next probably 24 hours, but then we had a cold spell and the temperature of the brew dropped to about 22. This coincided with the bubbling through the air lock totally ceasing. The cold spell lasted for a few days and we have just come out of it in the last couple days and the fermenter has risen back to 25 (which according to the label is where it's meant to be) but the bubbling has not started again.

Originally I thought the bubbling must have stopped because of the drop in temperature and that it would therefore start again once the temp rose but this theory has clearly been proved wrong. Furthermore after having a look around this forum, it seems most people recommend to brew around 20 degrees anyway, so it should have not stopped bubbling in the first place.

I should probably take a hydro reading to see how far the ferment actually got- but I'm assuming it won't have got very far if it only bubbled for 24 hours.

Can anyone offer me any advice as to what might have gone wrong here and how I might remedy the situation (if that's even possible).

Cheers

 

[felten]

I have to clean my kettle, so here's a lazy link. http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...;showarticle=76

 

[RdeVjun]

Welcome bluejay and congratulations on starting your first batch!
You may as well toss the airlock for what they're worth (I use cling film instead, works a treat), the hydrometer will tell you all you need to know, plus you get a nifty sample of your beer to test as it goes.
When you measure, it should be < 1.020 by my guess, when it is finished it will be stable at the same measurement for a few days (three is recommended), only then can you contemplate bottling it. Usually kits like that should finish around 1.010 if all goes well.

 

[Brown_hound]

Hey Guys,

I received, with much excitement, a basic beer brewing kit from my girlfriend for Christmas.

I started my first brew on Boxing Day and within about 12 hours (from memory) it started bubbling through the air lock. It continued as such for the next probably 24 hours, but then we had a cold spell and the temperature of the brew dropped to about 22. This coincided with the bubbling through the air lock totally ceasing. The cold spell lasted for a few days and we have just come out of it and the fermenter has risen back to 25 (which according to the label is where it's meant to be) but the bubbling has not started again.

Originally I thought the bubbling must have stopped because of the drop in temperature, but after having a look around this forum, it seems most people recommend to brew around 20 degrees anyway. So I'm confused as to why it stopped fermenting.

I should probably take a hydro reading to see how far the ferment actually got- but I'm assuming it won't have got very far if it only bubbled for 24 hours.

Can anyone offer me any advice as to what might have gone wrong here and how I might remedy the situation (if that's even possible).

Cheers

What a great pressie! And welcome to brewing.. Your missus is a legend.


Could possibly be a dodgy seal in your rubber bung?

25 is pretty dang high for a fermentation though mate...

You're probably not wanting to go over the 20 mark for the stock packet yeast.

Trust me mate, the first thing to do when brewing is ignore all the instructions in the tin, and get all your brewing info off this site.


As for the possible leak, your brew should be ok so long as there's positive pressure inside the fermentor.. Also, make sure it's in a place where there's little to no air movement- so as to help prevent the nasties getting in. Maybe in a bath with some cold water? This'll also help keep the temperature down.

Temperature control is the single most important aspect of brewing. Many here will agree.

Sorry bout throwing all that info at ya in one go!

Hope it helps bud!

Happy brewing and happy new year

 

[hsb]

Congratulations on getting the first one down bluejay.

Your hydrometer is your friend, never trust the airlock! Your ferment may have slowed but still be very active. You're right about the temperature, depending on the yeast you're using, you'd certainly want to be aiming for 20C at the top end of things, it will make a big difference to the end result.

Be patient, try some hydrometer samples and wait for stable readings, then relax and have your first homebrew!

 

[DU99]

Whats in the fermenter...ALE/Lager/Draught..and is it coopers

 

[bluejay]

Thanks for the quick replies guys!

I don't think there's anything wrong with my airlock or a leak in my fermenter as it was happily bubbling away to begin with, then, without me changing anything, it just stopped. Also the stoppage of the bubbling coincided with a fairly dramatic reduction in the foam, to the point where I don't have any foam left at all.

When I get home I will definitely do a hydro reading though. I'm actually not too confident with the hydrometer. I tried using it at the start of the brew but I found it hard to get an accurate reading because it wouldn't float upright and would fall to the sides.

 

[Siborg]

As mentioned, don't trust the airlock. Mine never worked and I use the cling film method these days.

One thing that really opened my eyes is that when you add yeast to sugar (wort), fermentation is inevitable. There are, of course, things you can control during fermentation (ie. Temp)

Also, the thing to remember is that fermentation will be more vigorous at the start so it will through off CO2 at a faster rate.

Use your hydrometer and take a reading every day, if you like. You'll see the specific gravity (SG) drop a bit each day. It should finish around the 1.010 mark.

Glad to see a few more keen brewers such as yourself starting up after this Christmas. Good luck and I hope that you keep going, as it can be quite rewarding if you stick it out

 

[bluejay]

Whats in the fermenter...ALE/Lager/Draught..and is it coopers

Morgan's Australian Lager

 

[manticle]

Sounds like it finished fermenting. High temps probably would have aided the quick fermentation time.

25 degrees for 6 days = probably finished which is why you have no bubbles.

Everything that needs to be said about bubbling airlocks has been said and everything that needs to be said about 25 degrees has been said.

How are you using your hydrometer?

 

[Siborg]

When I get home I will definitely do a hydro reading though. I'm actually not too confident with the hydrometer. I tried using it at the start of the brew but I found it hard to get an accurate reading because it wouldn't float upright and would fall to the sides.

Try putting it on a level surface, then give the glass part a spin... You'll get the hang of it.

 

[bluejay]

Sounds like it finished fermenting. High temps probably would have aided the quick fermentation time.

25 degrees for 6 days = probably finished which is why you have no bubbles.

But it only bubbled for 1 day. Since then I have just been waiting for it to start again (assuming it yeast activity had frozen).

As for the hydro, my kit didnt come with a glass bulb one. It is just a plastic cylinder with a triangle base. I did my first (terrible innaccurate) reading in the fermenter, but my next ones Ill empty beer out of the tap into something (can't think of what) to float the hyrdo in and get the reading.

 

[Brown_hound]

But it only bubbled for 1 day. Since then I have just been waiting for it to start again (assuming it yeast activity had frozen).

As for the hydro, my kit didnt come with a glass bulb one. It is just a plastic cylinder with a triangle base. I did my first (terrible innaccurate) reading in the fermenter, but my next ones Ill empty beer out of the tap into something (can't think of what) to float the hyrdo in and get the reading.

Rest assured BlueJay that at those temps fermentation has not stalled.

If you can get it to work, take two consecutive day's readings with your hydrometer and if they're the same, primary fermentation is complete.

I'd grab the other type of hydro if you've got a few spare bucks also.. Simple simple. Just sterilise it and float it in your brew!


Cheers bud.

James.

 

[manticle]

But it only bubbled for 1 day. Since then I have just been waiting for it to start again (assuming it yeast activity had frozen).

As for the hydro, my kit didnt come with a glass bulb one. It is just a plastic cylinder with a triangle base. I did my first (terrible innaccurate) reading in the fermenter, but my next ones Ill empty beer out of the tap into something (can't think of what) to float the hyrdo in and get the reading.

Can you post a picture of your hydrometer? Sounds odd.

Forget bubbling. It's a nice sound - nothing more, nothing less.

For around $10-15 you can get a good hydrometer and testing tube from a decent home brew shop. If you aren't close to one, you can get one online from craftbrewer, grain and grape or similar. Postage will make it a touch more expensive but definitely a worthwhile investment.

 

[bluejay]

I'd grab the other type of hydro if you've got a few spare bucks also.. Simple simple. Just sterilise it and float it in your brew!

So you recommend opening the fermenter lid and floating directly in it? Wouldn't this method open the door to infection?

Also a general question: should fermenters be stored in dark areas?

 

[manticle]

I would recommend against floating your hydrometer in a brew unless it is specifically designed to do so.

Hard to read and yes, you are taking the lid on and off which increases infection risk. While the brew is fermenting it's more resistant to other microbes but why increase the risk when you don't have to?

Unless your fermentor is transparent, you should be OK not being in a dark place although light and heat often go hand in hand so if you have a cool dark place, use that.

 

[Brown_hound]

So you recommend opening the fermenter lid and floating directly in it? Wouldn't this method open the door to infection?

Also a general question: should fermenters be stored in dark areas?

The key is temperature.. Direct sunlight isn't a good idea, but pitch black's not necessary..

It does increase the chances a bit, yet I've never had an infection from doing this..

Just make sure you do it where the air is still, and try not to breathe into the fermentor. An absolute must is that your hydrometer is well sanitised!


Some brewers may disagree, but if you're careful and meticulous, you'll be fine.


I'd prefer doing this over wasting good beer any day!


Cheers

 

[manticle]

I've never had food poisoning from leaving last night's cooking out on the bench overnight but I wouldn't recommend it as best practice for somebody else.

When I started brewing I floated my hydrometer in the vessel too but infection risks aside, it's really hard to read. It's also a recipe for brew disaster if you somehow manage to break the damn thing inside the fermentor.

Yes I've done it.

 

[bluejay]

Can you post a picture of your hydrometer? Sounds odd.

Not at home now.

I have a feeling I had a brainfart and confused my hydrometer from my testing tube. I think the hydrometer may have been in the testing tube but I just floated the whole thing to get the reading. But I did suspect that may have been the case and tried to open but the top didnt seem to be able to open.

http://www.brewcellar.com.au/beerrange/pc/...p?idCategory=62

That's what the tube looks like.

I'll have to go home and try to open it again. Weird.

 

[Brown_hound]

I've never had food poisoning from leaving last night's cooking out on the bench overnight but I wouldn't recommend it as best practice for somebody else.

When I started brewing I floated my hydrometer in the vessel too but infection risks aside, it's really hard to read. It's also a recipe for brew disaster if you somehow manage to break the damn thing inside the fermentor.

Yes I've done it.

Great analogy..

I'll keep it to myself, works for me, prob not the best advice.

I'm a greedy prick and every drop of beer counts!!