So This Is My First Brewing Attempt...

[anon]

After visiting the local home brew shop I was set to get the Morgans kit, but when I went back next to grab it, they had sold out and left only with the Coopers...so I settled for that.

Sunday night was brew night. I rinsed everything with boiling hot water (no sanitizer), although couldn't find this so called 'softened residue' mentioned in the Coopers fermenter to be cleaned out from the fermenter, and thought it best not to wipe all around with a cloth in fear of contamination. The final temp when yeast was added was 26C, and over night and the next day it dropped to 22-21C. The fermenter is sitting in a small store/closet/walk in robe sized room. Temp in the store remains pretty steady between 17-19C. Since the instructions say to ferment between 21-27 (although reading here people prefer it lower), I've covered/wrapped the fermenter in a towel to help retain a little warmth.

Now I can't see any activity in the airlock, which reading further here, is something that should be discarded and 'zomg I can't see activity in my air lock' is a bit of a cliche. I noticed when pushing the sides or top of the fermenter in, the airlock water would rise, but then slowly descend to equal pressure (and vice versa when pressure released from the sides/top) indicating a leak. Again reading here that's not too much of an issue as long as it stops the majority of contaminants getting through. So it seems gases are getting out of the fermenter through the lid, rather than the airlock.

The store is starting to smell yeasty combined with fruity ester. It's certainly not an unpleasant smell. From what I can see through the condensation, theres a fair bit of foaming going on.

Is all well in the fermenter 'hood? Have I committed any brewing sins? I don't know what I should expect. I was going to take a SG reading tonight, just so I can feel like I'm playing make believe brewer. I don't want to bottle this and waste a few weeks only to drink something that will obviously taste like a mouldy foot...I'd rather start from scratch and try again.

 

[iScarlet]

Sounds all good (from another pretend brewer). Part of my ritual when taking an SG ritual is drinking the sample, this should give you a good indication of whether or not there are any nasties in there. Also gives a good scope of how well the sugars are being fermented as it gets less and less sweet.

 

[zebba]

Sounds like everything is progressing fine to me.

Although for the next brew I'd definitely look at better sanitation.

 

[Cube]

All seems well in brewsville Healthy ferment, yeasty smells likely exaggerated because it's in a closet and the smell is building up.

One thing - don't just use hot/boiling water. You NEED to sterilise. Look at this way, for bugger all effort in sterilising stuff to guarantee ( almost ) no infection to biffing it all down the sink after all that effort, time and $$.

 

[ah_glenno]

I just figured out my airlock problems with my coopers kit, had to file down the sides of the airlock as there was a seam running along it letting the CO2 escape, and also put the lid on as tight as i could and voila! airlock activity!

But if you have foam (kraussen) its all good

and as everyone else has said, better sanitation!

 

[zebba]

Look at this way, for bugger all effort in sterilising stuff to guarantee ( almost ) no infection to biffing it all down the sink after all that effort, time and $.

I reckon some sodium perc into the fermenter and letting it sit for a while would actually be heaps LESS effort then using boiling water.

 

[ianh]

As others have said you need better sanitation.

I use 40ml of unscented bleach and 40 ml of white vineagar (don't mix them directly together) in a 25L fermenter filled to the top with water, let stand a few minutes, then just empty and allow to drain. No rinsing.

 

[mwd]

Yes on the airlock filing. No on the tightening of the lid.

Be careful the lid can stick and be one hell of a job to remove.

Just tighten the lid until you can feel slight compression on the O Ring.

A sharp craft knife can be used for cutting the plastic burrs off the airlock and also check the top surface of the fermenter thread too for moulding remnants.

 

[captaincleanoff]

one suggestion. STARSAN

 

[manticle]

I'd say you'll be fine.

I'd reiterate that next time you do anything brew-wise (including bottling this one) make sure you sanitise well. As mentioned above bleach and vinegar is a really cheap and effective way. To avoid Chlorine hanging around you should use the right concentration and then rinse with boiling or hot water.

This article is a good basic rundown on what's available and how to use it: http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...;showarticle=18

I used to use sodium metabisulphite which seems frowned upon but now my brews are becoming more complicated and time consuming so my sanitation process has stepped up and involves

Clean
Rinse
Bleach/vinegar solution
Rinse
Rinse with hot water (drives off Chlorine)
Rinse with sodium met solution (Further sanitise and further drive off Chlorine)
Allow to stand 60 mins
Rinse cold water

This is overkill and I should probably just start looking at starsan but I can also guarantee that my brews will be pretty infection free.

Anyway check out the article and work out a process that works for you but it's an essential step.

 

[petesbrew]

Looks like you've done everything fine, anon. Those Coopers kits are great.
The bleach + vinegar sanitisating is fine.

As for not wanting to waste a few weeks if it's crap, it doesnt' take long bottling with those PET bottles.
Bottle it, be patient & wait, and see how it is. My first brew was the best thing I'd ever tasted.

I'd hate to see a brew get tipped cos you thought it was infected (although I tipped a half batch the other week cos of some WICKED mould floaters)

 

[cdbrown]

I use unscented napisan in hot water from the tap for a soak - I just leave it overnight and then rinse out with cold water a few times, stand it upside down to dry. When I want to use it I'll rinse it out a few times with some hot water (i don't mean filling it up and tipping it out, just enough hot water to give it a rinse), then spray the inside with starsan solution, chuck in the wort.

I don't use the lids any more. Take the rubber seal from the lid, put glad wrap over the mouth of the fermenter and use the seal to hold it in place. Stops stuff from getting in, gas can escape easy enough through the seal and I can see into the fermenter to check on activity. Also, allows me to have a fish tank heater in the brew keeping things at the right temp as the rubber seal holds the power cord and heater in place.

 

[anon]

The guy and the hot chick on the DVD mentioned nothing about sanitising, just giving it a clean

Thanks for the replies, all good info for the noob like myself. I'll check out those links too.

I suspect the leak is around the lid given the nose test shows thats were the smell is coming from, and theres some condensation around the lid thread. Then again, it could be some water that spilled onto the thread when filling up the fermenter

Next brew I'll get definitely sanitize everything properly. From reading that sanitation was key, I erred on whether to get some sodium perc when I bought the kit, but thought I'll give it a go without, as surely Mr Cooper wouldn't set me up for immediate failure by not including something I absolutely need.

This is all to exciting...its like counting down the sleeps till Christmas.

 

[jonocarroll]

The guy and the hot chick on the DVD mentioned nothing about sanitising, just giving it a clean

surely Mr Cooper wouldn't set me up for immediate failure by not including something I absolutely need.

:lol: :lol:

They give you just enough stuff/info to make a beer. To make a good beer, well that takes a little sanitation, and a little temperature control. That said, by joining up to this forum you've indicated that you would like the word 'good' in front of the word 'beer'. Next comes getting rid of the bad sugars, using better yeast, and soon enough you'll be doing your own salt additions to get a specific water profile and making beer from grains. Welcome to the obsession. :icon_cheers:

 

[felten]

I had the same airlock problem with my first beer, after taking it apart to clean I noticed the grommet was almost shredded in half due to it being extremely poorly made. I've since bought a new one from my LHBS and it works a treat, also tightening the lid as far as I can seemed to help, but then it can be a real ******* to remove..

On a related note, in my latest brew I heard a strange gurgling noise when I brushed up against the fermenter that wasn't coming from the airlock. Apparently the seal around the tap isn't as good as it should be, and air is getting in around the thread ! I could have turned it a quarter more but that would have put the tap at 90 degrees :|

 

[mfdu]

+1 for bleach and vineger.

ditch the fermenter lid and airlock. i use a double layer of glad wrap, held in place by the o-ring from the fermenter lid. easy to see if it's bulging, easy to view the krausen and easy to seal.
dont worry about pricking a hole in it, either. i've never had one explode on me.

 

[thylacine]

After visiting the local home brew shop I was set to get the Morgans kit, but when I went back next to grab it, they had sold out and left only with the Coopers...so I settled for that.

Sunday night was brew night. I rinsed everything with boiling hot water (no sanitizer), although couldn't find this so called 'softened residue' mentioned in the Coopers fermenter to be cleaned out from the fermenter, and thought it best not to wipe all around with a cloth in fear of contamination. The final temp when yeast was added was 26C, and over night and the next day it dropped to 22-21C. The fermenter is sitting in a small store/closet/walk in robe sized room. Temp in the store remains pretty steady between 17-19C. Since the instructions say to ferment between 21-27 (although reading here people prefer it lower), I've covered/wrapped the fermenter in a towel to help retain a little warmth.

Now I can't see any activity in the airlock, which reading further here, is something that should be discarded and 'zomg I can't see activity in my air lock' is a bit of a cliche. I noticed when pushing the sides or top of the fermenter in, the airlock water would rise, but then slowly descend to equal pressure (and vice versa when pressure released from the sides/top) indicating a leak. Again reading here that's not too much of an issue as long as it stops the majority of contaminants getting through. So it seems gases are getting out of the fermenter through the lid, rather than the airlock.

The store is starting to smell yeasty combined with fruity ester. It's certainly not an unpleasant smell. From what I can see through the condensation, theres a fair bit of foaming going on.

Is all well in the fermenter 'hood? Have I committed any brewing sins? I don't know what I should expect. I was going to take a SG reading tonight, just so I can feel like I'm playing make believe brewer. I don't want to bottle this and waste a few weeks only to drink something that will obviously taste like a mouldy foot...I'd rather start from scratch and try again.

Re: Coopers Kits
I have two of the same. Each one is one litre 'out'. ie. it takes SIX litres o water to reach the five-litre marking on the side of the fermenter. eg. when you think you have reached 23 litres, you really have 24.

The thermometer strips that came with my kits were inaccurate. (3 & 4 degrees C) eg. place a 'good' thermometer in a water-filled glass container next to your filled fermenter. Compare readings. My local LHBS had better 'stick-on' thermometers and match the readings of test thermometers.

 

[jonocarroll]

Re: Coopers Kits
I have two of the same. Each one is one litre 'out'. ie. it takes SIX litres o water to reach the five-litre marking on the side of the fermenter. eg. when you think you have reached 23 litres, you really have 24.

I've heard that those marking are the amount of liquid you can get out of the fermenter, i.e. how many litres above the tap.

 

[anon]

SG is 1016. It smells a bit like a beer thats been half drunk and left for a day.....but i'd hit it.

I've also been monitoring the temp with a thermometer against the fermenter inside my wrapped towel, and also my multimeter w/ thermocouple. All seem to be in alignment. The stick on thermometer is at worst 1C out for mine.

 

[zebba]

SG is 1016. It smells a bit like a beer thats been half drunk and left for a day.....but i'd hit it.

LOL - it does that. Carbonation, a few weeks and cooling it down will turn that into the good stuff