Signs of Fermentation

Devi

Hi, complete noob hear to homebrew. Just a quick question, started my first batch yesterday and followed the instructions to the letter but 16 hours later and there does not seem to be any activity/ Its in the warmest room in the house, bout 18-20 degrees at night 22-24 during the day, when should the foam and the bubbling start?

foghlu

Don't panic!!

Can take up to 48 hours to see signs of fermentation, what are u brewing?

Devi

foghlu wrote: »

Don't panic!!

Can take up to 48 hours to see signs of fermentation, what are u brewing?

Ah grand, im better off just ignoring it then, right now im checking on it like a baby.
Coopers European Larger, ever tried it? I only realised after I got it home, it takes 12 weeks after bottleing to mature, know of any quicker beers or with the be the norm?

foghlu

I generally brew and leave for at least 2 weeks without even looking at it, normally ferment for 3 weeks then bottle and taste after about 2 months.

You will need patience with brewing but seeing as you have started the best advice is get a second one going as soon as possible to keep a running supply.

Tried coopers heritage lager once with light malt extract, turned out nice enough but wont really taste anything like commercial lagers, most lager kits actually use ale yeasts so what you will get is more of a pale ale than a lager

Devi

foghlu wrote: »

I generally brew and leave for at least 2 weeks without even looking at it, normally ferment for 3 weeks then bottle and taste after about 2 months.

You will need patience with brewing but seeing as you have started the best advice is get a second one going as soon as possible to keep a running supply.

Tried coopers heritage lager once with light malt extract, turned out nice enough but wont really taste anything like commercial lagers, most lager kits actually use ale yeasts so what you will get is more of a pale ale than a lager

Wow it said bottle after 6-7 days on the instrutions. Yea I think I will get another one goning as soon as this one is bottled. Never tried pale ale, wouldnt be that fussy though id try anything. Im just going to stick to the cheap kits until im 100% on the process i think.

foghlu

Most important thing i have learned from brewing is to ignore the instructions that come on the kits.

Have a read of this:
http://www.beoir.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33:getting-started-brewing-beer-with-beer-kits&catid=17:kit-brewing&Itemid=48

Devi

foghlu wrote: »

Most important thing i have learned from brewing is to ignore the instructions that come on the kits.

Have a read of this:
http://www.beoir.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33:getting-started-brewing-beer-with-beer-kits&catid=17:kit-brewing&Itemid=48

Cheers thanks, just seen foam on the top this morning, wahoo!

flyboy69

Hi, like you I'm new to home brew too. As it happens my first brew was Coopers european larger and turned out to be a really good drink. It was more than drinkable after 3 weeks in the bottle(a week in the warmth and 2 weeks in the shed) and it does get better as it ages but it didn't last past the 5th week.:D
I'm discovering that home brewing is a waiting game, plenty of patience required. Getting a second brew on the go as soon as possible I think sounds like a v.good idea.

qazxsw1

Devi wrote: »

Cheers thanks, just seen foam on the top this morning, wahoo!

If the lid of the fermentation vessel is fitted tightly I find you can judge when an average kit's nearly fermented by observing airlock activity.

Close to the end of fermentation, when you're not sure if fermentation is quiet finished but it's still squeezing out the odd bubble you can try the following :

Push down gently on the centre of the lid, thereby bubbling some CO2 out through the air lock. Repeat this as necessary until the water level in the u bend of the air lock is level on both sides if the U tube. (blue lines in attached pic)

Leave it for an hour or two and check the air lock again - if the water level has moved then it's because more CO2 has been generated from fermentation and the gas (CO2) pressure buildup has "pushed" the water in the air lock up a bit while bubbling. (red lines in attached pic)

It's not a fool proof method, use the hydrometer if in doubt.

Devi

Hi lads just a few quick questions.

Siphoned the beer into the second bin today, took a hydrometer reading and had a sample of the beer, everything seemed fine except it was a little bit bitter, is this normal or have I done something wrong?

Also would I be right to say I have to leave it in the second one for a week?

Would you expect to see more bubbling during this week?

Thanks for your help.

BeerNut

Devi wrote: »

is this normal

Yes. Green (ie immature) beer is more harshly bitter than the finished matured product.

Devi wrote: »

Also would I be right to say I have to leave it in the second one for a week?

At least, I'd say. The main thing is to let fermentation finish. The yeast will do that in its own time, but usually another week should cover it. The important thing to measure is not the time it has been fermenting, and not the amount of bubbling in the airlock, but the gravity of the beer. Take a reading every two or three days and when you get consistent readings, fermentation is done and it's bottling time.

Devi wrote: »

Would you expect to see more bubbling during this week?

If it was bubbling before, yes, since fermentation is still happening. But remember that gas can escape from fermenters by other routes so no bubbles does not mean no fermentation.

The Mulk

Devi wrote: »

Hi lads just a few quick questions.

Siphoned the beer into the second bin today, took a hydrometer reading and had a sample of the beer, everything seemed fine except it was a little bit bitter, is this normal or have I done something wrong?

Also would I be right to say I have to leave it in the second one for a week?

Would you expect to see more bubbling during this week?

Thanks for your help.

When siphoning/bottling do you leave the airlock in or does this risk sucking the airlock water into the primary fermenter. Or do you open the lid totally?

mayto

The Mulk wrote: »

When siphoning/bottling do you leave the airlock in or does this risk sucking the airlock water into the primary fermenter. Or do you open the lid totally?

I open the lid fully and just have it sitting on the fermenter, taking out airlock would work too of course.

Devi

The Mulk wrote: »

When siphoning/bottling do you leave the airlock in or does this risk sucking the airlock water into the primary fermenter. Or do you open the lid totally?

I took the airlock off then opened the lid fully, I wonder is the risk of infection still there as it has fermented a fair bit? Left about 2 liters in the bottom of the first bin, full of gunk.

mayto

Devi wrote: »

I took the airlock off then opened the lid fully, I wonder is the risk of infection still there as it has fermented a fair bit? Left about 2 liters in the bottom of the first bin, full of gunk.

The alcohol should protect a bit when the beer has fermented out alright. There will be yeast and trub at the bottom of the fermenter, this is normal. I usually transfer to a second fermenter for about a week to help clear the beer.

The Mulk

Thanks for that, popped the lid off after keeping an eye on the airlock for the first bottle. The water was nearly sucked into the fermenter!

qazxsw1

Some people use cheap vodka in the airlock in case the contents are sucked in (for whatever reason) at any stage.