Newbie looking for advice

bjroche

Hi Folks,

I bought a Coppers kit with the Canadian Blonde option and started off last Sunday. I washed and sterilised everything using a soft cloth and VWP, I used 5L Aldi water bottles (4.5 of them).

Original Gravity was 1030 (I think, I forgot to bring my log with me into work)

I have kept the fermenter between 22-26C all week.

Here is my query, I didn't get a large "head" develop during the fermentation, I am getting lots of brewing smell - which smells nice (not a bad smell). I was waiting for a large head to appear around day 1 or 2 and to take the collar off but it has never appeared so I have left the lid on with Krausen collar in place. I haven't taken the lid off since starting. I do have a light 1cm foam on the top.

Should I be worried?

My plan is to take a specific gravity reading on Friday and on Sunday to see what the difference is.

Any other suggestions?


Did I not rinse off all the steriliser?
Was my yeast not great? I just sprinkled it on the top of the wort?

Thanks in advance.

BeerNut

Hi bjroche,

bjroche wrote: »

I have kept the fermenter between 22-26C all week.

Little bit on the high side. 18 is ideal, over 24 can cause flavour problems, especially in a blonde beer.

bjroche wrote: »

Should I be worried?

Take a gravity reading now: it's the only way to be sure what's going on. You should be seeing activity by now, but kit yeast can be very sluggish, I find.

bjroche wrote: »

Did I not rinse off all the steriliser?

That's a problem that'll only become apparent at tasting time; it shouldn't affect fermentation.

bjroche wrote: »

Was my yeast not great? I just sprinkled it on the top of the wort?

It usually sorts itself out, and certainly the temperature isn't what is making it sluggish. If your gravity hasn't moved, you can gently stir the wort with a sanitised paddle to see if you can rouse it, or else pitch a new packet. Rehydrating yeast is a good way to give it a head start: there are instructions in the middle of this article.

bjroche

Hi,

Great, I will keep it at the lower end of the temperature. In principle, how long can I leave it fermenting for? If the Specific Gravity readings don't stop dropping is it safe to leave it for another week? Which would be two weeks in total?

BeerNut

bjroche wrote: »

how long can I leave it fermenting for?

You must leave it fermenting until it's finished, and then it's good to leave it a bit longer after that.

bjroche wrote: »

If the Specific Gravity readings don't stop dropping is it safe to leave it for another week?

It would be unsafe not to -- if the main fermentation is still going on and the beer is sealed into bottles: kapow! I always give beer a minimum two weeks fermenting, sometimes it takes longer.

Ronan cork

An original gravity of 1030 is very low and will give you a final abv of less than 3%...this could Definately cause a less than vigorous fermentation. This may be a stupid question but did you add extra fermentables(sugar or dme) or just the can?

bjroche

I did. There was a tin, a box containing a bag of sugar and a packet of yeast with the tin.

Ronan cork

That's strange so as that kit should come out at about 4.5%...so all the sugar dissolved and you got initial of 1030? Is there a lot of sediment at the bottom of the fermenter?

bjroche

Thanks, I need to check the OG tonight as I am giving it from memory. There dies appear to be a good amount of sediment at the bottom. 4-5cm.

is that a good sign?

Ronan cork

That seems like a lot for a light kit beer. The sugar may be stuck to the bottom or the yeast may have fallen due to the high temp. Let us know what the reading is

bjroche

Hi Folks,

SG is 1014, I just took a measurement. That is after 4 days. I have a correction, there isn't any sediment that I can see but it is darker at the bottom than the top, not a huge amount but enough to notice. Also below the 1cm of patch foam there appears to be a 3cm of lighter coloured fluid - like it had separated.

It tastes nice, very strong beer taste. The sample had lots of head and is very cloudy.

I guess the best thing to do is to leave it until 7 days and take another reading then and see where it is at.

Is it possible that I didn't stir it all together well enough before adding the yeast? Is there any benefit/cost to taking the lid off to do that now or am I introducing a bigger risk?

B.

BeerNut

bjroche wrote: »

I guess the best thing to do is to leave it until 7 days and take another reading then and see where it is at.

Yup. Don't even look at it.

bjroche wrote: »

Is it possible that I didn't stir it all together well enough before adding the yeast?

I've certainly done that. All it means is your actual ABV will be higher than the calculation says -- it makes no difference to the process. Just leave it all alone.

Ronan cork

Yeah that seems fine so. Leave it be. You can swill it around gently without splashing if you like

bjroche

Sg is now 1010-1009. Still cloudy, but I think a little less. Tastes nice, a little less sweet and a shade bitter. A beer after taste stays for about 15 mins. It has been a week now and I will leave it for another week before bottling.

Ronan cork

If you want it to clear a bit more you can leave it somewhere cool for a few days before bottling as fermentation is finished

bjroche

Hi Folks,

I have hit a problem. Somebody plugged in the heating belt this afternoon and I have just discovered that the fermentation temperature is about 33C. I took a SG reading and it is now 1008. The sample doesn't taste sweet and if anything has a flat wine taste, slightly sour or vinegary. There is no "head" in the sample and it is still cloudy.

What should I do now?

It has been fermenting for 10 days and assume all the yeast is dead, due to the high temperature, is that true? Should I dump it or bottle now? Should I leave it for a few days before bottling?

BeerNut

I'd be inclined to keep going: give it the full two weeks then bottle. You might get away with it.

sharingan

If you keep it chilled, it will drop the yeast out quicker.

I would stick with it and bottle when it clears, but repitch some new yeast with your priming sugar to recarbonate.

MANUTD99

Hi all, sorry to jump onto this thread. Quick question as I am just about to purchase my first kit

I have heard some reports that using light spraymalt alone will give a lower ABV %.

With the Coopers Lager Kit would it be ok to use 1kg of light spraymalt and maybe 200/300g of the Coopers Brew Enhancer? From where I read that should give around 5%ABV

Martyn1989

MANUTD99 wrote: »

Hi all, sorry to jump onto this thread. Quick question as I am just about to purchase my first kit

I have heard some reports that using light spraymalt alone will give a lower ABV %.

With the Coopers Lager Kit would it be ok to use 1kg of light spraymalt and maybe 200/300g of the Coopers Brew Enhancer? From where I read that should give around 5%ABV

1kg of spraymalt will give a lower abv compared to 1kg of dextrose as spraymalt is not as fermentable, this is basically why it adds more to the flavour and body of the beer kit.

You can use the coopers brew enhancer if you like (afaik that is just a mix of spraymalt and sugar) but if you havn't bought your ingredients yet you would be better off just adding 200/300g of extra spraymalt. Some of the homebrew supply shops sell dry malt in 500g bags and you'd easily get away with using the left over malt at the bottling stage, although thats not really nessecary but saves having little half bags of stuff lying around.

MANUTD99

Martyn1989 wrote: »

1kg of spraymalt will give a lower abv compared to 1kg of dextrose as spraymalt is not as fermentable, this is basically why it adds more to the flavour and body of the beer kit.

You can use the coopers brew enhancer if you like (afaik that is just a mix of spraymalt and sugar) but if you havn't bought your ingredients yet you would be better off just adding 200/300g of extra spraymalt. Some of the homebrew supply shops sell dry malt in 500g bags and you'd easily get away with using the left over malt at the bottling stage, although thats not really nessecary but saves having little half bags of stuff lying around.

Ok, so you recommend using the 1kg brewing enhancer and 300g of spraymalt on top of this?

sharingan

MANUTD99 wrote: »

Ok, so you recommend using the 1kg brewing enhancer and 300g of spraymalt on top of this?

I think he was recommending that you use and *all* spraymalt mix, and use leftover spraymalt when it comes to priming.

idrinkbeer

8 months into home brewing and I'm suppin on my best extract kit yet. Coopers Lager with 700g of brewing sugar and 500g dry malt extract. Bottled with glucose. Just try different combinations (you can't go too far wrong) and whatever works for you...