First Brew TODAY
I am sure the beer will be good enough to drink. Trying to change the temp now is likely to shick the yeast and they may drop out too early leaving you with a partially fermented beer.
It sounds like you have the right attitude with this situation and that is to keep your chin up. I would recommend that you buy this kit from them again sometime and request a packet or US-05. Its an american ale yeast from the same company that makes the saflager-23.
I just don't understand why a shop would push a new brewer into a situation that is less than ideal. Why not just recommend US-05? I am sure its cleaner tasting than any lager yeast used at room temperature is going to be. I just don't get it.
Nuno, in a few years all this will make sense to you and when ever you go into that shop to buy supplies someone will say "Can I help you?". With confidence you'll say out loud, "No, thanks I know what I am looking for." But in your head you'll be saying, "Maybe I can help you..."
I went into my local one day asking a question about how I was setting up my mash tun. Just a simple situation and question. The owner looked at me and said, " I have no idea what you are talking about."
I just said "Oh." I realized I had outgrown that shops 'expertise' level, and I only go there to buy supplies now.
McBrewer & Brewchez...thanks for the advice and words of encouragement.
I have decided to just let it go, and go at it again after this batch and compare, as McBrewere mentioned. Chez...I hope you're right and I can get to that point one day.
Update on my brew...checked it again this morning before leaving...fermenting NICELY. Still at a steady 64 degrees, and was bubbling pretty hard (1-2 bubbles every 3 seconds)
Hey guys...quick question. After fermentation has slowed/stopped in my primary, I was planning on moving it to my secondary. At that point, it's really more of a conditioning thing, right? I know I'm still a couple of weeks away, but figured I'd ask now. I should still see a little fermentation in the secondary, but not much, correct?
Or am I way off base in how I'm thinking about this?
From what I understand you shouldn't see any fermentation in the secondary unless you add additional sugar to the mix. I have yet to rack a batch to a secondary, but I think it is more for clarity or adding extra flavors, such as vanilla to a vanilla stout. I could be mistaken as I am still learning myself, but I think it is just extra time to condition or add outside flavors.
McBrewer wrote:
From what I understand you shouldn't see any fermentation in the secondary unless you add additional sugar to the mix. I have yet to rack a batch to a secondary, but I think it is more for clarity or adding extra flavors, such as vanilla to a vanilla stout. I could be mistaken as I am still learning myself, but I think it is just extra time to condition or add outside flavors.
Thanks McBrewer...that's my understanding too. It's my first batch, I figured I'd just start with good habits now, as everything I've read recommends secondary fermentation for the very reasons you mentioned. I'm not adding any additional flavors, but I do want to make sure it's as clear as it can be.
Thanks.
Nuno wrote:
Hey guys...quick question. After fermentation has slowed/stopped in my primary, I was planning on moving it to my secondary. At that point, it's really more of a conditioning thing, right? I know I'm still a couple of weeks away, but figured I'd ask now. I should still see a little fermentation in the secondary, but not much, correct?
Or am I way off base in how I'm thinking about this?
If you transfer to a secondary take a gravity reading from a sample. If it is at the specified final gravity for that specific style you should not have any more fermentation. Then you can bottle any time. Do not put the sample back into secondary. There will probably be a little activity in the airlock but it will be just minimal and not actually fermentation.
I usually jst go from primary to bottling unless the beer hasn't cleared in the primary or I want to add something, then I'll put it in a secondary.
DC
deafcone wrote:
Nuno wrote:
Hey guys...quick question. After fermentation has slowed/stopped in my primary, I was planning on moving it to my secondary. At that point, it's really more of a conditioning thing, right? I know I'm still a couple of weeks away, but figured I'd ask now. I should still see a little fermentation in the secondary, but not much, correct?
Or am I way off base in how I'm thinking about this?If you transfer to a secondary take a gravity reading from a sample. If it is at the specified final gravity for that specific style you should not have any more fermentation. Then you can bottle any time. Do not put the sample back into secondary. There will probably be a little activity in the airlock but it will be just minimal and not actually fermentation.
I usually jst go from primary to bottling unless the beer hasn't cleared in the primary or I want to add something, then I'll put it in a secondary.
DC
Good stuff...THANK YOU!
Quick question...I was thinking about picking up a chest freezer this weekend and hooking up a shut off thermometer to it. (I plan on brewing mostly lagers, so figure it's worth the expense)...does anyone know if a freezer with a shut off thermometer should work? I'm guessing even though it's a freezer and is built to be at cooler temperatures should be offset by the thermometer if I set it to shut down at a specified temp, even if that's around 50-55degrees.
Any advice?
That is exactly what you want to do. Chest freezer set to its coldest setting, then use a thermostat overide to control the temp where you want it.
brewchez wrote:
That is exactly what you want to do. Chest freezer set to its coldest setting, then use a thermostat overide to control the temp where you want it.
Awesome...thanks. Picking it up tomorrow. Unfortunately, it'll be too late to move my current brew into there and ferment it at 55 degrees or os, but I can get the next one in there for sure.
Guessing for Ales that ferment at room temp, I should probably just keep putting them in the closet for now...right? Or would it be better to throw them in the chest freezer too and just set the temp much higher? Also, how does that work with the carbon dioxide release? Should I open the freezer a couple of times a day to let some of that out? Does that make a difference at all?