First Brew TODAY
I have basically the same kind of set up you are headed for. I do ales in the closet ( primary and secondary) and do lagers in a chest freezer with a Johnson temp controller. Added advantage is that with a chest freezer you have plenty of space to add any other bottles, cases , etc... of brew you may want to condition a little while longer. The controller will alleviate the large temp swings you have with a chest freezer. Some freezers let the temp raise 5-10 degrees before kicking on. Controller eliminates this. Best of luck with your brewing, it sounds like you are off to a good start. I also agree with some of the others in that if the local LHBS has had success with the recipe and the yeast then maybe you will like the outcome . I wouldn't endorse regularly using lager yeast at ale temps, but home brewing is about making great beer and the craft and history that goes along with that ( and saving a few pennies here and there sometimes) . If we as home brewers never experiment, goof up, research or play with the ingredients then new recipes, styles or ingredients never get noticed. I think maybe you should brew the same kit a second time with an ale yeast and compare the two. Just my two cents....
Bull...thanks for the feedback. I think I might try just that. Next time around I'll have the chest freezer, so I think I'll brew it again with the Lager yeast, and then with the Ale yeast. Then I'll have all three to compare...it's all about experimenting for me right now. Picking up the chest freezer tomorrow...and headed down to the local brew shop for the thermometer.
Quick question. I just picked up the chest freezer and thermostat. Guessing primary fermentation should be done by next weekend. I'm currently fermenting at about 64 degrees. I'm going to use a secondary fermenter. Should I keep the secondary at the same 64 degrees temperature, or should I put it in the chest freezer and let it sit in there at about 55 degrees? Was thinking about throwing it in there and slowly bringing it down 2 degrees a day in secondary from the 64 to the 55...or is that a really bad idea, and I should just let the secondary sit at the 64 degrees that it finished primary at?
Completely new to this, so any advice is greatly appreciated.
For my next lager, atleast I'll have the freezer to make sure I can ferment the whole time at about 55 degrees.
Thanks.
My first batch has been fermenting under a week (it'll be a week tomorrow). Because of some up and down temp that we've had in my area, it started fermenting at roughly 64 degrees...went up as high as 67, and now is back down to about 63 degrees. It will be one week tomorrow that it's been fermenting, but I've noticed that the airlock is bubbling MUCH less than it was a couple of days ago. It's bubbling at about 40 second intervals, definitely under a bubble a minute. I originally planned on it fermenting close to two weeks, but since this is my first time, I don't know if it's normal for it to be bubbling this slowly right now. Should I go ahead and do a hydrometer reading and see if it's around the final gravity expected for this brew, or leave it for another week and then check?
I don't do a hydrometer reading until it has completely stopped bubbling. Bubbles mean that it is still fermenting, so I just want to let it do its thing. Usually after 2 days of no bubbles is when I first check the gravity, then again a couple of days later. This might not be the ideal way to go, but it seems to be working fine for me. I usually leave my batches in the primary for two weeks, then go into bottles, but I have read about some people going more quickly than that.
McBrewer wrote:
I don't do a hydrometer reading until it has completely stopped bubbling. Bubbles mean that it is still fermenting, so I just want to let it do its thing. Usually after 2 days of no bubbles is when I first check the gravity, then again a couple of days later. This might not be the ideal way to go, but it seems to be working fine for me. I usually leave my batches in the primary for two weeks, then go into bottles, but I have read about some people going more quickly than that.
Thanks McBrewer. Guess the best thing for me to do is leave it in the primary for another week, do the hydrometer reading, and then move it over into the secondary.
Guess I need to work on my patience...lol
McBrewer wrote:
I don't do a hydrometer reading until it has completely stopped bubbling. Bubbles mean that it is still fermenting, so I just want to let it do its thing. Usually after 2 days of no bubbles is when I first check the gravity, then again a couple of days later. This might not be the ideal way to go, but it seems to be working fine for me. I usually leave my batches in the primary for two weeks, then go into bottles, but I have read about some people going more quickly than that.
That's actually how I do it as well. I like to give it at least 10 days, then start looking for bubbles. If I don't see any, I take a reading. When I get three consecutive days of the same reading, I know it's done. Unless I plan on adding more sugar in the form of fruit or syrup in a secondary, I try to stay pretty loyal to the technique to maintain consistency over different batches...
I typically go 7-10 days in the primary and then another 14 in the secondary and then bottle.At times I will cut this short if the fermentation has been really active and the batch has fermented quickly.
Cool...thanks for the feedback guys.
About secondary fermentation...I've read on different sites that once I rack to my secondary, that I should fill any remaining space in the carboy with water to avoid any additional oxygen in the carboy...other sites have said that this isn't necessary.
From your experience...what are your thoughts? Just move it over and leave it alone...or fill to the top with water?
If you fill with water you will be diluting your beer! If or when you get to the point where you start kegging you can squirt some CO2 on top to get rid of the oxygen. I rack most of my brews to secondary and have not had any issues yet.