Did i make a mistake?

Orfy · Post by **Orfy** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 10:54 pm

The beer will be great, don't panic. Leave it alone for a bit.

Beer is tough stuff. Just don't temp fate!

Hoppkins · Post by **Hoppkins** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 10:57 pm

Skimmed the crap off, the stuff beneath was a nice white colour. Snapped lid back on, ill leave it a couple of days.

Hopefully will turn out ok.

Post by **Andy** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 10:59 pm

DaaB speaketh sense.

I've brewed loads of beers with no lid on the fermenter - that's right folks, no lid (any muricans dialling in may faint at this point). Having said that - these days I leave a lid loosely placed ontop of the fermenter, not snapped down.

I never used a towel though!

The beer will be fine - remember, beer wants to be made!

Hoppkins · Post by **Hoppkins** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 9:40 am

Couldn't resist a look this morning following sdcraping the nasty gack off the yeast. The yeast appears to be happily bubbling away

By the way this is how it looked last night:

PieOPah · Post by **PieOPah** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 9:54 am

You will find that all krausen heads end up with a darker scum on the surface. Some people scrape, others (like me) leave it.

No doubt scraping was a good idea due to the towel. Normally this isn't all that important.

Orfy · Post by **Orfy** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 9:59 am

If you like to look then I'd get a glass carboy. Every time you lift the lid you increase the risk of something going wrong.

It's difficult but you should pitch the yeast put the lid on (With an airlock) then wait at least 3-5 days then check the gravity and taste the sample.

If it's done then either leave a few days to let it clear a little then rack to secondary. Leave for a another 5-14 days then keg or bottle.

Hoppkins · Post by **Hoppkins** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:01 am

How do you get a sample into the sample jar without contaminating? Presumably i would have to submerge the jar into the beer? Do i just need to make sure it's sterilised.

I know what youi mean about not looking Orfy, i just couldn't resist following last nights events

Orfy · Post by **Orfy** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:25 am

Get a turkey baster from Asda. Keep it clean, DON'T use it on the turkey, sanitise it before you use it and use it to fill the sample tube for you hydrometer.
I've read that some other sanitise the hydrometer an put it in the wort but it can be difficult to see the reading and if you have a carboy that's not an option.

Using a carboy is great, you should see what happens to the wort when it gets going. This is bad light but it gives an indication.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOiKUmo1F2I

Hoppkins · Post by **Hoppkins** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:40 am

wow i never thought to look for home brew stuff on Youtube :s

Great!

PieOPah · Post by **PieOPah** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:43 am

I have a better-bottle (which is a platic carboy) and a normal bucket fermenter. Both of these have taps on. With the taps this makes it really easy to tranfer the wort whether bottling or kegging (before taps my syphons always stopped unexplicably).

Another great advantage of a tap is that you can draw off a sample for taking a gravity reading. You don't need to sanitize anything (some sanitize their taps - I never do apart from when initially doing it - I have never had this cause a problem).

Vossy1 · Post by **Vossy1** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:27 am

Have you got a tap on your fermenting vessel Hopkins

Did you taste the krausen

If not try it and see why I don't like it getting into my beer

I always skim

PieOPah · Post by **PieOPah** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:47 am

Vossy1 wrote: If not try it and see why I don't like it getting into my beer

I find that anything that hasn't stuck to the sides of the FV fall out of suspension with the rest of the yeast. I have never noticed any detrimental effect.

IMHO skimming is increasing the risk of introducing bad things to your beer. Obviously those who skim do so with no ill effects but I don't see the reason to risk anything - unless skimming as to keep the yeast

Hoppkins · Post by **Hoppkins** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:49 am

No tap im afraid, i have a bog standard basics youngs ferm bin. Im going to buy another one with a tap and a hole for an airlock in the lid. This one is just crap, does the job but i saw a better one for 7.99.

I would like one with a tap though so i dont have to cock about with a siphon. I only skimmed because the dry gack looked bad. In future i wont bother with the towel and just snap the lid on and open it a crack.

I just hope this hasnt cocked up my Fixby Gold or ill be super annoyed.

Vossy1 · Post by **Vossy1** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:54 am

Hi PoP's

I skim based on my own experience. When starting kits, 2 at a time, I was too scared (for want of a better word) to skim, due to increased chance of infection.

Once confident with my kit technique, I decided to skim one anyway, and found the resultant beer to be far less bitter than unskimmed.

Ever since I have just skimmed every ale I've done

PieOPah · Post by **PieOPah** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:56 am

Hoppkins wrote:No tap im afraid, i have a bog standard basics youngs ferm bin. Im going to buy another one with a tap and a hole for an airlock in the lid.

Alternatively you can cut the whole yourself.... Just buy the tap and airlock

Jim's Beer Kit

Practical Homebrewing

HomeBrew Forum

Sponsored by BREW-SCHOOL

Did i make a mistake?