A film of a film
Re: A film of a film
Hi Beery,
I doubt you are irritating anyone on here. As far as I am concerned, if they read it and want to help, they will post some suggestions. If they read it and think you can't brew, that's there problem. You enjoy it so you should do it. Don't forget, the written word can come across as quite short, when infact often people are just trying to be direct.
With no water in the garage, I am assuming that you are filling the FV in the house. I therefore wonder what 'brewing' is done in the garage other than it simply being a place to keep the FV whilst it is doing its thing (in your case creating that funny beer skin). Please tell us what parts of the operation are carried out in the garage.
As for controlling your infection, I have the following suggestions now you have clarified some particulars.
1. Sterilise the FV overnight (lid on and with a large saucepan and long-handled metal spoon) with thin bleach or preferable steriliser. I leave mine stood in the shower or bath. 12 hours
2. Take the label off your tin of homebrew malt extract and sterilise in warm water with a proper sterilising solution in the kitchen sink. Also sterilise a brand-new white kitchen cloth, a can opener and some scissors at the same time. 30 mins
3. Whilst waiting for 2. above, set a kettle to boil, then rinse FV and pan with cold water, replace the lid and transfer to the kitchen. +5 mins
4. Whilst waiting for 2. above, put the sterilised pan on the stove, fill with the kettle of boiled water and bring back to near-boil. +5 mins
5. Whilst waiting for 2. above, add your sugar/spray malt to the hot water and stir with the sterilised metal spoon until dissolved. Turn off heat, put the spoon in the kitchen sink and rinse it until clean. +5 mins
6. Take the plug out of the kitchen sink and rinse the can, opener, cloth and scissors with warm water from the hot tap. +2 mins
7. Open the can of malt extract and add to the clean FV along with the hot pan of sugary water. +2 mins
8. Boil two or three more kettle loads of water and add to the FV plus get the last malt from the can. Then (and not before) use the still sterilised spoon to stir the malt extract into the hot water if necessary. I often don't even need the spoon as I find gently swilling the FV is enough to dissolve the malt extract. If I do use the spoon to gently stir, I make sure I have thoroughly washed my hand and arm first in some very weak sterilising solution. +15mins (5 mins per boil)
9. Top up with cold water. I would normally carry the FV to the bath and fill up directly from the cold tap after running it for a few seconds. +2 mins
10. Take the sterilised cloth and wipe down a pack of dried yeast, open with the clean scissors and sprinkle on to the top of the brew. Do not stir, do not fiddle, just fit the lid and airlock if you have one. You want a seal that will allow gas out, but not in. Note: for dried yeast you do not need to and should not aerate the wort, it can only add to the problems. +2 mins
11. Carry FV to the garage and place next to another FV with water and the aquarium heater in. Wrap the lot in a sleeping bag or duvets. Do not put the heater in the beer. +5 mins
See how it goes.
By my reckoning that should take no more than an hour, excluding the overnight sterilisation. It usually takes me about 45 mins to put a kit on.
I wish you the best of luck and hope a resolution is quickly forthcoming. Some of my homebrews have been really great, and I wouldn't want a problem like this to get in the way of my brewing.
I doubt you are irritating anyone on here. As far as I am concerned, if they read it and want to help, they will post some suggestions. If they read it and think you can't brew, that's there problem. You enjoy it so you should do it. Don't forget, the written word can come across as quite short, when infact often people are just trying to be direct.
With no water in the garage, I am assuming that you are filling the FV in the house. I therefore wonder what 'brewing' is done in the garage other than it simply being a place to keep the FV whilst it is doing its thing (in your case creating that funny beer skin). Please tell us what parts of the operation are carried out in the garage.
As for controlling your infection, I have the following suggestions now you have clarified some particulars.
1. Sterilise the FV overnight (lid on and with a large saucepan and long-handled metal spoon) with thin bleach or preferable steriliser. I leave mine stood in the shower or bath. 12 hours
2. Take the label off your tin of homebrew malt extract and sterilise in warm water with a proper sterilising solution in the kitchen sink. Also sterilise a brand-new white kitchen cloth, a can opener and some scissors at the same time. 30 mins
3. Whilst waiting for 2. above, set a kettle to boil, then rinse FV and pan with cold water, replace the lid and transfer to the kitchen. +5 mins
4. Whilst waiting for 2. above, put the sterilised pan on the stove, fill with the kettle of boiled water and bring back to near-boil. +5 mins
5. Whilst waiting for 2. above, add your sugar/spray malt to the hot water and stir with the sterilised metal spoon until dissolved. Turn off heat, put the spoon in the kitchen sink and rinse it until clean. +5 mins
6. Take the plug out of the kitchen sink and rinse the can, opener, cloth and scissors with warm water from the hot tap. +2 mins
7. Open the can of malt extract and add to the clean FV along with the hot pan of sugary water. +2 mins
8. Boil two or three more kettle loads of water and add to the FV plus get the last malt from the can. Then (and not before) use the still sterilised spoon to stir the malt extract into the hot water if necessary. I often don't even need the spoon as I find gently swilling the FV is enough to dissolve the malt extract. If I do use the spoon to gently stir, I make sure I have thoroughly washed my hand and arm first in some very weak sterilising solution. +15mins (5 mins per boil)
9. Top up with cold water. I would normally carry the FV to the bath and fill up directly from the cold tap after running it for a few seconds. +2 mins
10. Take the sterilised cloth and wipe down a pack of dried yeast, open with the clean scissors and sprinkle on to the top of the brew. Do not stir, do not fiddle, just fit the lid and airlock if you have one. You want a seal that will allow gas out, but not in. Note: for dried yeast you do not need to and should not aerate the wort, it can only add to the problems. +2 mins
11. Carry FV to the garage and place next to another FV with water and the aquarium heater in. Wrap the lot in a sleeping bag or duvets. Do not put the heater in the beer. +5 mins
See how it goes.
By my reckoning that should take no more than an hour, excluding the overnight sterilisation. It usually takes me about 45 mins to put a kit on.
I wish you the best of luck and hope a resolution is quickly forthcoming. Some of my homebrews have been really great, and I wouldn't want a problem like this to get in the way of my brewing.
-
beery
Re: A film of a film
Hi SMASH3R,
Thankyou for the good detailed posts, with good ideas on brewing methods. I am taking all of your suggestions in. Sorry about the defensive post, which does nothing to help my situation.
A bit later than planned, yesterday i bottled the wherry. 12 days in the FV, hydro reading was 1012. The film was no more than on day 6, but i did stir it on day 6 (wish i had not now). But to the point, the film was about 25% less than the previous brew, very thin and patchy even at 12 days. So using the blow off tube has helped.
Strange thing is, i think wobbly_bob may have pissed in the FV
When i opened the tap on FV to start bottling (using bottling stick and clear tubing), the colour of the wherry caught my eye straightaway. It was piss green, and not amber like usual. I have probably brewed around 20 wherrys now, so i know the colour of it. When i finished bottling, the yeast cake at the bottom was also green, just like it had a load of hops steeped in it. Unusual 
Could this be down to the pressure of having a small diameter 3/8 blow off tubing, stressing the yeast? The lid of the FV was rounded all the way through that 12 days apart from the 24 hours of vigorous fermentation where i had to crack open the lid just few inches. Using the blow off tube was a new method for me.
Also i am going to put another brew on today in the now very bleached brewroom.
Thankyou for the good detailed posts, with good ideas on brewing methods. I am taking all of your suggestions in. Sorry about the defensive post, which does nothing to help my situation.
A bit later than planned, yesterday i bottled the wherry. 12 days in the FV, hydro reading was 1012. The film was no more than on day 6, but i did stir it on day 6 (wish i had not now). But to the point, the film was about 25% less than the previous brew, very thin and patchy even at 12 days. So using the blow off tube has helped.
Strange thing is, i think wobbly_bob may have pissed in the FV
When i opened the tap on FV to start bottling (using bottling stick and clear tubing), the colour of the wherry caught my eye straightaway. It was piss green, and not amber like usual. I have probably brewed around 20 wherrys now, so i know the colour of it. When i finished bottling, the yeast cake at the bottom was also green, just like it had a load of hops steeped in it. Unusual Could this be down to the pressure of having a small diameter 3/8 blow off tubing, stressing the yeast? The lid of the FV was rounded all the way through that 12 days apart from the 24 hours of vigorous fermentation where i had to crack open the lid just few inches. Using the blow off tube was a new method for me.
Also i am going to put another brew on today in the now very bleached brewroom.
Re: A film of a film
I have a fermenting bucket very similar to yours, without the tap at the bottom or blow-off tube/airlock
I only need the lid cracked slightly ajar for the first 24-36 hours, after that I will 'almost' completely fit the lid. The CO2 needs to bulge the lid before it can force its way out of the FV. I have never had a problem with this slight increase in pressure and have never had any green on/in any of my brews (kits for 15 years and the odd wine).
As per my previous post, I would put the yeast in and leave the lid on until fermentation has stopped. Don't be tempted to fiddle. You can check this without the hydro - just look for almost no bubbling with an airlock method, or no more bulging from the lid (press the lid down every day until it no longer re-inflates).
I only need the lid cracked slightly ajar for the first 24-36 hours, after that I will 'almost' completely fit the lid. The CO2 needs to bulge the lid before it can force its way out of the FV. I have never had a problem with this slight increase in pressure and have never had any green on/in any of my brews (kits for 15 years and the odd wine).
As per my previous post, I would put the yeast in and leave the lid on until fermentation has stopped. Don't be tempted to fiddle. You can check this without the hydro - just look for almost no bubbling with an airlock method, or no more bulging from the lid (press the lid down every day until it no longer re-inflates).
-
Dr. Dextrin
Re: A film of a film
Do I detect a certain amount of trolling going on here?
St Patrick's Day and your Wherry turns green? Come on!
St Patrick's Day and your Wherry turns green? Come on!
-
beery
Re: A film of a film
I know the post sounds weird, but i kid you not. The yeast cake was green and not beige like it normally is.
I realize now, the blow off tube is the same diameter as an airlock, although much longer, so should not stress the yeast.
I put it down to a hoppy batch of wherry. It looked similar to the steeped hop modified kits that i done last year, where the hops pass through the sieve and into the FV. It looks normal colour in the bottle, and i doubt that its the infection. I thought it was strange, so posted it. why not.
I have put on a coopers IPA - 1 kg dme, in new unused FV. I sterilized everything including all work surfaces, for an hour in neat thin bleach, changed items like sizzors, jugs etc. Put the yeast packet and dme in a bucket of vwp, used safale 4, ashbeck water. As soon as i rinsed the bleach off each item, i sprayed it with star-san, and again before using each item. The room has been well bleached, if this does not work---then its a case of live with it or take a break
I realize now, the blow off tube is the same diameter as an airlock, although much longer, so should not stress the yeast.
I put it down to a hoppy batch of wherry. It looked similar to the steeped hop modified kits that i done last year, where the hops pass through the sieve and into the FV. It looks normal colour in the bottle, and i doubt that its the infection. I thought it was strange, so posted it. why not.
I have put on a coopers IPA - 1 kg dme, in new unused FV. I sterilized everything including all work surfaces, for an hour in neat thin bleach, changed items like sizzors, jugs etc. Put the yeast packet and dme in a bucket of vwp, used safale 4, ashbeck water. As soon as i rinsed the bleach off each item, i sprayed it with star-san, and again before using each item. The room has been well bleached, if this does not work---then its a case of live with it or take a break