Tythataussieguy Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Turns out I had my first brew going and just then (almost 48 hours later I didn't have the lid on really tight it was short about 1/4 - 1/2 a turn and there is a small eggy smell coming from it :( Although there is a lot of condensation on the lid and there seems to be a scum line forming on the sides of the barrel, does this mean with just that little adjusting of the lid this can be rescued? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristianN Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 I'm not 100% sure, but I wouldn't be too worried about the lid. What brew are you throwing down? What's the recipe, yeast, temps etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tythataussieguy Posted August 24, 2010 Author Share Posted August 24, 2010 Just your typical lager that came with the kit as is the yeast and the recipe. Temps are about 19c. and I have taken 2 readings on the hydrometer that have been a 1.043 and a 1.031 that change has come in a little over 24 hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristianN Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 The condensation on the lid and the residue on the sides is a good thing. It's fermenting :) Keep it going. I had an eggy smell coming up from my last beer, I raised temps by a couple of degrees to the 21 range and the smell dissipated. It can be a sign of stressed yeast. Next time you take a sample for hydro, have a taste :) Despite a funky smell at first, it ended up tasting great :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tythataussieguy Posted August 24, 2010 Author Share Posted August 24, 2010 Funny you should say that. I actually took a small taste about 20 minutes ago when I had the hydro going and it tasted ok there was no mad sour tastes or anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristianN Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Excellent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tythataussieguy Posted August 24, 2010 Author Share Posted August 24, 2010 Just chucked a couple bottles of hot tap water in the cupboard and a hot water bottle so we will see how we go with the eggy smell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatR1 Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Take the hot water bottles out and leave it at 19C. Don't worry about the lid, there will be plently of co2 in there. You will read that some guys just use gladwrap to cover the fermenter. The stuff forming on the inside of the barrel is yeast from the krauzen.. Stop stressing.. Go and have a beer.. [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tythataussieguy Posted August 24, 2010 Author Share Posted August 24, 2010 Trust me mate I would be having beers right now if I didnt have to pick the handbrake up tonight then have to go to parade lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trusty1 Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Sounds like it is at a reasonable temp and is under control. This piece (I had to check my dictionary about the spelling of piece - what a strange looking word) of advice will be VERY difficullt to hear, but leave it to do it's thing for another 6-7 days. I remember well my first brew, I didn;t think it could continue without me, how wrong I was[pinched]! I have not used my lid for my last 10 brews. 2 layers of glad wrap with a pin hole, plus the rubber ring to keep it tight is enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 Can't remember what recipe and yeast you are using?? A slight or more obvious eggy smell is common when fermenting takes place. In most instances it will dissipate. Even if it carries over to the bottles it will dissipate with conditioning time. [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 (I had to check my dictionary about the spelling of piece - what a strange looking word) This weeks award for causing me to involuntarily spit coffee on my keyboard in laughter goes to our man in G-Town (still don't know where that is [sideways] ). If only more people would use their dictionaries when spelling lager [biggrin] "Piece" Out! [lol] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tythataussieguy Posted August 25, 2010 Author Share Posted August 25, 2010 I am just using the normal coopers yeast that comes with the can of lager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 Hi TyB, my two cents worth I have had all the same anxieties as you on my first ever brew... although I had the added complication that I had my fermenter sitting in the sun for a couple of hours a day (oops!). I also had the eggy smell, the visible lack of activity, the nervousness thinking "oohh cr@p I have done it wrong" and the too hot too - cold too - variable temp debates. Wait until you taste it a couple of days or a week after bottling (which we all did on our first brew), mine tasted very astringent and rough. Again my mind was racing and I thought, "... oh no, I've brewed the worse beer in the world". But short of a major infection in the brew, it does taste better over time. And in a couple of weeks you will be thinking it is the best beer you have ever tasted... because you brewed it! The biggest asset I have found for a new brewer is patience... my LHBS proprietor told me that (almost) all beers get better after a month or two. Soak up all the advice you can from this forum and happy brewing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordonc Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 The eggy smell is OK as long as its not a rotten eggy smell. When I make lager it often has an eggy smell so to keep domestic peace I don't make a lot of lager. The stongest egg smell I had was from the coopers Canadian kit but it was a nice beer and worth the domestic wrath. I used maple syrup instead of sugar to bottle condition that and it was really nice and different. The main thing about homebrew is clean and clean all the things that will come into contact with your brew. In over 30 years of constant brewing that has been my only unbreakable rule. I have made about 5 really horrible brews over the years though but part of the problem was certainly brewing when the weather was too hot. My second rule now is brew like mad over winter and spring so that your summer supply is mature and delicious. As the weather cools after summer start getting the dark ales and stouts down for winter. I find most beers are good after minimum of 2 to 3 months in the bottle but of course I usually have a few early tastes like everybody else. Happy brewing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andris Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 I think your brew will be fine, CO2 is way heavier than atmosphere around it and beer produces it and pushes it out, so this positive pressure in your beer will work a bit like sanitizer itself - pushing stuff out and preventing it getting in. After you noticed and closed the lid tight, you will still have a good "head" of CO2 sitting on your beer preventing its exposure to surrounding atmosphere. Btw, we still have 2 breweries in our country that uses "open" fermentation method for lagers - they have beer fermenting in open tubs without any lids on. So, you can look at it from the different angle - you making your beer with "open fermented" method thus preserving more aroma and taste, as study behind this claims that positive CO2 pressure (well, they talk pressure "bars" here, so its kinda almost carbonated fermentation) destroys some aroma in wort while "no pressure" fermentation produces noticeably better results. I would advice you to keep eye on it nevertheless, but I believe that your beer will be fine as long as you dont have bugs crawling in it. *wink* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 Who says you need a lid? This is my open fermented Anzac Ale & it's beautiful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tythataussieguy Posted August 28, 2010 Author Share Posted August 28, 2010 Yeah keeping an eye on it now, this is day six yet there is no bubbling. Although I did try some the other day and it tasted amazing! Also my hydro levels are going down :D it was sitting at around 1.020 on thursday dropped from 1.031 on Tuesday, and when I looked at it it looked rather clear and it held a head nicely (had to wait maybe 3-4 minutes to read the hydro) On another note. My Lager has dropped to about 16 degrees from 18 so I guess this is a good thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted August 28, 2010 Share Posted August 28, 2010 The Original Series Lager Beer Kit (with the green lid) has an ale yeast - it slows to a crawl at 16C and may start dropping out of suspension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.