Asharper Posted July 16, 2019 Share Posted July 16, 2019 Hi all, First time poster. I am after some help please. I have created a Coopers Draught (from can) in my Coopers beer barrel last night but noticed this morning (12 hours later) that I forgot to put the air-lock in the rubber seal on the lid. Will this ruin the brew or should it be okay? As another sort of topic, I read in another forum (making spirits) if you have access to carbon dioxide you can give it a quick squirt for whatever reason (wasn't really explained). Suspect they think that the yeast produces carbon-dioxide hence the air-lock bubbling and may give it a kick-on? Is this valid and does this harm the yeast? I would have thought the yeast would use the oxygen trapped in the barrel would have to be used keeping the year alive long enough to do it's job. Thank you in advance to any replies. Ash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted July 16, 2019 Share Posted July 16, 2019 It's probably fine. A piece of tape over the hole would suffice as well. I don't see any reason to be squirting carbon dioxide into the fermenter at the beginning, it won't aid in getting the yeast going quicker. This is usually only done if the beer is transferred to another fermenter after fermentation. Yeast use up all available oxygen in the wort during the lag phase (while they are multiplying), but once this is done you want to keep oxygen out as much as possible, as it can lead to off flavours in the finished beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asharper Posted July 16, 2019 Author Share Posted July 16, 2019 Thank you for the quick reply otto. I was hoping it was more of a case of keeping out dust etc. Being a small hole in the lid, hopefully not too much issue for those 12 hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_G Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 The general consensus is not to use the air lock ... put a good piece of tape over the seal so insects such as vinegar fly, ants and the like cant get in ... the best way to see if fermentation is going along is to use the hydrometer not the airlock as they are a tad unreliable ... when starting brew using the kit supplied yeast pitch the yeast and take a gravity reading using the hydrometer ... check it after a day or so later and once the gravity starts to reduce you know fermentation is happening ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristinaS1 Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 29 minutes ago, MartyG1525230263 said: The general consensus is not to use the air lock ... Actually that consensus is not universal. I use an airlock all the time and love it. The speed of the bubbles can give you an idea of how things are going without having to do a gravity sample....If you have a FV with a tap, collecting a sample for testing is easy, so in that case there is no pressing need for an airlock. I ferment in a glass carboy; collecting a sample is a nightmare, one that also risks introducing infection. I feel I am better off with an airlock. Cheers, Christina. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_G Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 8 minutes ago, ChristinaS1 said: Actually that consensus is not universal. correct that is why i said it was general ... Asharper did mention he was using a coopers barrel with a rubber seal for the airlock ... but I get your drift Christina ... horses for courses ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asharper Posted July 17, 2019 Author Share Posted July 17, 2019 Hi Marty G and Christinas1. Thank you for the replies. I have put the air-lock in and as of 10 hours later, it appears under a little pressure but by no means is it bubbling like I have with brews. Will go with hydrometer checking and hope for the best. Is it possible that an additional sachet of yeast might give it a kick on or just monitor with the hydrometer? Thank you again for your replies. Ash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lab Cat Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 Just hydrometer, a standard brew shouldn't need extra yeast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asharper Posted July 17, 2019 Author Share Posted July 17, 2019 Hi Lab Rat, Thank you for your reply. Will go with the hydrometer and monitor. Cheers, Ash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenyinthewestofsydney Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 10 hours ago, ChristinaS1 said: Actually that consensus is not universal. I use an airlock all the time and love it. The speed of the bubbles can give you an idea of how things are going without having to do a gravity sample....If you have a FV with a tap, collecting a sample for testing is easy, so in that case there is no pressing need for an airlock. I ferment in a glass carboy; collecting a sample is a nightmare, one that also risks introducing infection. I feel I am better off with an airlock. Cheers, Christina. +1. The airlock is still a good guide of when i take my hydro readings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenyinthewestofsydney Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 12 hours ago, Asharper said: Hi all, First time poster. I am after some help please. I have created a Coopers Draught (from can) in my Coopers beer barrel last night but noticed this morning (12 hours later) that I forgot to put the air-lock in the rubber seal on the lid. Will this ruin the brew or should it be okay? As another sort of topic, I read in another forum (making spirits) if you have access to carbon dioxide you can give it a quick squirt for whatever reason (wasn't really explained). Suspect they think that the yeast produces carbon-dioxide hence the air-lock bubbling and may give it a kick-on? Is this valid and does this harm the yeast? I would have thought the yeast would use the oxygen trapped in the barrel would have to be used keeping the year alive long enough to do it's job. Thank you in advance to any replies. Ash You will most likely be fine if you pitched a good amount of yeast. Some people open ferment and have no problems. 10 hours without an airlock or a covering of the hole will not make much difference IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asharper Posted July 23, 2019 Author Share Posted July 23, 2019 Finally back. 24 hours or so after my last post I started getting some vigorous bubbling in the airlock so happy that it finally kicked in. Slowing down now so 5 days or so of some good bubbling. Should be good. Will do hydrometer checks over next few days to see if stabilised. Thank you again to all for your help. Ash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_G Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 @Asharper the reality is beer fermentation is a very robust process and it is very rare to have issues ... many of us have made 1000's and 1000's of litres of beer with very few issues ... as long as the equipment is clean and brew is not cross infected you will have drinkable beer ... once you get some experience your quality will improve dramatically particularity once you start closely controlling the temperature with a fermentation fridge and InkBird or similar .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asharper Posted July 23, 2019 Author Share Posted July 23, 2019 Hi Martyg, had a look into fermentation fridge after your mention. Looks like a definite goer especially after reading about cold-crashing also. Would help maintain temperature especially up here in QLD. Always been difficult to maintain a lower temp in summer. I keep the barrels under the house and temps have mostly been around 23 degrees but they still seem to work out. Now it's winter and I can keep the temp around 18 degrees, I want to smash out the brews and stock up for summer. Cheers, Ash 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 (edited) Yeah fridges are great. Brew anything anytime and have excellent control over the temperature. Cost bugger all to run since it's only actually on about a third of the time. If space is available it's a no brainer. Edited July 24, 2019 by Otto Von Blotto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_G Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 Beer fridges are easy to pick up they are regularly free fridges on FaceBook marketplace ... the most fundamental of the InkBirds is $40 and up on eBay once you get that going you will not look back ... I am in SEQ and find that this time of year i also need a heat belt as the night temps are dropping into single figures ... temp control and specialty yeast just opens a whole new world of brewing ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 That's another thing on my list, get an inkbird. Looking to replace the kitchen fridge possibly next weekend, so I'm taking it outside as a second ferment fridge. Now to do a hop order. Gotta love tax time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Jones Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 Our fridge was heading for the verge the thermostat was busted, wouldn't turn the fridge off it ran all the time. I got one of those Inkbird ITC-308 of Amazon for $49. Hooked it up to the fridge, away she went. And it started to cycle under the control of the Inkbird. Put a FV in it with Coopers Lager. Been running for three days now plenty of action in the FV. I am really keen to see how the brew turns out with temperature control. Time will tell. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_G Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 2 hours ago, Pickles Jones said: Our fridge was heading for the verge the thermostat was busted, wouldn't turn the fridge off it ran all the time. I got one of those Inkbird ITC-308 of Amazon for $49. Hooked it up to the fridge, away she went. And it started to cycle under the control of the Inkbird. Put a FV in it with Coopers Lager. Been running for three days now plenty of action in the FV. I am really keen to see how the brew turns out with temperature control. Time will tell. I suspect you used the kit yeast which is an ale yeast ... just wait till you use a lager yeasts and ferment at low temp ... the lager process is long but worth it, minimum 2 weeks in the FV (longer with some yeasts) and 3 months in the bottle, less if in kegs ... have made some wonderful crisp clean beers ... have just finished a keg of a Beer Lao clone I did in March at 10 degrees with W34/70 and it was wonderful ... have a Czech Pils in the FV right now at 12 degrees using Urquell 2001 H strain will keg that this time next week and it will sit in the fridge lagering until October ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 4 hours ago, Otto Von Blotto said: Now to do a hop order. Gotta love tax time 25kg of Saaz? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddyBrew2 Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 Is he only making a half batch Pilsner? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 Just the 450g this time around . Hopefully the alpha percentage is decent enough that I can get 3 batches out of it. I also got 225g lots of Vic Secret, Amarillo, Centennial, Magnum (German), Styrian Goldings and Challenger. Need to do an AG version of that centenarillo ale. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchellScott Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 (edited) 9 hours ago, Otto Von Blotto said: Just the 450g this time around . Hopefully the alpha percentage is decent enough that I can get 3 batches out of it. I also got 225g lots of Vic Secret, Amarillo, Centennial, Magnum (German), Styrian Goldings and Challenger. Need to do an AG version of that centenarillo ale. Do you have a link to the extract/partial version of the centenarillo? I have seen it before I'm sure but no idea where... Edited July 24, 2019 by MitchellScott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 (edited) I started a topic on it on this forum when I brewed it. At the time I was wondering whether to sub in Cascade for Centennial as I didn't have any Centennial. But then I got some and brewed it "properly". There was a thread on here recently about best extract recipes or something, pretty sure I posted a link to my original thread in there. Found it Edited July 24, 2019 by Otto Von Blotto 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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