Otto Von Blotto Posted October 21, 2019 Share Posted October 21, 2019 There's no need for UV light. Just clean and sanitised is all that is required. If you do that, and pitch a good amount of yeast, it will outcompete anything else and you'll have no problems. All home brew is contaminated with bugs, it's impossible to avoid it completely. It's just that in the vast majority of cases, these bugs aren't in big enough numbers to do anything. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted October 21, 2019 Author Share Posted October 21, 2019 6 hours ago, Otto Von Blotto said: There's no need for UV light. Just clean and sanitised is all that is required. The UV for yeast thing was just an aside. What I was thinking was more the storage of all the equipment and bottles. One big clean and store in a cupboard flooded with UV and you can be sure the equipment is right to go when you need it. Seems a quick, easy and cheap way to maintain everything as sanitised as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted October 21, 2019 Share Posted October 21, 2019 Still no need for it. Especially if you use sanitiser right before filling the FV or bottles with wort/beer, which is probably cheaper still than running lights 24/7. There are a number of us on here who have been brewing for a number of years. Infections are very rare. Some of us have never had one. It just doesn't happen often enough to justify flooding UV light on everything, and besides that most of the equipment is in constant use. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted October 21, 2019 Author Share Posted October 21, 2019 OK, so it's Tuesday and I'm not sure if maybe I am being a bit too testicular over my SG measuring. It seems to me the SG has been dropping slightly each day, with 1010 when I posted this and today about 1002 - 1st mark below the green. I put the meter into the beer then gently tap it to shake off bubbles and usually also lift it and drop it a little to try and make sure I'm getting a proper reading. My guesstimate is it's dropped by 2 each day since the 1010 point. Is that likely or am I trying to be more precise than the SG meter allows? If it IS likely, does that mean I am not bottle-ready yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted October 21, 2019 Share Posted October 21, 2019 That sounds low for the ingredients used. I'd be checking it in 20 degree water, it should read 1.000. If it reads under, you'll have to add the difference to each reading, if it reads higher, subtract the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted October 22, 2019 Author Share Posted October 22, 2019 (edited) See pic - this morning was 1 gradation below (above in number) the 1.000 line, or a bit higher (number) than the 1st mark in the green. What you say seems confusing - I'm still above 1.000 at ~1.002. Since Saturday (when I posted?) it has come down from 1.010 approx 1 gradation per day. What I don't know is, does that mean it is still fermenting or is that beyond the accuracy of a hydrometer? The temps have been the same each day, 24° - I didn't want to keep stuffing around with the temps and that was what it had been on for 24 hours or so when someone said it should be lower. Edited October 22, 2019 by Journeyman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Jones Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 If you get the same reading over three consecutive days its done or the hydrometer is resting on the bottom! Give it another couple of days to clean up then bottle. I leave the brew in the FV for not less then 14 days. This works for me. You Tube has some good vids on this subject and are a good reference. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted October 22, 2019 Author Share Posted October 22, 2019 10 minutes ago, Pickles Jones said: If you get the same reading over three consecutive days its done or the hydrometer is resting on the bottom! OK, it's not on the bottom. But is a range of around 6 points (3 gradations) in 3 days, all trending down, considered being the same? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 No it's not, the readings not moving are considered the same, any movement and it's not stable. But a kit and kilo of be3 shouldn't be getting as low as 1.002 either, which is why I suggested testing the hydrometer. Temperature affects the reading as well, yours being at 24 would make the real reading 1.003. Fill your testing tube with plain water, get it to 20°C then take a reading with the hydrometer. If it's reading accurately it will be 1.000. Also bear in mind that not all hydrometers are created equal. Some are designed to be read at the top of the meniscus, others like mine are designed to be read at the bottom of it; the difference between the top and bottom on mine is 2 points. It may not say which it is, but as long as you do the same thing every time at least the readings will be consistent. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted October 22, 2019 Author Share Posted October 22, 2019 5 minutes ago, Otto Von Blotto said: Fill your testing tube with plain water, get it to 20°C then take a reading with the hydrometer. If it's reading accurately it will be 1.000. Also bear in mind that not all hydrometers are created equal. Some are designed to be read at the top of the meniscus, others like mine are designed to be read at the bottom of it; the difference between the top and bottom on mine is 2 points. It may not say which it is, but as long as you do the same thing every time at least the readings will be consistent. Mine says Top of meniscus on it. I'm not positive I have read that level every time. I think so because I was looking at the side of the tube. I will try the 20° & water to check it. Is 1.002 & 1.003 so different in this situation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 It's not so much that it's different but the further the temperature is away from 20 degrees, the more skewed the readings are. It will read lower when the temp is higher than 20, or whatever the hydrometer is calibrated to. Most of them are 20 though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted October 22, 2019 Author Share Posted October 22, 2019 20 minutes ago, Otto Von Blotto said: ...or whatever the hydrometer is calibrated to. Most of them are 20 though. I forgot to mention mine says 20° beside the Top of Meniscus bit. I'll be trying the next brew lower in temp - is my sciencing correct if I think lower temps should produce more CO2? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 The temperature doesn't have any effect on how much CO2 is produced. It does affect flavour though, keeping it around 18-20 for ales will generally produce a cleaner flavour whereas warmer gets more yeast driven flavours. If it gets too warm (high 20s) it usually just tastes like crap. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted October 23, 2019 Author Share Posted October 23, 2019 So today for the first time the SG was exactly the same as yesterday. So, if I have this right, I leave it a couple of days then bottle... So Friday for bottling. Are there any dangers in the temp dropping during the 2 days? I'm thinking of turning off the heater as we have a 35° day today and BoM is saying 39 for tomorrow. The heater has been on solely to prevent the brew cooling overnight, as even with the warm days we've been getting down to 10 - 2 overnight. The room usually stays fairly cool as the only sun entering stops by about 10 AM but I'm keeping an eye on it in case I need the wet cloth and fan trick to keep it cooled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 No problem if it drops a bit now. Those of us with fridges generally drop it down close to zero for a week, then bottle it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted October 23, 2019 Author Share Posted October 23, 2019 Is that what is meant by 'cold crash'? I presume it's to settle the yeast out and stop it working? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 That is a cold crash. It's not really to stop the yeast working as they do that by themselves anyway, but it does help drop more of them out resulting in less sediment in the bottles/keg. Can also assist in dropping other particulates out, hop matter etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted October 23, 2019 Author Share Posted October 23, 2019 OK, so I am about to CC my FV. Had a check SG and taste this AM and it's actually pretty good on taste and again SG hasn't moved. From reading around I plan to add finings (Brigalow finings) stir the brew then strap on the frozen water bottles. Anything wrong with that? I did just read the pack and it says to add the finings at 3/4 ferment which seems odd to me - wouldn't precipitating the yeast literally stop the fermenting right away? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted October 24, 2019 Author Share Posted October 24, 2019 OK, for better or worse, the frozen water bottles are strapped inside a blanket against the side of the FV and the finings are in. Bottling Saturday I think; give it a couple of days for the finings to clear things. The brew has a nice smell, with a bit more than hint of fresh apple. Any ideas what that means? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamus O'Sean Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Finings is a good thing. Not sure you will get great value from frozen water bottles strapped to the fermenter to get a cold crash, but it will not hurt. Keep up with changing out the frozen bottles. I would plan to bottle on Saturday/Sunday. Googling tells me the green apples is acetaldehyde. Allowing your beer to condition in the bottles for a couple of weeks, maybe up to a month should deal with that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 7 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said: Googling tells me the green apples is acetaldehyde. Allowing your beer to condition in the bottles for a couple of weeks, maybe up to a month should deal with that. It may soften it a little but if it is quite pronounced I doubt it will go away. Giving it some extra time in the FV would be better. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted October 24, 2019 Author Share Posted October 24, 2019 Yeah... the ice bottles didn't do a lot - took it down a few degrees. But it was about 40°C outside. So didn't hurt. Gotta make room for the fridge and storing cupboard in the man cave. Re: Apple aroma - it wasn't a trace smell but I wouldn't call it 'quite pronounced' either. I'll leave it an extra day and bottle Sunday. Not sure if I can wait out a month for tasting though. Thanks guys... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 (edited) It should be carbonated in a couple of weeks after bottling anyway, especially if it's warm weather. More time would probably improve its flavour but you don't have to wait that long to try one out. And yeah... frozen water bottles strapped to the side won't get it anywhere near the temperature of a proper cold crash. The finings are most likely just supermarket gelatine and should still work, but you may have to give it longer in the fermenter for it to drop out properly before you bottle it. Edited October 25, 2019 by Otto Von Blotto 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted October 25, 2019 Author Share Posted October 25, 2019 Next step is definitely the fridge and controller. Finings went in yesterday - is Sunday long enough before bottling? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Probably, although I'd be inclined to give it another day or two to be sure. They drop out quicker the colder it is. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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