Advice to newbee

[Boozadog]

Just started my diy brew journey have done Coopers pale ale kit , everything seemed ok, now on day 3 froth and foam doesn't seem as active much as last day or so does this froth normally slow/ disapear like this at this stage did a hydrometer test probably early but it's gassy and about 1018 am I still on track temps regulated at about 20/21c

  

[AVNGE]

Hey mate, I am the same as you, just started my DIY brew journey 3 days ago!

I found that my brew in the FV was foaming a bit for the first 2 days, now onto day 3 and there is still foam but it isnt going nuts. Temp is around 19C (was at around 21-22) the first 2 days.

Hydrometer says 1019 atm (started at 1050).  

[Malter White]

Sounds completely normal to me. Keep your lid on, your temperature as steady as possible and you'll be on your way to a nice beer soon.

[Lab Cat]

All normal. Both brews still got a few days to go. Depending on your ingredients, hydrometer should read around 1010 or below. When it's the same 2 days in a row, it's done.

Edited June 1, 2020 by Lab Cat

[Journeyman]

Standard process... Yeast starts off making more yeast, which needs oxygen, which is why you are supposed to whip up your wort when you pitch the yeast - some do it before, I do it before and after. And that's the last time you should let O2 near it!

Then you have bubbles on the surface, kinda like it's already beer making head. Then the bubbles get serious and make a thick mat called Kraussen, often with a brown or patchy brown top on it - looks like someone put meringue on there and baked it a bit.

Then the yeast eats the Kraussen and your brew looks like it has gone quiet - it hasn't - the yeast is just doing a different part of the cycle.

Do not worry about bubbles in the airlock or apparent lack of activity. The ONLY measure is the SG of the brew. When the yeast is done working on the sugars in the brew, the SG stays constant for at least 2 days running - THEN things are done! The OG is nice to know as it lets you calculate the approx ABV %. But it's the FG that matters - it c an be above or below 1.010 but when it stops falling for 2 days, it's done.

Note that if FG is clearly too high (on the basic Coopers kit recipe you start at ~1.038 for OG and it stops at 1.015 or above) you might have a stalled brew - come and ask for what to do.

Other than that. read around the threads on here - lots of great info and plenty to help answer questions. 

1st Rule of home brewing: SANITISE everything!

2nd Rule of home brewing: DON"T OPEN THE LID! (except for a dry hop but then you have everything sanitised and ready, open lid, place hops and close lid - total time open < 5secs.

3rd Rule of home brewing: Ask questions!

[Boozadog]

Thanks seems like it's going ok was just concerned about the disappearance of the kraussuen at this point in time now I know my yeast is off partying elsewhere and this is normal I'm more at ease.

 

[Boozadog]

1 hour ago, AVNGE said:

Hey mate, I am the same as you, just started my DIY brew journey 3 days ago!

I found that my brew in the FV was foaming a bit for the first 2 days, now onto day 3 and there is still foam but it isnt going nuts. Temp is around 19C (was at around 21-22) the first 2 days.

Hydrometer says 1019 atm (started at 1050).  

Seems like we are both around the same stages mine started pretty much at 1038 mark as per the label although it may have been higher as I'm not a hydrometer expert yet .

 

[Lab Cat]

2 hours ago, AVNGE said:

Hydrometer says 1019 atm (started at 1050).   

For a kit and kilo this is too high. Probably not enough mixing before taking the reading. Take this into account if you want to calc your ABV when it's finished. OG should be around 1036 give or take a couple points.

[AVNGE]

11 hours ago, Lab Cat said:

For a kit and kilo this is too high. Probably not enough mixing before taking the reading. Take this into account if you want to calc your ABV when it's finished. OG should be around 1036 give or take a couple points.

Hey @Lab Cat thankyou, should I be mixing the FV before I take my sample in the tube? 

[AVNGE]

13 hours ago, Journeyman said:

Standard process... Yeast starts off making more yeast, which needs oxygen, which is why you are supposed to whip up your wort when you pitch the yeast - some do it before, I do it before and after. And that's the last time you should let O2 near it!

Then you have bubbles on the surface, kinda like it's already beer making head. Then the bubbles get serious and make a thick mat called Kraussen, often with a brown or patchy brown top on it - looks like someone put meringue on there and baked it a bit.

Then the yeast eats the Kraussen and your brew looks like it has gone quiet - it hasn't - the yeast is just doing a different part of the cycle.

Do not worry about bubbles in the airlock or apparent lack of activity. The ONLY measure is the SG of the brew. When the yeast is done working on the sugars in the brew, the SG stays constant for at least 2 days running - THEN things are done! The OG is nice to know as it lets you calculate the approx ABV %. But it's the FG that matters - it c an be above or below 1.010 but when it stops falling for 2 days, it's done.

Note that if FG is clearly too high (on the basic Coopers kit recipe you start at ~1.038 for OG and it stops at 1.015 or above) you might have a stalled brew - come and ask for what to do.

Other than that. read around the threads on here - lots of great info and plenty to help answer questions. 

1st Rule of home brewing: SANITISE everything!

2nd Rule of home brewing: DON"T OPEN THE LID! (except for a dry hop but then you have everything sanitised and ready, open lid, place hops and close lid - total time open < 5secs.

3rd Rule of home brewing: Ask questions!

Hey @Journeyman thanks for the post really helpful stuff! I opened the lid of my FV for about 2-3 seconds on day 2, is this going to ruin my beer? Noob questions but I am a noob ! 

 

Cheers

[Aussiekraut]

14 minutes ago, AVNGE said:

Hey @Journeyman thanks for the post really helpful stuff! I opened the lid of my FV for about 2-3 seconds on day 2, is this going to ruin my beer? Noob questions but I am a noob ! 

 

Cheers

It won't ruin the beer. Technically, you don't need the lid, if you can live with the odd fly drowning itself in it  You do invite unwanted guests though like bacteria or wild yeasts. Lifting the lid for a quick peak won't hurt. As JM pointed out, you need to open the lid anyway if you dry hop for example. If your FV has an airlock, pull it out before you put pressure on the lid as you don't want the festy water in it get into your beer. The same goes for when you take a sample. 

[Journeyman]

2 hours ago, Aussiekraut said:

If your FV has an airlock

I stuck duct tape over the holes in 2 of my FV's, both sides of the lids so there are no sticky surfaces. And the Coopers ones don't have the hole anyway.

[Journeyman]

3 hours ago, AVNGE said:

Hey @Lab Cat thankyou, should I be mixing the FV before I take my sample in the tube? 

Definitely. I beat mine with the spoon to aerate it until I can't see the surface for the froth. Then I pitch the yeast and do it again then dip a sanitised cup in and get my OG sample, then on with the lid and into the FV fridge.

I use the cup at that point so I am not running wort through the tap, keeping it pristine and sanitised for when it's all done and I'm racking it to either the keg or a second FV for bulk priming.

[Lab Cat]

4 hours ago, AVNGE said:

Hey @Lab Cat thankyou, should I be mixing the FV before I take my sample in the tube? 

Only for the initial sample. The wort has to be well mixed or you can get false readings.

[Journeyman]

1 hour ago, Journeyman said:

Definitely. I beat mine with the spoon to aerate it until I can't see the surface for the froth. Then I pitch the yeast and do it again then dip a sanitised cup in and get my OG sample, then on with the lid and into the FV fridge.

I use the cup at that point so I am not running wort through the tap, keeping it pristine and sanitised for when it's all done and I'm racking it to either the keg or a second FV for bulk priming.

I forgot to add... the beating it up at the start to give the yeast some oxygen is the LAST time you want oxygen near your brew.  (just in case it's not clear)

[Boozadog]

On 6/1/2020 at 3:44 PM, Boozadog said:

Just started my diy brew journey have done Coopers pale ale kit , everything seemed ok, now on day 3 froth and foam doesn't seem as active much as last day or so does this froth normally slow/ disapear like this at this stage did a hydrometer test probably early but it's gassy and about 1018 am I still on track temps regulated at about 20/21c

  

So for those interested OG 1038 and FG 1006 ended up dry hopping with 25/30g of cascade for last  3days bottled on day 11 looks great  pretty clear even though it is pale ale ,taste wise don't mind it bit of a Hoppy taste ,nice aroma etc can't wait to see how it tastes cold in a few weeks time.