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First brew, does this look normal?


Muppet74

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Hi, today is day 4 and there hasn't been as much foam as I thought there should be. First ever brew with Coopers lager and supplied yeast. I pitched too high at 26, cause I'm a Muppet but it's been at 20.5 to 21.5 since. The probe is in the liquid so I put a little cling film around the top. My research suggests it should be more active. I'm going to start testing SG at day 6. Give it to me straight, how bad could it be?

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7 minutes ago, Muppet74 said:

Hi, today is day 4 and there hasn't been as much foam as I thought there should be. First ever brew with Coopers lager and supplied yeast. I pitched too high at 26, cause I'm a Muppet but it's been at 20.5 to 21.5 since. The probe is in the liquid so I put a little cling film around the top. My research suggests it should be more active. I'm going to start testing SG at day 6. Give it to me straight, how bad could it be?

Hi @Muppet74 Welcome to the forum, generally Lager's would be brewed at lower temperatures usually around 12-15c, if you are using an Ale yeast it can be higher 18-21/22.

The probe would normally be taped to the outside of the fermenter away from the heat belt to get a more accurate reading. I wouldn't worry about the cling film, just use the supplied clips to hold the lid in place. I would give it a bit longer as you may have to adjust the temperature as the yeast may have stalled.

Cheers. 

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@Muppet74 , mate yes you may have pitched a bit high for the yeast you was using to ferment at this however all is not lost.

and @Classic Brewing Co has given you some temp ranges for that particular brew 

I would still let it go to finish and dont necessarily bottle on day 7 allow a few more extra days for the yeast to clean up after itself

1 when pitching yeast  try to  get around 18-21 degrees to pitch for most ales
2. make sure when you pitch your yeast you have well aerated the wort to help the yeasts go to town on the sugars
3. cover that fermenter up and keep away from light even if it is putting a few old tshirts over the fermenter or even sleeping bag or towels or blankets

You also may want to look a temp control getting your self a fridge  and just doing what  @Classic said taping the probe to the side of the fermenter away from the heat belt with a  bit old stubby holder for insulation     

when you do take a gravity reading after your reading sample  taste the wort  if it tastes good you will be fine

enjoy your brewing

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Thanks for the super quick response guys, it's really appreciated.

So I before I started this brew I did a test with just water for a few days with the probe on the side with a stubby cooler and the warming belt in the same location as shown in the photos and while the temp control showed 21, the water in the FV showed 24 with another digital thermometer and I then confirmed that with the probe, so I decided after some googling to sterilise the probe and put it in the wort. I plan to get a fridge after we get out of isolation, the kids were with a positive Covid case at Holiday club, we only have a few days to go. Its a fairly steady 18 in the garage where the FV is at, I've been covering it with a box and blanket. The instructions from Coopers suggested having the temp at the lower end of 21 to 27 and elsewhere on this forum it's been suggested the Coopers lager extract uses an ale yeast? I'll hang in there and do some more research into stalling yeast. With the lifting of restrictions in NSW I'm really looking forward to checking out my local homebrew shop as soon as I get out.

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How do you know it has stalled if you haven't taken another gravity reading?

Krausen is a sign of fermentation but the sole sign and sometimes the Krausen can be really small. Check the gravity before pitching any further yeast.

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28 minutes ago, Muppet74 said:

Thanks for the super quick response guys, it's really appreciated.

So I before I started this brew I did a test with just water for a few days with the probe on the side with a stubby cooler and the warming belt in the same location as shown in the photos and while the temp control showed 21, the water in the FV showed 24 with another digital thermometer and I then confirmed that with the probe, so I decided after some googling to sterilise the probe and put it in the wort. I plan to get a fridge after we get out of isolation, the kids were with a positive Covid case at Holiday club, we only have a few days to go. Its a fairly steady 18 in the garage where the FV is at, I've been covering it with a box and blanket. The instructions from Coopers suggested having the temp at the lower end of 21 to 27 and elsewhere on this forum it's been suggested the Coopers lager extract uses an ale yeast? I'll hang in there and do some more research into stalling yeast. With the lifting of restrictions in NSW I'm really looking forward to checking out my local homebrew shop as soon as I get out.

All good research you have already done.  Your plans for the future sound good too.

The Coopers Lager does come with an ale yeast. So you can brew it around 20 degrees and still get a reasonable brew.

At day 4 I would take a Specific Gravity reading.  I think you will find it has fermented well and might be nearly finished.  Sometimes the fermentation activity happens overnight, so we miss most of it. Sometimes it is just fine bubbles coming to the surface and gassing off immediately, so it never forms a Krausen. 

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welcome to the forum @Muppet74

i did the lager can a couple of weeks ago again the same way it comes in the starter pack with brew enhancer 1 and didn't get much of a krausen. you've got heaps of co2 bubbles in your fermenter, i think the yeast is doing its job nicely. brew enhancer 1 isn't much of a challenge for the yeast to convert.

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3 hours ago, Hairy said:

How do you know it has stalled if you haven't taken another gravity reading?

Krausen is a sign of fermentation but the sole sign and sometimes the Krausen can be really small. Check the gravity before pitching any further yeast.

Good point Hairy - looking again at the pics supplied there is bugger all, if any, trub at the bottom  of the fv. That's not normal if it's  been fermenting properly. 

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3 minutes ago, Spursman said:

Good point Hairy - looking again at the pics supplied there is bugger all, if any, trub at the bottom  of the fv. That's not normal if it's  been fermenting properly. 

It could be that it didn't start fermenting but your hydrometer is your friend here.

The coopers kit ale yeast is pretty hardy and 26 degrees wouldn't have harmed the yeast at the start, in fact it would probably fire it up quicker. Some the tins get stored in the worst environments (hot sheds etc.) and the yeast still works. 

There is a lot of condensation in the FV which could be an indicator of fermentation. 

I wouldn't wait to Day 6. Just take a reading now and put your mind at rest.

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@Muppet74 , just to add to all the above.  Yes lager kit yeast is an ale yeast so your temps were close enough so that is not the problem.

Could be just that you have only used the lager kit tin and the BE1 and no other sugars or malts which means not much in the way of fermentables in your wort so it was probably never going to foam up much as no big sugar party for your yeasts.  If this was the case the 1 pack of yeast 7 g supplied would have been plenty.

Take a gravity reading and compare it to the OG (starting gravity) and see if it has dropped.    A current gravity reading will tell you where you are at.

Edited by iBooz2
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4 hours ago, iBooz2 said:

@Muppet74 , just to add to all the above.  Yes lager kit yeast is an ale yeast so your temps were close enough so that is not the problem.

Could be just that you have only used the lager kit tin and the BE1 and no other sugars or malts which means not much in the way of fermentables in your wort so it was probably never going to foam up much as no big sugar party for your yeasts.  If this was the case the 1 pack of yeast 7 g supplied would have been plenty.

Take a gravity reading and compare it to the OG (starting gravity) and see if it has dropped.    A current gravity reading will tell you where you are at.

Thank you to everyone who has replied, I will take a reading tomorrow!

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I've been pitching yeast from 18 to 28 for 33 years. Only 2 or 3 times a problem.  I aim for about 24.

As mentioned there is no fermentation ring. So looks like it didn't kick off.

If the sg indicates that, I would do a yeast starter and also add about a cup of sugar to the brew stiring well.

Bottle in 7 or 8 days. Likely beer will be fine.

Edited by oldbloke
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So I took a reading today, I reckon its 1011 or 1012,  so I thinks its ok and on its way, I will check each day until it levels out and wait another day or two before I bottle. It tasted alright as well. I am embarrassed to admit that I didn't take an OG, I think the label said it would be 1048 or something, I have excuses if anyone would like them.  The internet suggests the FG could be as low as 1008 or 1010. Wow isn't this learning a new hobby fun!

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Yes it looks like nearly finished beer as it is starting to clear up and the gravity may not get much lower.  BTW what was the original ingredients, you said a Coopers Lager kit tin and yeast but what else did you mix in?  A packet of brew enhance 1 for example. 

When asking a question on this forum it pays to say exactly what you have mixed in as brewers in here can then relate to that and give very good advice / suggestions.

Its a good idea to test your Coppers hydrometer in plain water at 20 C to see if it reads accurately as most of them read a tad low, i.e. your reading of 1.012 could be 1.015 in the real world.

Yes home brewing is good fun, glad you are enjoying it.

Edited by iBooz2
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7 hours ago, iBooz2 said:

Yes it looks like nearly finished beer as it is starting to clear up and the gravity may not get much lower.  BTW what was the original ingredients, you said a Coopers Lager kit tin and yeast but what else did you mix in?  A packet of brew enhance 1 for example. 

When asking a question on this forum it pays to say exactly what you have mixed in as brewers in here can then relate to that and give very good advice / suggestions.

Its a good idea to test your Coppers hydrometer in plain water at 20 C to see if it reads accurately as most of them read a tad low, i.e. your reading of 1.012 could be 1.015 in the real world.

Yes home brewing is good fun, glad you are enjoying it.

Thank you for the feed back, I did put whatever brew enhancer came with the pack, can't remember which one it was. I'll be clearer in the future, thanks again, Muppet.

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14 hours ago, iBooz2 said:

Its a good idea to test your Coppers hydrometer in plain water at 20 C to see if it reads accurately as most of them read a tad low, i.e. your reading of 1.012 could be 1.015 in the real world.

Dead right IB2 - mine was off by around 8 points! 

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Day 7, I think, looks like SG is stabilising. I'll wait a few days to bottle. Hydrometer is reading 3 to 4 points low from my calibration which was less than scientific. I'm assuming at this stage I am just looking for it so stop dropping, so the exact reading is not so important. I'm adding a decent hygrometer to the shopping list.PXL_20211013_082414627.thumb.jpg.0a9c3e997c4e242d74dde1b17e8a4710.jpg

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11 hours ago, Muppet74 said:

Day 7, I think, looks like SG is stabilising. I'll wait a few days to bottle. Hydrometer is reading 3 to 4 points low from my calibration which was less than scientific. I'm assuming at this stage I am just looking for it so stop dropping, so the exact reading is not so important. I'm adding a decent hygrometer to the shopping list.PXL_20211013_082414627.thumb.jpg.0a9c3e997c4e242d74dde1b17e8a4710.jpg

Have I got this correct? The pic is of your latest reading and is showing 1013 at the miniscus so correcting for calibration the actual reading is 1017? Is there trub (sediment) of about 2cm on the bottom of the fv?

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On 10/14/2021 at 7:31 AM, Spursman said:

Have I got this correct? The pic is of your latest reading and is showing 1013 at the miniscus so correcting for calibration the actual reading is 1017? Is there trub (sediment) of about 2cm on the bottom of the fv?

Yes, you are correct, latest reading in the last photo and it didn't move again yesterday so I bottled it last night. There is definitely trub on the bottom, could be 2 cm. There was enough for me to be concerned about tipping the FV to get the last of the beer out.

Do you tip the FV to get the last of the beer out? What happens if you get trub in your bottles? 

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11 minutes ago, Muppet74 said:

Yes, you are correct, latest reading in the last photo and it didn't move again yesterday so I bottled it last night. There is definitely trub on the bottom, could be 2 cm. There was enough for me to be concerned about tipping the FV to get the last of the beer out.

Do you tip the FV to get the last of the beer out? What happens if you get trub in your bottles? 

i tip it slightly  if i am bottling which is very rare for me to bottle a full batch.

the trub wont hurt just means you will have some floaties in your bottle, but best not to get in the bottled beer

i keg so i just fill to 19litres   and  if i bottle i will bottle from the keg once it is carbed up

if i brew to 23l  i may just bottle a couple of stubbies to use the wort up



 

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