What's in Your Fermenter 2022?

[Shamus O'Sean]

17 minutes ago, JoeB7 said:

Going to my bro's soon & want to do my first all grain in his grainfather/robobrew thingy & bring it home as a 'wet pack' to ferment/bottle myself.  Have a bunnings cube for transport but any advice on cooling/settling it pre travel or just let it chill in the back of the ute for the 2 hour trip home?

We're talking Canberra temps at the moment.

Hey JoeB7, I have only filled my cube with 80-90°C wort and left it to cool in the garage overnight before pouring it into a fermenter the next day.  Not sure that two hours in the back of a ute at 1°C would get you down to pitching temperatures.  But overnight definitely will.  Maybe even too cold where you are.

[JoeB7]

Just now, RDT2 said:

Let it chill and pitch it the next day when at ferment temp!

Copy that 

[JoeB7]

1 minute ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

Hey JoeB7, I have only filled my cube with 80-90°C wort and left it to cool in the garage overnight before pouring it into a fermenter the next day.  Not sure that two hours in the back of a ute at 1°C would get you down to pitching temperatures.  But overnight definitely will.  Maybe even too cold where you are.

Ok so a 20ltr wort in the 25ltr cube would be ideal. Yeah OK @Shamus O'Sean, would letting it cool in the grainfather O/Night be ok before cubing it for transport?

[Tricky Micky]

3 hours ago, Itinerant Peasant said:

Easy Peasy @JoeB7 so much better in cold climes... no need for a fridge if ambient is freeeeezing : )

An Inkbird Temp Controller and a Heat Belt and if while are in a cold environment don't need a fridge - just a bit of warming capacity...

What was that lovely heat belt @Mickep or @RDT2 Rd you guys had going that was a beaut? Double strip band type thing.

 

And yeah I sorta think for temp control an Inkbird with or without Bluetooth is pretty good standard stuff....

You may like to be able to do the Lager Protocol and change the temp Remotely too... I am just a simple peasant and walk out the little kitch to the entry way and change the controller manually : )

https://inkbird.com/collections/temperature-controllers

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/382926712091?chn=ps&_ul=AU&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1Ijtq10r_R-aWB7uHbFDCJA35&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=705-139619-5960-0&mkcid=2&itemid=382926712091&targetid=&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9071322&poi=&campaignid=17966036848&mkgroupid=&rlsatarget=&abcId=9301115&merchantid=7616912&gclid=CjwKCAjw0dKXBhBPEiwA2bmObWU7xFyxK-42jv4HuAYU_1HDI9aUg_8q_9DRBfAbDJs6LmSULsPzDxoC4voQAvD_BwE

[Popo the Reprobate]

7 hours ago, JoeB7 said:

Ok so a 20ltr wort in the 25ltr cube would be ideal. Yeah OK @Shamus O'Sean, would letting it cool in the grainfather O/Night be ok before cubing it for transport?

Ideally, you'd want to get pretty close to 25 litres if it's a 25 litre cube. The cube will probably take more than the 25 litres of hot wort as it expands due to the heat. I use a 15 or 20 litres cubes and fit a couple of litres extra in each of them.

You can (should) squeeze the air out by pushing in the sides before capping. Use a towel or something to insulate your hands or knees. It gets hot. Try to get all of the air out. You may find squeezing out that much air difficult if you only fill with 20 litres.

Pump it into the cube when it is still hot. If it cools before you cube it, you risk infection. 

[Aussiekraut]

9 hours ago, JoeB7 said:

Noice AK. Thanks for the step by step. I don't have a brew fridge but the spare room rarely gets above 10° this time of year. Just the 20grm of Hallertau then, no dry hopping? Yes only bottling. 

If you go down the lager track, yes, no dry hopping. Keep it simple.

[jennyss]

10 hours ago, JoeB7 said:

you'll be all grain in a few months 

Ha Ha, I don't think so @JoeB7. It took me six months to work up the courage to open an extra packet of goodies, let alone all the measuring and crunching and mixing and boiling that you AG brewers get up to. I'll just admire the pictures thank you very much!

[Shamus O'Sean]

9 hours ago, JoeB7 said:

Ok so a 20ltr wort in the 25ltr cube would be ideal. Yeah OK @Shamus O'Sean, would letting it cool in the grainfather O/Night be ok before cubing it for transport?

Hey J, As @Popo said, best practice when cubing is to fill the cube to the brim with hot wort (around 80-90°C), squeeze out as much air as possible, and seal the cube.  I get 22 litres of wort into a 20 litre cube.

Brewing is a lot about risk management.  I do not recommend pouring 20 litres into a 25 litre cube.  That is a fair bit of air in the cube.  If a bit of dust or pollen gets into the cube, it might start to ferment your wort.  Can you pour 20 litres of wort into a 25 litre cube? Sure you can, but it is risky.

• RE: Letting the wort cool in the Grainfather overnight - Low risk (not no risk).  Plenty of folks do it and transfer into a sanitised fermenter the next day.
• Transferring the cooled wort from the Grainfather to a sanitised cube - Medium risk.  
• Transferring 20 litres of wort into a 25 litre fermenter - Medium risk.
• Transferring cold wort into a sanitised fermenter - Low risk

The way I think, risks multiply.  Low x Medium x Medium x Low = High or maybe Very High

How can you get your wort home with the least risk, given the possible constraints you have?

• Maybe a smaller cube
• Maybe instead of a 25 litre cube, you could use a 19 litre keg
• Maybe let the wort cool in the GF, but transfer straight into your fermenter and transport it home (without spillage)
• Maybe pitch your yeast into the FV before the trip home

Sorry to prattle on and sound a bit "preachy", but what you are thinking of doing seems a bit risky to me.  You can do it like you propose.  However, if your beer becomes infected, you can come back to this post for possible reasons.

[Popo the Reprobate]

Great answer @Shamus O'Sean

[Pezzza]

13 hours ago, JoeB7 said:

Use a heat pad in a box-mash up with discarded styrofoam packaging @Itinerant Peasant ,& being a fridgy I have wired up a T/stat / pedestal fan 

 

Oh wow well done mate @JoeB7 you are miles ahead of me mate... sorrry about my nonsensical irrelevant suggestion 

[Classic Brewing Co]

First of 2 brews today COOPERS BOOTMAKER PALE ALE all done & put to bed in the fridge @22c.

Haircut appointment & back home to put together COOPERS BREW A IPA

By then it will be Happy Hour 

[Tricky Micky]

6 hours ago, Popo said:

Ideally, you'd want to get pretty close to 25 litres if it's a 25 litre cube. The cube will probably take more than the 25 litres of hot wort as it expands due to the heat. I use a 15 or 20 litres cubes and fit a couple of litres extra in each of them.

You can (should) squeeze the air out by pushing in the sides before capping. Use a towel or something to insulate your hands or knees. It gets hot. Try to get all of the air out. You may find squeezing out that much air difficult if you only fill with 20 litres.

Pump it into the cube when it is still hot. If it cools before you cube it, you risk infection. 

Yep, a 25 litre cube will hold around 28 liters of fluid. I know this because I mistakenly purchased what I thought was a 20 liter cube but turned out to actually be a 25 lt one.....I supplied this to our great brewing mate @iBooz2 Al, as he'd kindly offered me his AG L's lager to ferment and try at home.....Al, had to put 28 liters of his lager nectar into that 25 liter cube....

[Tone boy]

58 minutes ago, Mickep said:

Yep, a 25 litre cube will hold around 28 liters of fluid. I know this because I mistakenly purchased what I thought was a 20 liter cube but turned out to actually be a 25 lt one.....I supplied this to our great brewing mate @iBooz2 Al, as he'd kindly offered me his AG L's lager to ferment and try at home.....Al, had to put 28 liters of his lager nectar into that 25 liter cube....

Haha well played Mick

[jennyss]

21 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

Jenny how is your brew going with the additions ?

@Classic Brewing Co, Nothing startling about my brew to photograph. Despite the additions, the krausen foam was just a little bit thicker than previously. It has died down now on Day 3. The brew has been at 20 deg night and day. Is that a bit cool for the yeast? (tin Coopers pale ale). The Galaxy hop 'tea bags' are floating on the top of the brew. The sediment looked thicker and with 'crumbly' edges, but  has settled down now. 

Checking a brew is worse than checking a real baby - in and out night and day, checking it's temperature, peering at it!

[Pezzza]

Just now, jennyss said:

@Classic Brewing Co, Nothing startling about my brew to photograph. Despite the additions, the krausen foam was just a little bit thicker than previously. It has died down now on Day 3. The brew has been at 20 deg night and day. Is that a bit cool for the yeast? (tin Coopers pale ale). The Galaxy hop 'tea bags' are floating on the top of the brew. The sediment looked thicker and with 'crumbly' edges, but  has settled down now. 

Checking a brew is worse than checking a real baby - in and out night and day, checking it's temperature, peering at it!

Not to be jumping over @Classic Brewing Co who I am sure will be able to help as well...

But my five cents worth - that all sounds very positive : )

And 20 is perfect... I sorta even like 18 for Ales a bit better... but 20 degC should be Gold!

Exciting times @jennyss JSS and hopefully a beaut brew coming up once all is done : ) 

[Classic Brewing Co]

1 hour ago, Itinerant Peasant said:

Not to be jumping over @Classic Brewing Co who I am sure will be able to help as well...

But my five cents worth - that all sounds very positive : )

And 20 is perfect... I sorta even like 18 for Ales a bit better... but 20 degC should be Gold!

Exciting times @jennyss JSS and hopefully a beaut brew coming up once all is done : ) 

Yeah I will second that, all good signs so far.

[Classic Brewing Co]

4 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

First of 2 brews today COOPERS BOOTMAKER PALE ALE all done & put to bed in the fridge @22c.

Haircut appointment & back home to put together COOPERS BREW A IPA

By then it will be Happy Hour 

I just realised in my rush to get the brew underway I actually forgot I was going to use the saved yeast from the last Pale Ale.

I have used the supplied yeast so too late now  I suppose I could use it in the BREW A IPA otherwise it will get chucked.

 

[JoeB7]

1 minute ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

I just realised in my rush to get the brew underway I actually forgot I was going to use the saved yeast from the last Pale Ale.

I have used the supplied yeast so too late now  I suppose I could use it in the BREW A IPA otherwise it will get chucked.

 

Can you not fridge it for 'Ron'

[Classic Brewing Co]

Just now, JoeB7 said:

Can you not fridge it for 'Ron'

It's been in the fridge since I saved it.

[Pezzza]

Finally got the Pilly across into the FV after the Choc was kegged... probs a little down on volume but it will be ok...down around 16 deg C so hopefully dirty cake Dubbya will fire up.  I think all us Brewers agree that evidence of Kräussen activity after pitching yeast is always cause for celebration ; )

The heat band is one I got a few years ago - from MJ - and I really think it is a cheap and nasty solution...  biggest POS I have encountered. 

I do have a nice heat pad - that is in the brew fridge - and probably should upgrade this POS - anyway a bit of a period of fiscal constraint at the moment so will battle on... 

 

Edited August 12, 2022 by Itinerant Peasant

[Classic Brewing Co]

20 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

I just realised in my rush to get the brew underway I actually forgot I was going to use the saved yeast from the last Pale Ale.

I have used the supplied yeast so too late now  I suppose I could use it in the BREW A IPA otherwise it will get chucked.

 

Another brew done

COOPERS BREW A IPA 

This time I didn't forget the yeast I saved from the last Pale Ale, it looked & smelt good so I added some wort & swirled it around & tipped it in so I hope all is going to work out as this is the first time I have bothered.

All put away with it's insulated cover in the brew room, it will be brewed at ambient as the Pale Ale is in the brew fridge.

SG was 1.050, looking forward to this one.

Cheers.

[Classic Brewing Co]

3 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

Another brew done

COOPERS BREW A IPA 

This time I didn't forget the yeast I saved from the last Pale Ale, it looked & smelt good so I added some wort & swirled it around & tipped it in so I hope all is going to work out as this is the first time I have bothered.

All put away with it's insulated cover in the brew room, it will be brewed at ambient as the Pale Ale is in the brew fridge.

SG was 1.050, looking forward to this one.

Cheers.

Update on the re-used Pale Ale yeast, I just went into the brew room & the airlock is going crazy, the brew was done at Mid day so that is a good sign, I used about 5gms of yeast nutrient as well so the synopsis is looking favourable.

I was a sceptic on re-using yeast so I may have to just keep doing it.

[Classic Brewing Co]

Well I never thought I would be promoting re-using yeast but this Brew A IPA is has been going crazy since Midday.

I am impressed, if the brew turns out I will be doing it again.

 

[Red devil 44]

Just transferred my 150 Lashes Clone from Cube to Fermenter.

Sprinkled US-05 Yeast (Fresh Packet) and what do you know fermentation has started 2 hrs after pitching.

I know it kicks off quick when rehydrated but this was dry and she’s away. 
‘Never had that happen before, temp is 19 degrees. 
OG- 1042 

[Malter White]

Extract brew mixed this morning - Coopers APA tin, BE2 and a hot steeped tea of Pride of Ringwood hops. Yeast is Coopers commercial ale yeast and has formed a small but healthy looking krausen already.