DenisM Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 The water in my airlock has moved and is now only in one side of the airlock, I've only just begun to brew and I'm wondering if this is normal? Grateful for any help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeonardC2 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 That usually means you've got a good ferment going. It may not bubble,it may bubble a lot. It may not bubble at all. But,if you see foam on top of the fermenting beer,& after a few days,see a krausen ring around the top,you're good to go. Don't set too much store in the airlock,it's mainly just a check valve to keep the air off the fermenting wort so it doesn't spoil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DenisM Posted February 23, 2011 Author Share Posted February 23, 2011 Phew! Thanks Leonard, much appreciated, happy brewing to you!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 You are best ignoring the airlock Denis. The CO2 has a habit of finding other ways out (through the lid which may not have a perfect seal - which isn't a problem by the way). Look for the sign Leonard mentioned. Condensation on the lid and lowering gravity are also signs of fermentation. As for airlocks, a lot of us don't even bother with them and prefer to do away with the lid and airlock in favour of a big of glad/cling wrap secured with the o-ring from the lid. Makes things a lot easier - You can see in the top, you can move the fermentor or take a sample without worrying about sucking water through the airlock. Here's one I prepared earlier [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kearnage Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 You just posted that photo so we all had to look at your undie strap again, didn't you Muddy? Thanks mate, great start to the day. [sick] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Hey! I could've posted myself wearing my undies...That would have ruined your whole week (and would probably break the internet [biggrin] ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weggl Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 How could you post a photo of yourself in you undies, when the strap to hold them up in on the bloody fermenter? The photo would get a very fast exit by the moderator. Does the writing on the strap say "Girlstofit"? Dennis, apart from that slight digresion, Muddy is right, get rid of the air lock. I bought a Coopers fernemter with a bugger of a seal. I had to screw the lid on so tight with a special tool i made, which made it work ok, but I then spent much frustrating time trying to get the bloody thing off. GO GLADWRAP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DenisM Posted February 24, 2011 Author Share Posted February 24, 2011 Thanks for your help lads, I think I'll go with the glad wrap for the next brew cos the wife is complaining about the noisy bubbling and the smell in the room (which I think is great!) Oh bring on the beer!!! [biggrin] Denis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weggl Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Denis, So she\u2019s complaining, what\u2019s new? Ther'e built to complain; it\u2019s their way of training us. You see they are built to be mothers and this brings with it a vocal constant commanding attitude, they can\u2019t help it. What you have to do is send her out for retraining, retraining in what blokes like. It may well be training in the acceptance of air locks bubbling, beer smells or the flap, flap, flap of Gladwrap. It seems Muddy\u2019s wife had an aversion to the bubbling of the air locks, but he was very smart he went to Gladwrap, problem solved. I on the other hand am fortunate in as much as I have a cellar, and her indoors never come down there, this saved me the expense of the retraining program. When I venture inside, well that is another story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty A Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I must have gotten real lucky then weggl, my SWMBO brings me home cans and sugars so I can try my next brew. But the best bit isnstill to come, she doesn't drink it but really supports me home brewing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DenisM Posted February 26, 2011 Author Share Posted February 26, 2011 Retraining eh? that sounds like a good idea, I've been looking in the directory to see if there are any fermenter cleaning classes I can send her to........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeonardC2 Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 While we're still on the subject of airlocks,I wanted to relate my latest experiences with them. I replaced the kit airlock with the "cup" style one (only description I could think of),which,after reading the lil cap,was from a wine makers' supply. Hey,whatever. I'd gone out to the store to get a few groceries (& some more paulaner salvator doppl bock,hefeweizen). I came back & went into the computer room where my fermenter is to put something away,& the airlock suddenly went off like a short burst from a machine pistol. Nice thing to see,since for a few days,I was hearing the plastic creaking from the krausen pushing against the inside of the lid. Why the airlock didn't torpedo the ceiling is anyone's guess! Today,it looks like the krausen is dying down. Hard to tell,since the inside of the lid is covered with light brown krausen. I'll tell you guys,these Cooper's fermenters can take some serious pressure! I can still just barely squeeze the sides after having pitched last Monday evening![love] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 I can still just barely squeeze the sides after having pitched last Monday evening![love] Squeezing the sides[unsure] ...be honest with us Leonard. You're hugging your fermentor aren't you? [lol] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregT5 Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 It's OK Leonard, just use the excuse you are exercising prudent temperature control...your ferment temp was getting low...[cool] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 [lol] Yeah, gotta warm this baby up [love] ....ooohh yeah.....so what's a nice fermentor like you doing in a cold place like this [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weggl Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Hugging a fermenter? There's nothing wrong with that!!! Unless it's got an undies strap!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weggl Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 As you can see Denis, from Maty's post his wife does it right? She obviously has been on the re-training program. It is difficult for us older blokes like Muddy and myself to put an old head on young shoulders. But still we try. Maybe one day we will have a breakthrough. Just one would suffice. To show the great gulf that exists between men and women. We know that you young fellas are going through a period in your life where the only things that has any bearing on your life is beer and the other thing. But there is more to life and one day we hope (that is Muddy and myself) that you will come to this realization. You will all go through many trials and tribulations on the way to becoming, becoming like Muddy and myself. Men who have made it. Men who have experienced the ravages of time, men who have taken all life can through at us and come out the other side, stronger then when we went in. So this is your quest, a quest to be like us. Men who know the difference between Gladwrap and an airlock. Men who know the difference between a PLASTIC HYDROMETER and a Glass Hydrometer. Men who know the difference between Stout and Canadian Blond. So hang on chaps and you will all make it. Warren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty A Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 What happens if I have a plastic hydrometer, love the taste of stout ( and IPAs as well) all at the age of 22 years old. Does that mean I am aging quickly. Oh by the way I have no idea where my fermenter lid is and the airlock is a perfect replacement for a book to sit the fermenter up at the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregT5 Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 No Matty, having a plastic hydrometer doesn't mean you are aging quickly...but it does mean your hydrometer has a good chance of bouncing rather than breaking[biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weggl Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 Matty, No you are not ageing, you are just a young man with experience well beyond your tender young age. First up you have your wife well trained, something that takes many men years to get to where you are, some never ever get there. Secondly you have come to the understanding of the uselessness of air locks (thanks to Muddy\u2019s guidance) and thirdly Your taste in beer is also well beyond your age group seeing you have developed the taste for stout and IPA, REMARKABLE!! I see many your age swilling on bottles of the Mexican stuff with a slice of Lime stuck in the neck. These creatures have no taste for beer; rather they have joined the \u201cgirls club\u201d drinking lily livered pale stuff that has to be flavored with lime to make it palatable. The mind boggles, just another indication of where this world is heading. We even have the \u201cgirls club\u201d in charge of Qld, Nsw, and Australia. So I am encouraging all men who like a good head to stand up and be counted. Will stop now before I get wound up. [rightful] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 [lol] Yeah, we don't want you to get wound up mate...or is it too late [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weggl Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 I think so[rightful] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DenisM Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share Posted March 1, 2011 Gentlemen, I would like to say that this middle aged man is maturing nicely and my grandaughter thinks my fermenter (with airlock) is a spaceship of some sort. Speaking of spaceships, I think I might have a problem here (or else a newbie panic attack). My SG was 1040, today's the 7th day and its now at 1016. The Coopers manual reckons I should have been ready to bottle by now. The brew's been at a fairly constant 26c and I've made sure everything was spick and span. It tastes great, so I'm wondering if the Coopers manual that came with the kit is just a guide only? Can it take longer than 7 days to brew Canadian Blonde? Should I relax and be patient? Should I trust the government? Will I ever have my beer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty A Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Sorry to hear that you are wound up, you would love the bowling club I go to Warren, full of homebrewers that love good beer. Just trust your hydrometer, take the reading tomorrow and if it is still 1016 its probably ready to bottle. You could always leave it in the fermenter to clear up a little bit [innocent] It can take longer then 7 days to brew any beer depending on temperatures, the health of the yeast and some other things. I am assuming you used BE1 for it and I would have been expecting 1014 for the FG so just leave it sit another couple of days and take another reading and see if it is the same. Remember it won't harm your beer to leave it in the fermenter another couple of days, infact it will make it better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Eh!L Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 matty, stout/IPA + homebrewing + bowling club = 65. not 22[rightful] i thought i was a young guy on this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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