oskarh Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Hello! i Bought the DIY coopers and made the batch of Lager beer wich was included in the package! Im on day 6 now. But the beer dose not taste espacially much just a little bit of beer but not cidery vineagry or whatever :P and it looks "muddy" i have no idead is this normal? Also theres brownish "puddles" this might also be normal? The smell is a mixture of alcohol /yeast / beer i guess :) Ive attached some pictures what do u guys think is there some problem with my brew :)? If it looks normal will it taste ALOT better after the second fermentation? Thanks alot from sweden! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyG4 Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 you would've been better off coming to the forum before brewing brother ;) more information is needed, namely: - what temperature did you brew at? - were you taking hydrometer readings? in my limited experience it just sounds like you were impatient and it hasn't finished fermenting, but people will give you a better idea when you give more details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Hey Oskarh, I don't have the best graphics on the computer I am using but it looks pretty normal to me. You often get floaty scummy looking stuff (the technical term) on top of the brew. It will clear up with some extra time in the fermenter; otherwise it will clear up in the bottle. If it tastes OK then it is unlikely to be infected. I had an infected batch once it is was disgusting. Also, if your brew is the Lager with BE1 then it won't taste exciting. It will be fairly plain/bland but drinkable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 put the lid back on!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Nice one, Yob [biggrin] I hope he reads your post soon, the lid has already been off for 6 hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Eh!L Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Sounds like the OS Lager kit to me![biggrin] [devil] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Hull Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Oskarh. After you have put the lid back on, watch the video again and read through the FAQs. You need patience so that will stop you worrying about it. [innocent] Once you have done that, post your questions on here. [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oskarh Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 hahaha lid is on again :D hydometer reding: (day2 1036) (day3 1027) (day4 1013) (day5 1012) (day6 1011) and today day 7 back to 1012 again and after 5 minutes it floats up to 1015 :S. Since im using a wood boiler to heat my home the temprature indoors ranges a bit from 19-22.5. I think today it tasted somewhat better not as yeasty but still dont taste so much beer hehe. should i wait a couple of more days to bottle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamH1525226084 Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Oskarh, you don't want to bottle until fermentation is definitely finished. This is indicated by the hydrometer - when the reading is the same over two days. If you bottle while fermentation is still going you will end up with beer all over your house. The Yoda's on here (the guys that know all and teach us Padawan's) will tell you to leave it for another 5-7 days before you bottle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossil Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 If you take a hydrometer reading everyday, you'll have no beer left to bottle by the time it is actually ready [lol] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 hahaha lid is on again :D hydometer reding: (day2 1036) (day3 1027) (day4 1013) (day5 1012) (day6 1011) and today day 7 back to 1012 again and after 5 minutes it floats up to 1015 :S. Since im using a wood boiler to heat my home the temprature indoors ranges a bit from 19-22.5. I think today it tasted somewhat better not as yeasty but still dont taste so much beer hehe. should i wait a couple of more days to bottle? You are not taking a correct reading. Unless you added some more sugars to your brew then there is no way that your gavity reading will go back up! I suggest doing the following: 1/ Take 1/2-2/3 a tube full and chuck it. 2/ 2/3 fill your tube and put the hydrometer in it. 3/ leave it for about 15-20 minutes. 4/ spin the hydrometer and tap it to the bottom to dislodge any remaining bubbles from it. 5/ Always take your reading from the meniscus. If bubbles are clinging to the side then it will elevate the hydrometer giving you an incorrect reading. Cheers [rightful] EDIT: and no need to take a reading daily. Take one before pitching the yeast then one on day 7 and another a day or 2 later. I very rarely take anymore than 3 readings. PS, drink your samples when finished reading them. This will give you an indication what the beer will be like and if there are any problems rising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien E1 Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Have you tested your hydrometer in plain water? sounds like it might be off, it should read 1.000 in water at 20 degrees. The beer itself sounds like it's brewing fine, but the recipe that comes with the kit is pretty bland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oskarh Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 yes it seems like it might be my hydrometer, it shows 995 in plain water :( first it was the tap that was leeking and now my hydrometer is bad :( Thanks everyone for answering! i did the hydrometer process that u wrote billK and the hydrometer reading is now 1009! ill try again tomorrow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffH1 Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 The easy thing to do with the hydrometer, since it reads 005 low with plain water, is to just subtract 005 from all your readings. Of course, you could get another hydrometer if you wanted. Patience will be rewarded in homebrewing. After you bottle, you should wait the minimum recommended 2 weeks before even trying your brew. Expect it to be MUCH better after a month or two. For me, this wait is nothing. I'm a wine maker and 2,3,4 or even more YEARS of waiting is common[surprised Your yeast knows what to do, just give it some time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamH1525226084 Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 It may not necessarily be the hydro - differences in the water could make the readings slightly different. I don't know how Coopers get their hyrdo's to work properly considering what Adeliade water is like [lol] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewtownClown Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 [love] Love my refractometer [love] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Regardless of whether you tested in water or not or your hydrometer is out or not is irrelevant. The fact remains and the outcome will still be the same result. i.e. your gravity will not rise unless you have added something else to your brew. Therefore regardless whether your hydrometer is out by upteen points it should still go down as fermention continues. My hydrometer is out a little but I dont worry about it anymore.... here is an example. Let's pretend your hydrometer is out by .005 and the hydrometer reads: OG = 1048 FG = 1010 use the formula (OG-FG)/7.46 to get ABV% = 1048-1010/7.46 = 5.0938337% (5.1%) Now reading with the .005 adjustment: OG = 1043 FG = 1005 = 1043-1005/7.46 = 5.0938337% (5.1%) Therefore, your ABV will still be correct whether your hydrometer is out or not. Too many people are happy to blame the Hydrometer. however, if you don't know how to take a correct reading then regardless of the condition of the hydrometer you will never be right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien E1 Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Regardless of whether you tested in water or not or your hydrometer is out or not is irrelevant. The fact remains and the outcome will still be the same result. i.e. your gravity will not rise unless you have added something else to your brew. Therefore regardless whether your hydrometer is out by upteen points it should still go down as fermention continues. My hydrometer is out a little but I dont worry about it anymore.... here is an example. Let's pretend your hydrometer is out by .005 and the hydrometer reads: OG = 1048 FG = 1010 use the formula (OG-FG)/7.46 to get ABV% = 1048-1010/7.46 = 5.0938337% (5.1%) Now reading with the .005 adjustment: OG = 1043 FG = 1005 = 1043-1005/7.46 = 5.0938337% (5.1%) Therefore, your ABV will still be correct whether your hydrometer is out or not. Too many people are happy to blame the Hydrometer. however, if you don't know how to take a correct reading then regardless of the condition of the hydrometer you will never be right. That assumes your 0.05 mistake is consistent across the entire scale. It may not actually be the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 That assumes your 0.05 mistake is consistent across the entire scale. It may not actually be the case. how so? if it's out by a certain number, whatever it is, it's out by a certain number... Please explain your irrational thinking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 I think his irrational thinking is caused by too much home brew yob [lol] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien E1 Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 That assumes your 0.05 mistake is consistent across the entire scale. It may not actually be the case. how so? if it's out by a certain number, whatever it is, it's out by a certain number... Please explain your irrational thinking? Well, it could have a fault in it that causes it to be, say, .05 out at 1000 but .1 out at 1040 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffH1 Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 I certainly agree that KNOWING how to use a hydrometer is important. Readings DO NOT go up with fermenting. Most likely there were some bubbles on the hydrometer. Anyhow, testing of a hydrometer for correctness is actually done using distilled water at 20C. Any other water or temperature may not be acurate. As far as I've ever been taught, if a hydrometer is off by any number....it is off that number all the time at any reading...IF the temperature stays constant. As always, 2 variables make 2 variations[lol] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien E1 Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 I certainly agree that KNOWING how to use a hydrometer is important. Readings DO NOT go up with fermenting. Most likely there were some bubbles on the hydrometer. Anyhow, testing of a hydrometer for correctness is actually done using distilled water at 20C. Any other water or temperature may not be acurate. As far as I've ever been taught, if a hydrometer is off by any number....it is off that number all the time at any reading...IF the temperature stays constant. As always, 2 variables make 2 variations[lol] Yes, but if the error is caused by, say, a tiny hole in the hydrometer, the errors could fluctuate wildly over time. If it's just bad weighting or calibration, of course it will be consistently off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffH1 Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 [quote=Damien E1 Yes, but if the error is caused by, say, a tiny hole in the hydrometer, the errors could fluctuate wildly over time. If it's just bad weighting or calibration, of course it will be consistently off. Agreed. You are correct. I once had a hydrometer that was reading too low that seemed to be getting worse. Upon a close inspection, I found a tiny crack in the base that was slowly alowing liquid to get inside throwing off any measurements. Dang, now you added a third variable,[biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
***** Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Yes, but if the error is caused by, say, a tiny hole in the hydrometer You are far more likely to encounter a weighting problem with a new Hydro. I suggest they are all designed to read low to enable calibration. I calibrated mine by cutting small pieces off the red tip. If they read high you are pretty much stuck. A hole in the hydrometer would cause variable readings in the same sample, ie. the float level will change with the ingress of water & expel of air. Most likely higher subsequent readings are a result of not degassing the sample, if you doubt this try degassing every sample, leaving your hydro in the sample for extended periods and getting a feel for the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.