Cloudy Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Hi all. I've been nosing around this forum for the last couple of months, it's feakin' great how accessible information is these days... However some people just need to stuff things up on their own before they'll learn (me). I am struggling to get my head around the some of the chemistry that is brewing which is probably the cause of my main error. I'm fermenting Real Ale made with BE1, BE2, 2x coopers packet yeast and about 19L of water. The yeast was pitched at 29 degrees C... [innocent] I came home the following day after work and she's fermenting up through the airlock and it smells like a mixture of wine and beer. Hopefully by now you've stopped laughing. [pinched] The temp is now steady (and has been since I discovered the volcanic fermenter) at around 21 deg C and the SG is dropping. It now smells like a beer wine mixture but more beer than wine. I have realised many of the mistakes I made since starting this brew - research I should have done BEFORE not AFTER. Anyway, can this beer be saved? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Welcome to the Forum Cloudy! There may not be anything drastically wrong with it. Although 29 degrees is a high ferment temp. Just wait until it is finished, give it some time in the FV, bottle or keg it and then see how it turns out. There isn't much you can do now. Is the wine smell more of a strong alcohol smell? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloudy Posted August 6, 2012 Author Share Posted August 6, 2012 Thanks Hairy. I drew some wort out of the FV tonight and the flavour is good. SG is down to 1022 (OSG was 1064) so I expect to be able to bottle on Friday. The smell of the beer is also better. It was fruity and alcoholic which is what white wine smells like to me. Now the fruit smell is subtle with distinct malt tones and much less of an alcoholic smell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Nope, can't be saved. Send it my way and I'll dispose of it for you [whistling [whistling [whistling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrewingBenny Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Cloudy, my first brew (3 Brews ago) was a Coopers Real ale and BE2. Did the same thing pitched the kit yeast at 30ish, and fermented at 26 degrees. Tried a bottle tonight with my mate who got me into brewing who has been brewing 11 years and I don't know whether he was just being nice LOL, but he said it actually tasted pretty good. I loved it but as it's my first born i'm bias. Simple yet effective.With what little experience I have, i'm sure it will taste great, and to you even better. Happy brewing.[biggrin] [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Thanks Hairy. I drew some wort out of the FV tonight and the flavour is good. SG is down to 1022 (OSG was 1064) so I expect to be able to bottle on Friday. The smell of the beer is also better. It was fruity and alcoholic which is what white wine smells like to me. Now the fruit smell is subtle with distinct malt tones and much less of an alcoholic smell. leave it till next friday before you bottle... dont rush things mate. Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloudy Posted August 6, 2012 Author Share Posted August 6, 2012 Nope' date=' can't be saved. Send it my way and I'll dispose of it for you [whistling [whistling [whistling [/quote'] LOL leave it till next friday before you bottle... dont rush things mate. Yob Really? What if I get constantly stable SG reading? For example it was at 1024 for 5 days... This Friday makes 2 weeks in the FV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrewingBenny Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 On second thoughts Bill might be right, you may have to send it his way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 extended periods of conditioning can help clean up your fusel alcohols and other nasty byproducts of a high initial temp.. persoanlly I'd be extending this one. Most of the flavour pre-curors are made early on and from your post the temps were less than ideal. each to his own though.. Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregT5 Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Two weeks in the FV is pretty much standard for me and many others on this forum. The extra time ensures fermentation is complete & allows the yeast to do a bit of "housework" & clean up a bit after themselves. I believe it also results in a cleaner tasting beer. [cool] [biggrin] Another thing that was missed when they printed the instructions is...patience. [innocent] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregT5 Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 +1 to what Yob said so eloquently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloudy Posted August 6, 2012 Author Share Posted August 6, 2012 Thanks guys, Benny, Yob, Greg. Great information and support, much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kike Gimenez Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 As others have said. Youre probably fine with that high temp pitch. As for fermentation yes 2 weeks is usually the way to go. But it all depends in how fast it ferments, for instance i had a brew that went from 1054 to 1010 in just 3 days (S04 is a beast), then after getting a steady 1010 reading for 3 straight days I counted another week and went ahead and bottled. U dont wanna leave it too long tho, Ive read that the byproducts on the bottom might compromise the flavor of your beer if left too long with the yeast cake. Happy brewing mate! and welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien E1 Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Nope' date=' can't be saved. Send it my way and I'll dispose of it for you [whistling [whistling [whistling [/quote'] LOL leave it till next friday before you bottle... dont rush things mate. Yob Really? What if I get constantly stable SG reading? For example it was at 1024 for 5 days... This Friday makes 2 weeks in the FV. Most people here bottle at about two weeks for ales. Basically a week for full fermentation then a week for the beer to settle, clear and for the yeast to clean up any byproducts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 ...3 weeks if you add the week of cold conditioning [rightful] [whistling [w00t] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 I was just reading on the Recipe forum that Chad left his last brew in primary for 7 weeks [alien] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 I was just reading on the Recipe forum that Chad left his last brew in primary for 7 weeks [alien] Chad racked to a glass carboy so it was probably off the yeast cake in secondary for most of that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloudy Posted August 10, 2012 Author Share Posted August 10, 2012 ...3 weeks if you add the week of cold conditioning [rightful] [whistling [w00t] How cold? If I turn off my heating the FV will sit at about 12 deg C. Today marks two weeks in the FV. SG is stable, brew is very clear. Leave it another week? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 I don't think it is worth crash chilling if you can't get your beer below 5 degrees. It will take too long to clear. Just bottle it and it will clear further in the bottle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.