BenM Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 we mixed up a brew that's intended to finish up something like coopers best extra stout. i've just finished mixing it & i have a wet towel over the top of the fermenter in place of an airlock. is this the best way to deal with blow off's or is it wiser to use cling wrap? if cling wrap's the go, then how exactly do u apply it? do u need to put holes in it? all feedback's appreciated:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 G'day BenM, what is your recipe and what is the current temp? Sounds like you may have a couple of issues here - temp control and controlling the foam. The idea with clingwrap is to fit it instead of the lid. Tear a good sized sheet of film off the roll and place over the open fermenting tub. Use the O-ring out of the lid as a big rubber band and stretch it over the clingwrap to seal, tight as a drum. Put a pinhole in the wrap then sit back and watch the show. If the foam bulges up and makes a mess of the clingwrap, simply replace it with a fresh sheet once the foam has collapsed back into the brew. You will find some temp control ideas here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 If you can get it, use EXTRA WIDE cling wrap. A few bulk stores like Superior foods have the wide stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 I've never been able to find the extra wide stuff but I've stopped looking now as the regular glad wrap is pretty fool proof to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossm Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Just for interest sake, I have a 60l fermenter which has a larger hole in it, I used to use two bits of cling wrap and always had trouble getting it on without it ending up a tangled mess, I got a roll of the shrink wrap they use for wrapping pallets.... about $25 but should last you a lifetime...I actually bought it to wrap switchboards and stuff when I cart them out bush, but the remainder of the roll lives in the brew room! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenM Posted February 15, 2010 Author Share Posted February 15, 2010 well, the recipe we tried is the one posted last wk being: - 1 tin coopers dark ale - 1 tin coopers stout - 1 kg dextrose - both satchels of yeast - made to 23 litres sounds great! the wort was about 23.c when the yeast was pitched, & i think the best i will be able to do is keep the temp. around 25/26.c with the fermenter sitting half in a tub of water with a towel around it and a fan blowing on it. the cling wrap over the top with a hole in it is working a treat:)! - cheers! ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 That recipe makes an great beer! At that temp' you might struggle to keep the foam in check. Don't be too worried if you lose a bit of foam. Just make sure to get a new piece of clingwrap on once the foam has collapsed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenM Posted February 15, 2010 Author Share Posted February 15, 2010 24 hrs into it & i can't wait to taste it already! smells great! the missus isnt home today so the fermenter is in front of the air-con in the lounge 'till about 5mins before she gets home from work. I'm kicking myself for not starting home brewing earlier, much earlier. I would have saved thousands :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Now I'm worried!! High krausen (foaming) normally occurs around 36 to 48hrs so you might come home to a mess - I hope you have it sitting on something that can be cleaned easily or doesn't matter if it's soiled?? Have a look at the homebrew Twitter page. The background image is a RIS making an escape for it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenM Posted February 15, 2010 Author Share Posted February 15, 2010 30 hrs & The volcano effect seems to be subsiding now. I'm guessing it was because of the higher than usual temp the fermenter started frothing up earlier. Everything else is bonza! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenM Posted February 21, 2010 Author Share Posted February 21, 2010 It's been 7 days. The og was 1060 & it has evened out at 1012 to make it approx 6.9% :) even had a little taste when I bottled it this morn & wasn't disappointed with my little preview of what it should end up like. I'm going to crack one after 2wks but I'll try n save most of them for a cold winters night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 1012 sounds about right - as long as you got steady SG readings over a couple of days?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Divey Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 30 hrs & The volcano effect seems to be subsiding now. I'm guessing it was because of the higher than usual temp the fermenter started frothing up earlier. Everything else is bonza! Ben, wait till you use a true Hefeweizen Yeast. You will be in for a big surprise. So much so that I went to the trouble of fermenting a 25 litre new in a sixty litre fermenter so the krausen would not come out to get me!! It's a nightmare! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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