Fermentation Time

Benno · Post by **Benno** » Saturday Dec 17, 2005 2:01 pm

I have recently started brewing my own beer. The first 2 took 7 days, no problems (tooheys draught & coopers pale ale). The third took 13 days and still had bubbles and head (cascade draught). Is this normal????

vitalogy · Post by **vitalogy** » Saturday Dec 17, 2005 2:19 pm

Did you do the Cascade Draught at a lower temperature and/or did you add more fermentables?

Benno · Post by **Benno** » Saturday Dec 17, 2005 2:27 pm

temp was around 20c all the time, used the kit and 1kg dex nothing else

vitalogy · Post by **vitalogy** » Saturday Dec 17, 2005 2:34 pm

Well those are the only two obvious things I can think of, sorry

I've only done a handful of brews myself, but the longest has been 8 days.

I'm sure some of the more knowledgable folks around here might be able to help out, but I'm sure it's nothing to worry about.

db · Post by db » Saturday Dec 17, 2005 6:23 pm

13 days is ok.. all should be well

from the 2 i've done suspect the cascade yeast is lager yeast.

this is from their website:

"With my Cascade Bohemian Yeast, the fermentation is a little slower, more measured, and predictable and produces the clean-tasting beers that many home brewers seek."

http://www.cascadehomebrew.com.au/faq/default.asp

501 · Post by **501** » Saturday Dec 17, 2005 7:53 pm

db did you find the spicy ghost draught to be a crap beer with the supplied yeast ??

the first one I did is not impressive.
The missus thought it looked like a nice gift -
should I perhaps try safale ??

cheers 501

normell · Post by **normell** » Sunday Dec 18, 2005 6:49 am

501 wrote:db did you find the spicy ghost draught to be a crap beer with the supplied yeast ??

the first one I did is not impressive.
The missus thought it looked like a nice gift -
should I perhaps try safale ??

cheers 501

The supplied yeast is a lager yeast, BUT only7g, so if ferminting at ale temps, should be fine, so if you plan to ferm at lager temps, use 2 packs of yeast for a better result

normell

undercover1 · Post by **undercover1** » Sunday Dec 18, 2005 1:12 pm

Benno wrote:I have recently started brewing my own beer. The first 2 took 7 days, no problems (tooheys draught & coopers pale ale). The third took 13 days and still had bubbles and head (cascade draught). Is this normal????

Benno, the time spent in primary is not the best way to gauge whether the beer is brewed. Heads will fall or stay, some will stay in part. Do you use a hydrometer as well?

501 · Post by **501** » Monday Dec 19, 2005 11:40 am

normell,
the first one I brewed using the 'bavarian' yeast smelt like sulphury crap at ale temps.
2 months later it don't taste too good either?
i am able to get it down to about 19-20 minimum up here.

there are many posts here and elsewhere bagging this and other Cascade products.

For Example, wytf would you make a kit that required extra yeast to brew to it's intended (lagerish) nature ?

crappy.

cheers
501

db · Post by db » Monday Dec 19, 2005 12:27 pm

501 wrote:db did you find the spicy ghost draught to be a crap beer with the supplied yeast ??

the first one I did is not impressive.
The missus thought it looked like a nice gift -
should I perhaps try safale ??

cheers 501

sol, no i wasn't impressed with either.. both had some bad aroma's going on (sulphurous & burnt rubbery) which i put down to brewing with a lager yeast in hotter weather (+20).. on their website they say the smell will decrease with aging, but mine didnt. if i was to try one again i'd use either an ale yeast or brew it in winter.

& if it is a lager yeast i'd agree with Normell & pitch 2 packs

Benno · Post by **Benno** » Monday Dec 19, 2005 1:03 pm

yes I use a hydrometer as well, it showed a constant reading of 1006 for 2 days, when I bottled it however there was still bubbles and some head which is why I was a little confused. Hydrometer says one thing and my eys see another, that is bubbles so still some fermentation.

MHD · Post by **MHD** » Monday Dec 19, 2005 1:10 pm

The beer I put down yesterday had a big head...

even after fermentation there can still be CO2 in solution...

undercover1 · Post by **undercover1** » Monday Dec 19, 2005 2:58 pm

Benno, visible bubbles are CO2, and are a product of fermentation, as well as a sign that it is going on.

Think about it for a sec- a stubby of VB is dead, inert, all the yeast has been taken out of it. It's not fermenting any more. But the CO2 remains, and can be seen as bubbles.

The beer you are making yourself has a small amount live yeast in it when bottled, and will continue to ferment even after you bottle, while "bottle conditioning". You get bubbles while the brew is actively fermenting, and the CO2 that makes them will stay (usually in solution) after all fermenting is over.

MHD, I would hope you beers have CO2 in them "even after fermentation", unless you like flat brews.

The one thing you won't see is bubbles without fermentation.

Benno · Post by **Benno** » Monday Dec 19, 2005 5:12 pm

so iu take it it is ok to have bubbles after the first stage of frementation?. I do like co2 in my beer, just thought that was the purpost of sugar in second stage.
thanks

501 · Post by **501** » Tuesday Dec 20, 2005 4:26 pm

thanks DB,
I swapped that evil thing for a can of morgans blue mountain lager.

the last to newbie brews with it were pretty tasty.

Post by **Oliver** » Thursday Dec 22, 2005 10:44 pm

Benno,

I concur with what undercover1 says.

If you think that it was still fermenting because it was bubbling ever so slowly, it was probably done. But a hydrometer is the only way to tell.

By the way, interesting name, Benno. The only other time I've heard it is my great-uncle's middle name (see http://www.brjazz.com)

Oliver

homebrewandbeer.com

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