New to forum and Brewing

[Guest]

Hey people,

New to all of this,

I've done 3 brews, my third one currently on the go is a Stout. Firstly i filled it up to much and i had the brew coming up & out the airlock, it settled down after a day.
Now it has almost completley stop bubbling through the airlock (about once every 10 min). It has only been going for 4 days.

Is this still ok. What sort of time does it usually take to brew. I've got 2 different times. One says 4-6 days the other says 10-12 days.

Cheers
Stray

[mafman]

4-6 days is about right for an ale-type beer, whilst lagers (using true lager yeast) and at a lower temperature can take 10-12 days. Sounds like all is going well....to ensure fementation has completed make sure you get the same FG reading over 24-48 hours. Good luck!!

[two headed brewer]

Stray,
don't be too eager to get it into the bottle. Be patient and check that the fermentation has complete, as per Mafman's comments. A couple of my first brews were bottled too early and I ended up with over gassed beers. Given the same brew ingredients (including yeast), each time this is brewed the result will be different due to the temp variations, unless you have complete control over the brewing temp.
Over recent times I've been using a fridge to maintain a constant temp when using a lager yeast. This makes a huge improved clarity and a crisper flavour. Fridge cost me $10 and a timer (digital) $20, so the cost was minimal. Not perfect control but an improvement and cost effective. Obviously, this will affect the brewing time which points back to Mafman's comments on checking FG.

Using the fridge and timer in the height of summer, depending on your location, would ensure that your ales don't brew at too high a temp.

You'll read lots of advice from all of us know-alls, but learning comes from doing - so get into it and you'll soon work out what suits your taste buds!

[Oliver]

Hi Stray,

Welcome.

If you do a search for the words finished, fermenting and days you'll come up with plenty of previous threads on the subject.

If they don't answer your queries, please let us know.

Cheers,

Oliver

[Stray59]

Thanks lads,

With regard to temperature. I got a heater, that you place in the brew and it brews it at about 26 degress throughout the fermenting period. Is this what i do to each brew.

Cheers
Stray

[Hrundi V Bakshi]

Thanks lads,

With regard to temperature. I got a heater, that you place in the brew and it brews it at about 26 degress throughout the fermenting period. Is this what i do to each brew.

Cheers
Stray

No! Way too hot, WAAAAAAYYYYYY too hot.
18-22 is good.
Wait for yeast to drop clear from beer (about day 10) then bottle.
Too hot a fermentation produces "fruity" tastes. Too short a time in the fermenter creates yeasty beer.

[Stray59]

Ahhh to hot,

So would i brew with the heater in and just cool it from the outside, maybe ice or sitting in cool water.

Cheers
Stray

[mafman]

Stray,
You shouldn't need the heater at all really...depending on where you are. In the fementation process yeast generates it's own heat....you may still need to manage the temperature depending on where you brew (ie uninsulated garage, under the house etc.)...on a cool night you could use the heater but sometimes all you need is a thick blanket wrapped around the fermenter....and as Hrundi said 18-22C is ideal.

[Oliver]

Stray,

I agree with all that's been said.

But to recap:

Keep your ales at 18-20C.

If the temp is variable (like in a shed) wrap in a blanket so you don't get the extremes of temperature at night and during the day.

With lagers 12C-15C is ideal.

(Bear in mind that many "lager" kits come with an ale yeast, not a lager yeast, so be sure before you try this. Do a search on the forum and you'll find lots of info.)

I time my brewing so that I don't need a heater. Brew lagers in the cool of winter, and ales in spring and autumn. Summer's just too darn hot in Melbourne to brew.

Cheers,

Oliver

[grabman]

. Summer's just too darn hot in Melbourne to brew.r

try brewing in Perth in summer or maybe go and join Ross in The Alice for a warm brew time!

[Clintsc9]

Here in sunny Qld, it is mostly above ideal brewing temperature, so I usually set the fermenter in a large container of water, with a cloth wrapping it. I also dug up a small submersible pump and run water to the top. An open window nearby lets in fresh air to evaporate the water. It usually goes through a couple of buckets of water per brew, but keeps the temp down to around 24C when ambient is over 30C.
I've been brewing mostly 'heavier' beers over summer but will try the lighter ales and largers during winter. I only started this great passtime last October and am currently on my 15th brew.