homebrewandbeer.com

Hi,
I have just started home brewing, first on is under way, after discovering I must of killed the first lot of yeast, I added another packet.
The brew is well under way, froth covering the top, inside the lid is covered with condensation, but no airlock action, after reading through the forums, I have discovered how to test when the brew is finished using the hydrometer.
My question is that I am gathering there must be a leak somewhere, does anyone know if there is a way to find out where it is leaking from??
Any help would be greatful.
Thanks

P.S What is the best method to keeping you brew at one temp throughout the whole furmenting process, do you need a thermostat, I have a belt heater and need to turn it on and off all the time, but throughout the night I leave it on and it seem a litle too hot in the morning.

There should be plenty of available info about this.

Don't worry - airlock contributes nothing to your beer taste - a good-enough seal is OK even if there are no bubbles - I just let them brew for 2 or 3 weeks and trust that they are OK - can't be bothered with a hydrometer until I do AG.

If you think you desperately need it, take the lid off carefully and maybe temporarily cover the thing in gladwrap. Work the seal back out the lid and wet it. Put it back in evenly with as equal tension as you can. I work on opposite sides, and keep halving the longest bits sticking out, so halves, then quarters, then eighths etc.

Check the seal on the grommet - my coopers fermenter both had a chip out of the lid where the hole is drilled, and the supplied airlock has a ridge along the plastic seam, which I had to file down to get a positive seal. Both of these things stopped it sealing easily.

I hope your first brew goes well. Remember to let it age a while before you get stuck in, or you might be scared to brew again.

Dan

Again, plenty of available info here.

Assuming you are brewing an ale, which is most kits, keep it at 18 degrees, or at least below 20...

"Simple things that make HB better" answers all your questions.
http://homebrewandbeer.com/forum/viewto ... f=2&t=1966

Bizier wrote: - can't be bothered with a hydrometer until I do AG.

honestly I think the hydrometer is one of the most important pieces of equipment for a brewer, even leaving the brew for 3 weeks doesn't tell you its finnished. You may end up with a stuck ferment and bottle when you shouldn't

homebrewer79 wrote:honestly I think the hydrometer is one of the most important pieces of equipment for a brewer, even leaving the brew for 3 weeks doesn't tell you its finnished. You may end up with a stuck ferment and bottle when you shouldn't

Fair call, but I have been going ok. I figure I am ok if I provide decent fermentation conditions. I will be going AG - perhaps after using the 20kg of LDME I have at home. If I have a disaster in that time, I owe you a beer.

Dan

Bizier wrote:Again, plenty of available info here.

Assuming you are brewing an ale, which is most kits, keep it at 18 degrees, or at least below 20...

"Simple things that make HB better" answers all your questions.
http://homebrewandbeer.com/forum/viewto ... f=2&t=1966

Any sugestions to keeping it at a stable temp. I have a belt heater and it seems to get too hot if I leave it on all the time. I left it on all night the other night as it was cold, and woke up anfd brew was up tp 28.

Yep, try sticking a timer on the fermenter belt. I set mine with 15 minutes on, 45 minutes off per hour throughout the fermentation of my last few cold weather ales, and was able to maintain a steady 18 degrees throughout winter.

As we are coming into spring, you may find that the heater is unnecessary... I've got 23l of a SNPA clone in my fermenter at the monent, and it's holding steady at 19 degrees without any external heat source. Generally, I've only found it necessary to warm my fermenter in the middle of winter, as otherwise spring and autumn temperatures are ideal for most of my ales. Cold weather is also a good time to try brewing lagers, which you can't brew too well above 15 degrees...

Lachy wrote:Yep, try sticking a timer on the fermenter belt. I set mine with 15 minutes on, 45 minutes off per hour throughout the fermentation of my last few cold weather ales, and was able to maintain a steady 18 degrees throughout winter.

Thanks , I will get a timer tomorrow and try the 15min to 45 min ratio and see how I go.
I am finding if I dont put the heater on at night it drops to around 14 degrees.

I am doing a Nut Brown ale, I have had quite a varience in the temp, as this is my first brew and learning very quickly, Will the variences 28 degrees to 14 degrees affect the taste of my beer??

Thanks again all this help and advice is awesome.

14 degrees wouldn't be too bad for the yeast. I've actually had an ale fermenting as low as 12 degrees, and although it took a month for the FG to stabilise, the end result was certainly a very nice drop. Any colder than that and you may run into difficulties. Personally, I'd avoid heating the beer at all if possible, and just give it a little longer in the fermenter.

Generally, a cool, but stable temperature is going to give you a better result than one that jumps around or is really high. Fermenting a beer at 28 degrees is definitely on the hot side, and you may find you get some esters appearing in your beer. The result may smell a bit fruity or taste a little cidery, however I'm sure it will still be quite drinkable. Also, keep in mind even if the first few bottles taste a bit odd, quite often flaws will sort themselves out with a couple of months of storage in a cool dark place. I've had quite a few beers that started off badly, but were superb after 4-5 months in the bottle.

Bizier wrote:Fair call, but I have been going ok. I figure I am ok if I provide decent fermentation conditions. I will be going AG - perhaps after using the 20kg of LDME I have at home. If I have a disaster in that time, I owe you a beer.

I'm sure you know your conditions and yeast prep well enough to do without a hydrometer, I just thought that Robbo05 is new to brewing and it wouldn't be good pratice for a new brewer to wing it when it comes to bottling time. I'm sure you wont have a disaster but if you do I'll remember that you owe me a beer

My brew seems to of finished.
After the second lot of yeast got it going its been going for 7 days now, the foam on top and all condsation on the lid has gone, I still had no airlock action. From what I have read this doesnt matter.
I have take a reading with my hydrometer this morning and its 1016, It started at 1049.
Do I need to wait another few day to take another reading to see if its the same or can I do it in one day?? So I can tell if its finished or not yet.

Wait for 2 identical readings that are 2 days apart, then I suggest give it extra time just to be sure. I am sure that if the wort was at 28 it would have accelerated fermentation, but unless you are absolutely desperate, give it time.

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter1-2.html
See point 4

Good luck, and let us know how it tastes.

Thanks Bizier.
Im in no rush, I just want good tasting beer. I will leave for a little while longer.

Thanks again