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Contents of first fermentation bucket
My first go at brewing and I'm on my 6th day in the fermentation bucket, seems to be bubbling away etc but I had a look inside and theres lots of bits on the top and clusters of bubbles/scum...is this normal or should it be clear at the top and all the solid mash stuff down on the bottom?Although I stirred until everything had mixed I fear I did't do it long enough.Any advice etc would greatly be received!Cheers
Responses
Posted 1 year ago by Member
It sounds like the yeast working away on the surface - totally normal.
Fermenting: Damson pale
Conditioning: Morello Cherry Lambic 2
Drinking: Schneider Weisse Tap 7 clone, Morello Cherry Lambic 1, Rauchbier
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
Sounds fine to me. Don't stir it anymore as you risk contamination and also oxidation. Take a hydrometer reading and see where you are at.
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Thanks. Took a reading- 1.011 is that about right for 7 days, I've struggled to keep the temperature above 18 as I live in the coldest house in Britain (will invest in heat mat for next batch). The smell from the bucket is amazing. Think I'll syphon into my barrel tomorrow, do you have any tips (i.e Don'ts)?Anything I can do to stop the bits going into the barrel?
Posted 1 year ago by Moderator
Hi Sholto. Your reading is probably about right. It depends on a lot of things we don't need to explain here. You might have done the barreling already as this was 2 days ago. Firstly, check your hydro reading every 24 hours and when it doesn't change in 2 consecutive readings, that's when the fermentation is finished and it's ready to barrel. If in doubt, leave it an extra couple of days. The CO2 layer on the surface will prevent contamination. When it comes to syphoning it off, use a proper syphon. There are a few types but the plastic tube with a little 'bucket' on the end is fine. Put the other end of your syphon tube, thoroughly sterilised, to the BOTTOM of your barrel and syphon the beer into the barrel slowly and calmly. If you let it splash in from a height you will include oxygen in the beer and that can turn it off (oxidised). Don't forget the priming sugar, 50 to 60 gms for a 40 pint brew. Make sure the seal on the tap is in good order and coated with Vaseline to assist the sealing. The seal inside the barrel cap should be in good order and smeared with Vaseline as well, again to assist the sealing. DON'T overtighten the cap. Just until you feel the seal make good conatct with the neck. Overtightening will distort the seal and the cap will leak pressure. If your barrel has a gas injection cap you could inject a capsule of CO2 into the barrel and leave it a couple of hours to settle to the bottom and then carefully release the cap. It does 2 things. It will put a layer of CO2 over your beer and prevent oxidisation and it will also test if you have the seal gas tight. I always do this, especially if I am brewing a barrel that is likely to be around for a while. Good luck.
Planning: - To get some more brews on now the weather's a bit cooler
Fermenting: - Ginger Beer experiment
Conditioning: - A normal bitter with Styrians
Drinking: - All of it!!
E-mail: arnyfris@gmail.com
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