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Author Topic: nothing is Happening  (Read 5727 times)

Offline erockrph

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Re: nothing is Happening
« Reply #15 on: December 12, 2012, 12:48:13 pm »
Carbonation makes a HUGE difference, especially in a lower gravity beer. Reserve judgement until it is fully carbonated (2 weeks at room temperature after bottling, then at least 2 days in the fridge). I bet it will be a damn good beer.
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Offline Slowbrew

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Re: nothing is Happening
« Reply #16 on: December 12, 2012, 12:56:05 pm »
Carbonation makes a HUGE difference, especially in a lower gravity beer. Reserve judgement until it is fully carbonated (2 weeks at room temperature after bottling, then at least 2 days in the fridge). I bet it will be a damn good beer.

+1

Uncarbed beer doesn't taste like beer, often times.

Paul
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Offline safi

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Re: nothing is Happening
« Reply #17 on: December 12, 2012, 03:47:59 pm »
for my second batch i was thinking of starting fermentation right away in the Carboy, then use a water bath with a fish heater in the 72 degree range what do you think?
Dani

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: nothing is Happening
« Reply #18 on: December 12, 2012, 03:48:25 pm »
for my second batch i was thinking of starting fermentation right away in the Carboy, then use a water bath with a fish heater in the 72 degree range what do you think?

I think 72 is to warm. Think maybe 65.
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Offline safi

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Re: nothing is Happening
« Reply #19 on: December 12, 2012, 04:11:29 pm »
for my second batch i was thinking of starting fermentation right away in the Carboy, then use a water bath with a fish heater in the 72 degree range what do you think?

I think 72 is to warm. Think maybe 65.

if 65 is better then i wont need to do a water bath, i thought i would have started at a higher temp to get the yeast going.  My house normally sits right around 65-68, but what about the carboy idea?
Dani

Offline majorvices

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nothing is Happening
« Reply #20 on: December 12, 2012, 05:32:40 pm »
Assuming you are pitching the appropriate amount of yeast, starting off cooler is generally better. "Getting the yeast going" at warmer temps also generates more esters and, especially, fusels. Most fusels are generated in the first 48 hours of fermentation, and fusels are generally unwanted (they cause head retention problems and head aches and "hot" alcohol flavors).

That said, 72 is not in a big danger area for fusels, though you would not want it to be higher than this. But, for the best beer, IME you are better off starting most ale yeasts in the mid to low 60s.

Offline Slowbrew

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Re: nothing is Happening
« Reply #21 on: December 13, 2012, 05:15:18 am »
If the yeast are healthy they take off at lower temps just fine.  It gets stated a lot on the board that the internal temp will be a few degrees warmer than the air.

As for starting out in a carboy?  Assuming the carboy has a gallon or so of headspace it should work great.  I use 6.5 gallon carboys as primaries for 5 gallon batches all the time.  One warning: be prepared for blow offs using carboys.  The neck restricts where the krausen can go and sometimes it can get messy.

Paul
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Offline ncoleman

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Re: nothing is Happening
« Reply #22 on: December 13, 2012, 12:33:15 pm »
:D for a second there i though id have to restart the fermentation process, i will hopefully bottle on Thursday, when i have the time thank you.

I brewed a kit English Brown a little while back. The kit beer began visibly fermenting in less than 48 hours but only got me to around 3.8% ABV. The real success came 2 weeks later when adding Wyeast when I went to secondary to make the beer sour. It kicked me up to about 4.8%. I left the beer in secondary for 8 weeks and had outstanding results - I recommend the same process if you like sour ales.

Offline anje

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Re: nothing is Happening
« Reply #23 on: December 13, 2012, 12:46:56 pm »
for my second batch i was thinking of starting fermentation right away in the Carboy, then use a water bath with a fish heater in the 72 degree range what do you think?

I think 72 is to warm. Think maybe 65.

if 65 is better then i wont need to do a water bath, i thought i would have started at a higher temp to get the yeast going.  My house normally sits right around 65-68, but what about the carboy idea?
My house always sits in that range, too, but I use a water bath. My logic is that this cushions the temperature swings substantially and helps to keep the temperature down during the stages when fermentation is really going. During that time, the temperature inside the fermenter can get quite a bit over the ambient temperature, so cooling is helpful.
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