Ok my first batch of cream ale is in the fermentor . I was looking at other posts and saw someone recommended using a flashlight to see krausen in a bucket. I pitched the yeast on mon. Today (fri), in using the flashlight method I could see particles stuck to the sides around the edge of the bucket above the liquid line but can not see Krausen. I am guessing that my beer has fermented and the Krausen settled to the bottom. Am I correct in this thinking ? I cannot see the bottom to see if there is any settlement. My temp has been in the recommended range with a thermometer laying on top of the bucket. Is there anything that could be wrong? I plan on letting it in primary for two more weeks, checking gravity and then bottling. I never really got any bubbles in the s air lock. It moved the water in the s airlock from one side to the other maybe a day or two and It has now slowly leveled back to being equal on both sides. I have already bought a glass carboy for next batch. Also ,In reading over all the other post and see all the veteran brewers offering help to us newbies just want to say thanks
[quote=“Hillybilly Brewer”]Ok my first batch of cream ale is in the fermentor . I was looking at other posts and saw someone recommended using a flashlight to see krausen in a bucket. I pitched the yeast on mon. Today (fri), in using the flashlight method I could see particles stuck to the sides around the edge of the bucket above the liquid line but can not see Krausen.
What you see is mostly hop particles, drying and sticking to the side. The foamy krausen and yeast is settling out.
I am guessing that my beer has fermented and the Krausen settled to the bottom. Am I correct in this thinking ? I cannot see the bottom to see if there is any settlement. My temp has been in the recommended range with a thermometer laying on top of the bucket.
Purchase a stick on thermometer strip. They are very accurate on glass carboys. Still good for plastic though. Stick it on about 3/4 of the way up from the bottom. If you use a tub of water for temperature control they should not be submerged. Is there anything that could be wrong? I plan on letting it in primary for two more weeks, checking gravity and then bottling.
[color=#000080]I usually primary for at least three weeks. Yeast cleans up in this time and sediment settles out.
Check your gravity twice just to be sure FG hass been reached.[/color]
I never really got any bubbles in the s air lock.
Bucket lids don’t seal to well. CO2 often escapes around the rim.
It moved the water in the s airlock from one side to the other maybe a day or two and It has now slowly leveled back to being equal on both sides. I have already bought a glass carboy for next batch. Also ,In reading over all the other post and see all the veteran brewers offering help to us newbies just want to say thanks[/quote]
Sanitation, temperature control, and patience = great beer.
I just bottled my first cream ale Wednesday night. Mine never bubbled either, simply pushed a little star San to the one side. I left mine in primary for 15 days, it fermented down from 1.043 to 1.010 and the sample tasted great. I then cold crashed at 34 degrees for 3 days and when I bottled the beer was amazingly clear. I can’t wait until this stuff is carbed and ready.
How did you cold crash it ?
In my primary in the beer fridge in the garage
Dont have an extra fridge anybody have other Ideas ? I suppose I could rearrange house fridge ,off course wife already gets upset when I age venison in the fridge when its to warm outside better not push that to far lol
Dont have an extra fridge anybody have other Ideas ? I suppose I could rearrange house fridge ,off course wife already gets upset when I age venison in the fridge when its to warm outside better not push that to far lol[/quote]
Cold crashing really isn’t necessary if you leave your beer in the primary for about three weeks and use careful siphoning practices.
This is true. I probably only cold crash %20 of my beers. Mostly because I have nowhere to do it.
If I do it, I just put in out in my garage when the temp is cold enough, but not so cold it will freeze. I probably have about 1-2 months per year. where the temperature in like a fridge not a deep freezer.
