Fermentation on my first batch

mariner107 · January 21, 2014, 4:16am

On Saturday afternoon I brewed my first batch of beer in my new NB Starter Kit. It was the Extract - Nut Brown Ale.

Everything seemed to go well. I rehydrated my yeast and added to my wort in the white fermentation bucket. I placed the single piece airlock on the top with some sanitized water in it. I have seen some movement of the water in the airlock showing some pressure but I am not seeing any bubbling like most people mention.

Do I have a problem? What should I be checking for, if anything?

Thanks much!!!

flars · January 21, 2014, 4:50am

Dry yeast is very predictable. You handled it well. As long as your wort was approximately 58° to 65°, the yeast is beginning to work. The yeast will also begin fermentation at higher temperatures, but off flavors will be produced. Yeast produces its own heat and will push the temperature even higher as activity ramps up.

You most likely no problem at all. Bucket lids often do not seal very well. This is not a brewing problem, just that air lock activity is minimal. The protective CO2 layer is still be produced and covering your beer. Hold a flashlight to the opposite side of the bucket and you may make out the krausen layer forming. Sanitize the lid and rim of the bucket if you are going to open it.

Be ready to control the wort temperature in the yeasts lower temperature range for best results.

mariner107 · January 21, 2014, 5:01am

Would I be better off leaving it in a room with ambient temperature around 68 or a garage in the 50’s?

Would a stick on thermometer on the outside of the bucket help me the internal temperature?

Thanks

flars · January 21, 2014, 5:25am

[quote=“Mariner107”]Would I be better off leaving it in a room with ambient temperature around 68 or a garage in the 50’s?
You are using Danstar Nottingham? Fermentation temperature with Notty should be at 64° or under. Over 64° some funky fruity flavors will develop. The lower end of Nottys’ range is 57°. In a 50° room you would need to provide some heat. At ambient 68° you would need to provide cooling. A swamp cooler combined with a fan can easily hold the fermentor below 64° with an ambient temp of 68°. Setting the fermentor in front of a cold air return will also cool if you have forced air heat.
Would a stick on thermometer on the outside of the bucket help me the internal temperature?
A stick on thermometer will help monitor the wort temperature. If you use a swamp cooler keep the strip dry or it will give you a false reading.Thanks[/quote]

Here is a link to one of my swamp cooler set ups.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/photo/swamp ... 61314.html

mariner107 · January 21, 2014, 3:51pm

I am going to check some temperature readings in a few other areas in my house. I think I might be okay in one of my closets. I had purchased a temperature strip but can’t find it so I guess I will be stopping by the homebrew store on the way home today. Thanks for the help!

mariner107 · January 22, 2014, 4:04am

So the temp of the sticky thermometer on the side is 67. I just placed the bucket in the closet to see if I can get the temp down some.

I do see residue on the sides of the bucket above the liquid but it doesn’t appear obviously active. I know the instructions say to leave in the bucket/carboy for 2 weeks. What will be the easiest way to know that fermentation is complete and I am ready for bottling?

flars · January 22, 2014, 4:43am

Specific gravity readings taken with a hydrometer is the only way to know when the fermentation is complete. Two readings over a period of two or three days that are the same means final gravity has been reached.
I usually wait until about day 18 to take my first reading. Quite often the krausen has fallen by this time and the beer is starting to clear. I don’t think I ever bottled a beer that has been in the fermentor less than three weeks.