+1 on fermentation temp control.
This summer, my wort chiller after 25 minutes would be lucky to get the wort to 82-84-F... Just a bit too warm for a good pitch. So following a suggestion here on the board, I transfer to my fermenter at that point, and place it in an ice bath for 15 more minutes. That gets the temp down to the low 70's.. then I pitch the ale yeast.
Recently, I added AC control to my fermentation room and now can keep my desired temp all week long.
In retrospect, I think the various board ideas for a simple ice bath box with a sump pump & Ranco temp controller is a better idea. That should keep a stable temp in a California climate just perfectly!
--LexusChris
Can beer ferment in 12 hours ?
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lexuschris
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Re: Can beer ferment in 12 hours ?
"A woman drove me to drink, and I hadn't even the courtesy to thank her." – W.C. Fields
Re: Can beer ferment in 12 hours ?
I'm lame. I keep calling a refractomter and hydrometer. I have a refractometer that I use to measure SG. Do I use a hydrometer to measure FG?jward wrote: If you use a refractometer then they don't work once fermentation starts. The alcohol messes up the reading.
An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk with his fools. - Hemingway
Re: Can beer ferment in 12 hours ?
PM sent. I would love to come over. Thanks.brew captain wrote:
Note that I may, and this is a very tentative may, brew on Sunday. I will know if I am going to brew by Saturday afternoon because if I don't get my starter going that day I won't be brewing Sunday.
Cheers!
An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk with his fools. - Hemingway
Re: Can beer ferment in 12 hours ?
Yes, use a hydrometer. I usually do one final hydrometer reading for the OG too, but you don't need to. You can use software to compensate for the alcohol with an FG reading. I don't trust it. I used to do a reading with each device for FG and run Promash to do the compensation calculatinos for the refractometer. I stopped after one of the readings didn't convert to the correct answer. User error?, maybe, probably. I just do the one reading now and I like to sample the beer after the reading anyway.oc eric wrote:I'm lame. I keep calling a refractomter and hydrometer. I have a refractometer that I use to measure SG. Do I use a hydrometer to measure FG?jward wrote: If you use a refractometer then they don't work once fermentation starts. The alcohol messes up the reading.
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maltbarley
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Re: Can beer ferment in 12 hours ?
I agree completely. The refract is great for sparge and kettle readings, but the hydrometer gives you a tasting sample which is worth as much or more than the reading.jward wrote: I just do the one reading now and I like to sample the beer after the reading anyway.
Re: Can beer ferment in 12 hours ?
Capt', if you explain how to do this for a mash you might include your thoughts on testing for starch in a finished beer too.brew captain wrote: - how do you check for starch conversion during the mash?
Re: Can beer ferment in 12 hours ?
One thing to note about the test for starches in the mash is to make sure you don't get any bits of grain in the wort sample that you pull. Those will turn black and give you a false positive reading on the test.
This might make a good mini-article for the Tips and Tricks section of the site. Would anyone be interested in writing it up with a few pics?
This might make a good mini-article for the Tips and Tricks section of the site. Would anyone be interested in writing it up with a few pics?
Re: Can beer ferment in 12 hours ?
Does iodine turn cellulose black too? Do the hulls contain some starch that doesn't convert or dissolve?brahn wrote:One thing to note about the test for starches in the mash is to make sure you don't get any bits of grain in the wort sample that you pull. Those will turn black and give you a false positive reading on the test.