Perfect, thank you. I haven't used a pen or pencil in so long I don't think I know how to use one.
John
bwarbiany wrote:Also, check out Beersmith or Promash -- both are software utilities that can be used for tracking your brewing, creating (or logging) recipes, etc. I personally tried both and immediately found Beersmith a bit more user-friendly and intuitive, but never spent enough time with Promash to learn it, so perhaps I didn't give it enough of a chance.
Either way, for those of us with a tendency to lose things like notebooks but multiple redundant NAS systems for electronic storage, it's nice to have
So my beer is just sitting there doing nothing. Well as far as what I can see. The other day there was so much action going on I thought I may have put too much yeast into it. The carboy was overflowing and now it settled down which is making me nervous. I tried to post a picture but can't for some reason.
If you've had a bunch of action and it is settling down, then things are progressing. Now would be a good time to take a sample and do a gravity reading (you do have a hydrometer right?). Gravity readings are how you measure the progress of your fermentation. If you can, get a gravity reading and post the results here and we can tell you more about the status.
I do have a hydrometer and from what I understand is I take the top off the carboy siphon some of the beer out and with the sanitized hydrometer I take a few readings and record it? This is like learning an entire new language but with the end results being a pint of beer.
Thanks again,
John
dhempy wrote:If you've had a bunch of action and it is settling down, then things are progressing. Now would be a good time to take a sample and do a gravity reading (you do have a hydrometer right?). Gravity readings are how you measure the progress of your fermentation. If you can, get a gravity reading and post the results here and we can tell you more about the status.
Yep .. that's right. Use a sanitized siphon or thief to get the sample ... fill your hydrometer vial about 50-60% full (enough so that the hydrometer will float!). When you're done taking the reading, drink the sample (do not put it back) and see how it tastes at this point. Looking forward to seeing your results.
Do you remember what your OG (original gravity) was? Post that and the current gravity if you will.
We just took a sample and as a beginner learns we did forget to take a sample before fermentation. That went down on our note book as don't forget next time. Not sure if it's too late but for what should have been our second sample read as:
4 1/2 alcohol
8 gravity
29% sugar
As for the taste of the beer it was good.
Thanks,
John
dhempy wrote:Yep .. that's right. Use a sanitized siphon or thief to get the sample ... fill your hydrometer vial about 50-60% full (enough so that the hydrometer will float!). When you're done taking the reading, drink the sample (do not put it back) and see how it tastes at this point. Looking forward to seeing your results.
Do you remember what your OG (original gravity) was? Post that and the current gravity if you will.
I believe you mean that that readings are as follows:
4 1/2 potential
8 Brix (or Plato)
1.029 specific gravity
If so, then you should still be fermenting.
Final Gravity levels vary by recipe, but for extract brewing, you should be down into the teens or lower (1.013 - 1.019 specific gravity). As a general rule, I don't let my beer ferment in primary for less than 14 days, even when activity seems to have stopped, as there are still things happening that you can't see.
The best thing is that you are happy with the taste, as that is the whole reason for brewing.
Thank you, we bottle Jan 1 which will be the two week mark. I really do like the taste of my first batch of beer but again it's my first batch and I do anticipate lots of mistakes.
Thanks again and look forward to many more batches of beer,
John
I believe you mean that that readings are as follows:
4 1/2 potential
8 Brix (or Plato)
1.029 specific gravity
If so, then you should still be fermenting.
Final Gravity levels vary by recipe, but for extract brewing, you should be down into the teens or lower (1.013 - 1.019 specific gravity). As a general rule, I don't let my beer ferment in primary for less than 14 days, even when activity seems to have stopped, as there are still things happening that you can't see.
The best thing is that you are happy with the taste, as that is the whole reason for brewing.
Tikitatt wrote:Thank you, we bottle Jan 1 which will be the two week mark. I really do like the taste of my first batch of beer but again it's my first batch and I do anticipate lots of mistakes.
Thanks again and look forward to many more batches of beer,
John
Welcome to the club. I'd recommend, as Marotte implied, that you do not bottle based on time, but bottle based on whether or not your beer is done fermenting. As he said it should be in the mid to low teens.
Cheers,
Lars
Thanks, I was planning on bottling once the two week date was up. OK, I'll check it again before Jan. 1st and bottle when the time is right.
John
lars wrote:
Tikitatt wrote:Thank you, we bottle Jan 1 which will be the two week mark. I really do like the taste of my first batch of beer but again it's my first batch and I do anticipate lots of mistakes.
Thanks again and look forward to many more batches of beer,
John
Welcome to the club. I'd recommend, as Marotte implied, that you do not bottle based on time, but bottle based on whether or not your beer is done fermenting. As he said it should be in the mid to low teens.
Cheers,
Lars
+1 for what Marotte and Lars posted. You should be shooting for the teens and don't rush to bottle (you could wind up with bottle bombs)! What temperature is your beer at now? Plan on taking another gravity reading in a few days (let's say next Tuesday or Wednesday) and let's see how it is progressing. Consider waiting 3 weeks before bottling ... the extra time won't hurt anything ... just don't let it get too cold or too warm.
The temperature where the beer carboy is stored is at 67 degrees. The mash temp was around 165. Unfortunately, with all the excitement of brewing I forgot to create a log.
dhempy wrote:+1 for what Marotte and Lars posted. You should be shooting for the teens and don't rush to bottle (you could wind up with bottle bombs)! What temperature is your beer at now? Plan on taking another gravity reading in a few days (let's say next Tuesday or Wednesday) and let's see how it is progressing. Consider waiting 3 weeks before bottling ... the extra time won't hurt anything ... just don't let it get too cold or too warm.
