Homebrewers - Whats in the fermenter?

[Blak Smyth]

Congrats Dom on your first batch! Is this the one I think it is?
Keep the pics coming, I hope to get into brewing by next year.

I didn't expect the bucket to look like that either, glad you posted this pic before I found it in my bucket and thought I screwed something up.

[jonumberone]

Originally Posted by Blak Smyth

glad you posted this pic before I found it in my bucket and thought I screwed something up.

Just because I posted a pic, doesn't mean I didn't screw up!
Waiting to hear back from some of the experts here!
I did expect crud on the sides of the bucket, just not floating on top.

[Blak Smyth]

Originally Posted by jonumberone

Just because I posted a pic, doesn't mean I didn't screw up!
Waiting to hear back from some of the experts here!
I did expect crud on the sides of the bucket, just not floating on top.

Oh I see. Chime in experts I'm dying here!

[BeerAdvocate]

Dom, It looks completly normal. Congrats on your first brew!
Here is a great tutorial on bottling, that makes things alot easier

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/bott...ebrewer-94812/

To get the most beer out of your bottling bucket, you can go to the hardware store and buy a threaded PVC elbow that screws onto the inside of your spigot. Here is a pic

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/new-...er-way-191323/

Let me know if you have any questions. I bottled about 6 batches before I switched to kegging.

[jonumberone]

Thanks, Travis!
I got most of the beer out of the bucket, it was the fermenter that I dumped the excess out of.
I still will grab the elbow.
Thanks for the link!
I already mentioned Kegging equipment to my wife for Christmas.

[BeerAdvocate]

When you put your siphon in the fermenter be sure that it doesnt touch the very bottom. Keep it about an inch from the bottom. When the level starts getting low, tilt your bucket while still keeping the siphon from the bottom.
You should look into upgrading to a glass carboy or even the plastic "Better Bottles".
I hated using buckets. I have brewed close to a 100 batches and have only got 1 infection and that was with a bucket. The smallest scratch will harbor an infection.
Sanitize, Sanitize, Sanitize!!!!

Best place for kegging Equipment is: www.kegconnection.com

[jonumberone]

Like I said, I was terrified of getting that gunk into my bottling bucket.
Didn't even think to tilt the bucket.
At least I won't make the same mistake twice!

I have 1 - 5 gallon better bottle and now 2 - 23 liter glass carboys.
Can I ferment in them or should I get 6.5 gallon carboys?

Thanks again

[BeerAdvocate]

Originally Posted by jonumberone

Like I said, I was terrified of getting that gunk into my bottling bucket.
Didn't even think to tilt the bucket.
At least I won't make the same mistake twice!

I have 1 - 5 gallon better bottle and now 2 - 23 liter glass carboys.
Can I ferment in them or should I get 6.5 gallon carboys?

Thanks again

You can ferment in the 5gallon but you will need to put a blowoff tube on the airlock. Its just a plastic tube that goes onto the post of the airlock and runs into an empty jug or growler filled with sanitzer.
I only use 6.5 gallon carboys for fermenting and 5 gallon for secondary aging.

[kaisersozei]

Originally Posted by BeerAdvocate

You can ferment in the 5gallon but you will need to put a blowoff tube on the airlock. Its just a plastic tube that goes onto the post of the airlock and runs into an empty jug or growler filled with sanitzer.
I only use 6.5 gallon carboys for fermenting and 5 gallon for secondary aging.

+1

Dom, congrats on the first brew The bucket looks normal, and I'll suggest that the bitterness may have been from the hops still floating around? Your krausen (that crud around the rim & floating) appears green--mine is usually brownish, so I'm just wondering if you filtered it all out after brewing, or if you dry hopped while the primary was still bubbling away?

[CigarSquid]

I would use the 6.5. More room for when it bubbles.

[Killian]

Hey Dom, another little trick is to prop one side of your fermenter up with a wedge, book, something of that nature. You can then put the bottom of your auto siphon on the high side of the bucket. Everything will settle to opposite side and you will be good to go!
By the way, did you use a hop sock? Sometimes that will help with most of the "sludge".

[jonumberone]

Thanks, Gerard!
You are the second person to comment on the green, and I'm a bit lost.
The hops that the homebrew store gave me were little green pellets that resembled rabbit poop.
I tossed the poop directly into the boil.
I did not use a bag, nor did I filter anything.
What went into the boil went into the bucket, minus the sock of grains I steeped before I boiled.
Should I have done something different.
The directions that came with the recipe, or the other 2 I brewed since then, made no mention of additional steps.
Did I miss something?

Fwiw the brew is a perfect amber ale color, no hint of green in it.

[b0rderman]

This cider is drying right out...the champange yeast is still chomping away. I am going to need a low gravity range hydrometer I think...unless there are any tricks to using my ~.090 one?

[cricky101]

Originally Posted by jonumberone

Thanks, Gerard!
You are the second person to comment on the green, and I'm a bit lost.
The hops that the homebrew store gave me were little green pellets that resembled rabbit poop.
I tossed the poop directly into the boil.
I did not use a bag, nor did I filter anything.
What went into the boil went into the bucket, minus the sock of grains I steeped before I boiled.
Should I have done something different.
The directions that came with the recipe, or the other 2 I brewed since then, made no mention of additional steps.
Did I miss something?

Fwiw the brew is a perfect amber ale color, no hint of green in it.

I've left the hop material behind in the brew kettle and dumped it all in the fermenter, too. They all have turned out fine.

[kaisersozei]

Originally Posted by jonumberone

Thanks, Gerard!
You are the second person to comment on the green, and I'm a bit lost.
The hops that the homebrew store gave me were little green pellets that resembled rabbit poop.
I tossed the poop directly into the boil.
I did not use a bag, nor did I filter anything.
What went into the boil went into the bucket, minus the sock of grains I steeped before I boiled.
Should I have done something different.
The directions that came with the recipe, or the other 2 I brewed since then, made no mention of additional steps.
Did I miss something?

Fwiw the brew is a perfect amber ale color, no hint of green in it.

Okay, that's what I expected happened. I always filter my wort from the brew kettle going to the primary, I find it makes transferring the beer easier if they're not around to clog the racking cane/autosiphon. But there's nothing wrong with leaving them in, I'm sure your beer will be fine!

[jonumberone]

Originally Posted by cricky101

I've left the hop material behind in the brew kettle and dumped it all in the fermenter, too. They all have turned out fine.

Originally Posted by kaisersozei

Okay, that's what I expected happened. I always filter my wort from the brew kettle going to the primary, I find it makes transferring the beer easier if they're not around to clog the racking cane/autosiphon. But there's nothing wrong with leaving them in, I'm sure your beer will be fine!

Thanks fellas!

[CigarSquid]

Nothing yet... Just ordered a Pumpkin Ale for the upcoming holidays.

[BeerAdvocate]

I just transferred a Big Porter to secondary with 2ounces of oak cubes.
I am trying to decide what kind of bourbon to add. I am thinking about changing it up a bit and using some Evan Williams Honey!

[kaisersozei]

Brewed up a DIPA yesterday, pitched with one of my last batches of Hopslam yeast. Used a burst hop technique with Simcoe, Amarillo & Citra, got around 85 IBUs. My efficiency on the mash was only about 60% so OG was a bit light at 1.071. Will add some honey to the primary after a few days.

[b0rderman]

sounds like yummmmmm