Brewing lager 1st time. Possible problems??

[chairmanmaw]

Hi,

Im a complete novice to all this so please bare with me!

I bought myself a starter kit on Friday 17/10/2008 and followed the instructions to the letter. I made sure all aparatus was sterilised completely and correctly before starting.

I finally added the yeast to my brew (17:00) and set it in a room with a variable temperature of between 18 - 21 degrees centigrade as the instruction recommended.

24 hours after I had added the yeast, I checked to see if fermentation was occurring. It was, much to my delight! The mix was bubbling nicely. 72 hours later and the fermentation that had started seems to have tapered off. I am not left with any major residue on top of the brew, which I was expecting to see. There are still bubbles on top of the mix, however.

Im concerned that come sort of contamination has occurred, thus halting the progress.

Is what Im experiencing normal? The instructions do state that fermentation should take 4-6 days.
Should I see a layer of crust on the top of the mix, even though its a lager mix?

Any help or advice would be really appreciated as I dont want to throw out my first mix!!

Thanks,

Chairman Maw

[Jaoqua]

Don't throw it out. I've had a brew that had a thick head for ages but it wasn't that nice in the end. It's more normal I think for the head to disappear after a day or two. Don't panic, but don't keep taking the lid off to check it, or you might get it infected.

You have two options now; either leave it for 10 days to ferment or, more scientifically, get yourself a hydrometer and after about 5 days start taking sg readings daily. When they're stable for a couple of days you can keg or bottle.

Have a read around this forum and you'll soon get the idea. Especially look at the links top-right of this page.

Your biggest risk now may be a stuck fermentation, which will be hard to spot without a hydrometer. Have a look at the 'Help, my kit has stopped fermenting' sticky in this forum.

Good luck!

[Chris The Fish]

it sounds fine, there is a short lag period after pitching, followed by a frenzy of yeast activity (perhaps 72+ hours) then as the fermentables reduce the activity slows to what i call plumes, where you see little circles of bubbles on the surface which are white-ish and active.

different strains of yeast have different characteritics, but by and large homebrew ale yeast normally follows this pattern, give or take.

and 4-6 days is a little short, id say 6-10 days is more like the norm.

hth

Chris

[chairmanmaw]

Thanks for the advice guys. You have set my mind at ease.

I have a hydrometer, so I will start making the readings over the next 24/48 hours and take it from there.

Is it bad practice to try and syphon a litre off and chill it? or should I simply leave it alone until I get consistent hydrometer readings?

Thanks again.

Maw.

[dallse]

Hi there Chairmanmaw

I'm on my first brew, also a Lager. Coopers Mexican Cerveza. Pitched my yeast on the 12th Oct. Fermentation got of to a cracking start and was vigorous for two days then activity slower petered off. 8 days in took a hydrometer reading and got 1008... so almost there. FG supposed to be 1006 so will be taking a reading this evening and again tomorrow. Fingers crossed I will be bottling Thursday.

I'm no expert, but it sounds like things your end are just tikitiboo. I had exactly the same fears so your not on your own. At the moment I'm concentrating on keeping the fermenting bucket at a constant temperature.

Before I dived in to my first brew I was fortunate enough to find this forum (loads of help here)... so did tons of reading. Also watched these videos back to back which I also found very helpful in understanding the brewing process. Hope they help. And good look with your brew.

[randomdave]

Ive not long since done my lager kit. I know your not really meant to keep takin the lid off an looking but it was my first kit and i just couldnt help myself, I was fascinated by it an must have taked an hydro reading pretty much everyday for the 10 days i had it fermenting

I think the first day or 2 it had quite a big head of froth then after that it died off and it just had a flat patchy head, bit like a pint after you have drank about half of it or something. I think i tasted mine after about 5 days (again i couldnt help myself) tasted ok but not something that you would buy a pint of.

Its all bottled now an tastes pretty good for a first effort. hope yours goes as well as mine did

[chairmanmaw]

Thanks for the input Radomdave and Dallse.

Im chomping at the bit to get stuck in to my 1st brew!

As for the Hydrometer readings, its currently at 1.030. I measured it last night at 21:30 after reading the replies on here.

Dallse, you mention a final reading of 1006? how does this translate into an alcohol volume?

I managed to find this on wikipedia, but its well over my head!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity_(beer)

Cheers boys, have one for me!

[dallse]

Dallse, you mention a final reading of 1006? how does this translate into an alcohol volume?

According to my kit instructions IF i reach 1006 ABV should be 5.3%.

Just taken a reading and its still 1008. Gona leave it till Thursday and see how it develops. If it sticks at 1008 ABV should be 5% which aint bad for a fist attempt.

Use this tool to work out your ABV....http://www.liquorcraft.com.au/wa.asp?id ... etails=106 the link was posted recently by someone so I bookmarked it.

Had a wee taste of the dregs left in the test jar after taking the hydrometer reading... and the taste was very pleasant... which gives me hope for a great final product. When bottled and conditioned its gonna be wicked. (final last words huh)

[dallse]

Im chomping at the bit to get stuck in to my 1st brew!

Be patient, and as soon as you've bottled it, get another kit on the go... I'm gonna leave mine till Christmas Eve.

Come Christmas I should have enough beer for the Holiday Season. Got a Brewers Choice IPA kit ready and waiting for the empty the fermenter. Then I'm on with a Brewers Choice Black Country Mild.

[chairmanmaw]

Use this tool to work out your ABV....http://www.liquorcraft.com.au/wa.asp?id ... etails=106 the link was posted recently by someone so I bookmarked it.

I didnt take an initial reading! d'oh! I have book marked that site though for future reference.

I will take your advice as well. As soon as this batch is complete, Im on to another one!

Im about to go and check the gravity, as its nearly been 24 hours. May the force be with me!

Cheers!

[chairmanmaw]

Just to let you know, I roused the mix and within 12 hours it was back to life. I must have had a stuck fermentation. Since then, its powered on and was at 1.010 last reading. Another 24/48 hours and Im going to bottle it!

Thanks for all your help guys.