Did i make a mistake?

[Hoppkins]

Started kit last night (Brupack Fixby Gold)

I put the yeast in lukewarm water, filled bin with cold water after adding wort. Added yeast mixture and stirred vigoursly for 5 mins and covered. I checked this morning and no yeasty head seemed to have started to form.

Does it take longer? I dont recall last time

That room varies between 18 and 22 degrees

Thanks

[Orfy]

Give it 24 hours.

This being you first brew you'll think everything is going wrong.

[Hoppkins]

INdeed, i was totally paranoid about not santising properly. I had a brown trousers moment when i picked up the cans with my oven gloves and thought to myself "GASP! These might be covered in bacteria!"

I understand sanitising is important but i think i was taking it a bit far

If nothing had happened in 24 hours would it be worth pitching another sachet of yeast on?

Thanks

[Orfy]

What temperature was the wort when you put the yeast in?

[Hoppkins]

About 18 degrees. After i added the cold water it was basically cold water tempreture i guess.

[Orfy]

That could be you're problem.

You ideally want to be pitching yeast at around 23-25c to get it going.

So it could be a slow start for the yeast.

With kits most people will boil the extract in a gallon off water. add it to the bin and then had cold water. The boiling wort will be cooled to around 25c be the water.

[Hoppkins]

Yeah hrm.

I added the soft wort to the bin, added the pan of boiling water which had the hop stuff in then added the cold water. I guess there was too much cold water.

This wont ruin it will it?

[Orfy]

No, it's going to be good.

There's two ways to look at it.

The yeast will not be stressed at all. They'll wake up slow and start eating and having sex. When they get going they'll have a good old orgy in your brew. This can result in less/no off flavours from yeast that works too hard.

The reason brewers want to get the yeast going asap is that the yeast very quickly becomes the dominant microbe and kicks the shit out of any other nasties on the block.

It'll be fine. Try to keep it at ideal fermenting temp to get it going.

[Hoppkins]

Thanks for putting my mind at rest Orfy ^_^

[Hoppkins]

Orfy was right (not that i doubted him). Froth has formed and my Fixby Gold is on the make

[Hoppkins]

As you can see above also i wrapped a towel (loosely sadly) around the bin. What other ways do people use to keep them warm?

That room is about 18 degrees with no heating on, i turned on the central heating last night for a bit and kept the door shut so it should retain some heat. Also this morning the heating came on for an hour which should warm that room up a bit.

[Orfy]

I leave a brew belt on mine for the first 3 days to boost it.
You could try a water bath with an aquarium heater.
It should ferment at 18c but that's the lower limit for some yeast.

If you're going to do more brews at that temp then I'd think about doing a good starter of around 1000ml to get a really good start.

[tubby_shaw]

Hi Hoppkins,
There are a number of ways to keep the ferment at a steady temperature, but they all involve more equipment
You could build a temperature controlled cupboard with a thermostatically controlled heat source
You could use a brewbelt which is a gentle electrical heat source which fits around your brewbin, you control the temperature of the brew by moving your brew belt up and down the brewbin These cost about £15
There are heater pads that you can stand your brewbin on The cost around £30
Or my personal favourite there's the aquarium heaterstat available from pets at home or any aquarium shop for around £15. The teperature in the brew will be controlled to + or - 1C its easily sanitised after use and pretty much fool proof.
I have used these since my early days of brewing and have always fermented either in my cellar or the garage.
Hope this helps.

[Hoppkins]

Would a sleeping bag wrapped around do the job for the interim?

i might invest in a brew belt.. 15 quid is nothing for a one off.

I've already invested in 2 barrels, 1 bin a CO2 valve and the rest so another 15 doesnt worry me

Thanks guys

[discodave]

Now that photo shows a PERFECT looking frothy head, not going mad, but instead fermenting under control nicely....Keep the temperature as stable as you can with those towels and a GREAT brew is guaranteed...

Let us know what it tastes like!!!

Dave.