First Brew Problem?

[newtohomebrewuk]

Doing my first brew (Coopers IPA), started Sunday and everything seemed fine. The airlock was bubbling away, but I came home today and there was beer in the airlock and a strong smell of green apples. The temperature was 21 degrees and i pitched at 25 degrees. Was this too warm?

Any help would be good please.

Best,
Newtohomebrewuk

[wanus]

Is the airlock still bubbling?

[newtohomebrewuk]

Yes.

[wanus]

Its ok then.I think 25c is a little high I had a similar experience durin this summers heatwave.Iff it stops after 4 or 5 days take a readin its probably fermented out.Stir the beer but don`t stir the sediment up.Let it ferment out for another 5 days then bottle it m8.My bottles matured gr8 but wot I kegged was lifeless although I only relied on secondry fermentation and did not use any CO2 addition!!!!It was drinkable and I had beef carbonnade and beer battered onion rings for weeks on end.

[Hopping_Mad]

I've had lids blown off before, so I wouldn't worry about beer in the airlock. Had that also!

I think pitching at 25*C was ok, and if it's down at 21*C that sounds about right too. I bet you're on day 2 or day 3 and it just sounds like your yeast was very happy, and fermentation was very vigorous.

Sometimes fermentation goes off like a train on day 2/3, then it all slows down for another 8 - 10 days (kit/yeast dependent).

My advice is to wait another week, start taking gravity readings and if the are steady three days running between 1008 - 1012 then bottle/keg it!

Coopers kit instructions are usually quite detailed and give you a target gravity.

Don't panic and just try to keep the temperature around 20*C for next week.

[newtohomebrewuk]

Thanks for the replies, it was bubbling vigorously before work and when i got back it had foamed up to the lid and foamed back down again.

Is the green apple smell normal>?

[wanus]

It sounds ok to me,i gave my advice due to the experience I had.Hoppingmad knows wot he`s talkin about.Iff Ditch joins this topic don`t mention f**ck** airlocks!!!!You av been warned.

[newtohomebrewuk]

Should i clean out the airlock or leave it as is?

[wanus]

I would clean it in case of drawback into the brew

[Hopping_Mad]

Leave it.

I don't mess once it's on the go.

I don't lift the lid up to peek either.

As long as there us liquid in the airlock, it'll stop nasties getting in.

Never had a fermenter that's airtight so never seen an airlock bubble!!! I only use an airlock as my lids have grommet holes otherwise I probably wouldn't bother...


...just like Ditch!!!

Bottling/kegging is when it can be sucked back in, so take it out before you start that!

[newtohomebrewuk]

24 hours on and the smell (through the airlock) has lessened. I left the airlock alone, its still bubbling but at a slower rate. The beer is sitting around 20 degrees c right now. I wrapped it in towels as the temperature seems to be dropping atm.

[wanus]

Keep me upto date

[newtohomebrewuk]

The smell is still sort of present, maybe not as prominent. The airlock is bubbling a lot less now and there is a white layer settled at the bottom of the FV. From the outside I cant see anything on top of the beer. I havent opened the beer.

[Hopping_Mad]

Keep ignoring it!

Take a sample on day 10, then day 11 and if you're gravity is the same two days running you're done and can think about priming/bottling!

White layer is the 'trub' - the yeasties that have done their job!

[WalesAles]

newto,
If it looks like this, you are doing fine!
Scroll down for Pics! Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid!

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WA