Hygiene when checking the SG

[Stonch]

Gave it another stir tonight. After 30 mins got some big gurgles in the airlock. Damn those hydrometers, my beer's fine!

[Stonch]

It's dropped a point or two over night, but the airlock has been gurgling nicely from time to time, so stuff is definitely happening. This is now day seven so it's got three more days to sort it's self out before racking.

If I get it to 1015 I'll probably just whack it in the barrel and hope for the best!

[sparky Paul]

Sounds like good news to me.

It should hopefully drop by another point or two, but I would still look for it being steady for a few days before kegging, to let some of the sediment settle out if nothing else.

[Stonch]

OK will do! Got it down to 1015 on day 8 now so will rack on Tuesday night, if I have time.

All it needed was rousing, in the end. Going to invest in some yeast vit before doing batch 3 though. Toying with doing one of those Brewferm Abbey kits...

[Stonch]

Probably need to repitch I think -

http://stonch.blogspot.com/2007/05/ston ... later.html

After 6 days, a stir produced some activity and got us down from 1022 to about 1018. Another gentle stir of the sediment yesterday (after taking of the photo shown) had yielded no results. Now it's been 9 days, activity in the airlock has finished.

I have a sachet of ale yeast in the fridge which I might just pitch in tonight in an effort to get it down to perhaps 1015, when I think I'd be happy to rack it in the pressure barrel...

The kit's a Brupaks Black Moor Stout BTW.

[Stonch]

Thanks DaaB!

Maybe we should have made a yeast starter at the beginning, and we would have avoided getting stuck ... otherwise we followed your instructions on 18000 Feet, but I confess that all we did was rehydrate the yeast, without making the starter.

Don't have any yeast vit (will get some with next mail order from Hop & Grape), so going to have to pray this works alright! I want 40 pints of properly fermented stout!

[Stonch]

here's the big question - are stuck fermentations such a problem when you do all grain brewing?

[fivetide]

If you start AG brewing on Clerkwell Green, I'm coming down there to take pictures....

[delboy]

here's the big question - are stuck fermentations such a problem when you do all grain brewing?

NO!! At least not in my limited experience, as long as you aerate and pitch enough yeast it won't be a problem. Freshly mashed wort has all the necessary constituents required for the yeasties.
The process the manufacturers use to turn wort into LME or DME must be damaging some of the neseccary nutrients, hence the sticking.

From what i can gather the LME seems to cause more problems than DME i wonder if this is a result of the canning process which it has to go through. It results in temps in the range of 120C to destroy nasty microbes like botulism. The high temp to destroy microbes could also be destroying some heat sensitive nutrients.
The process to produce DME would be much less harsh and would proably leave most/all the nutrients intact.

[sparky Paul]

My theory is that too many nutrients are lost during the boil and possibly through filtering (if the wortt is filtered) when extract is made.

I reckon you're on the right track DaaB. In addition to the normal processing, boiling etc., the wort then has to be evaporated, canned, the cans must then be heat processed yet again to sterilise. The two additional heat processes must have some negative effect on the stuff.

[delboy]

DaaB, i was just wondering whats the anecdotal evidence of the one tin kits when made up with a kg of spraymalt sticking, im sure you've probably fielded more questions on stuck ferments than anyone.

Im asking because i don't recall seeing so many (none) for this scenario it seems to be more the two can all malt kits. Do you think its possible the spraymalt which will have been processed more gently provides all the necessary nutrients for a healthy fermention.

[Stonch]

Well chaps, I've put together a yeast starter in a plastic bottle using spraymalt, and it seems to be fermenting. Will pitch it in before bedtime - or would I better just to wait until morning? Hmmmm

[Stonch]

Sadly no yeast vit, and no more yeast! So hopefully this will work!

If not...well, I tried! And I'm sure it'll work out OK in the end!

What I've realised is that I need to order myself lots of the essentials - sachets of yeast, yeast vit, spray malt - as well as a couple of kits. I'll get it right soon, and send you a bottle of something better than the Long Arm Brew!

[sparky Paul]

Personally I think the problem occurs when the wort is hopped before it becomes an extract. I seem to recall reading somewhere in Muntons literature that 'they boil their kits so its not necessary for the user to do so', hence my theory that nutrients are lost during the boil.

It's a necessary process for canned goods anyway so Muntons really have no choice but to 'boil' them during retort sterilisation.

Standard practise is to raise the temperature of the cans, under steam pressure, to 121C/250F for a period depending upon the can size and contents - for an 1.5Kg A5 can with liquid contents, that will be 20+ minutes.

[Stonch]

Right lads I'm going to put in an order with Hop & Grape and buy the stuff we need to get our brewery on a roll.

I'm thinking

Brupaks Kit (prob Scamodden Dark)
Coopers Kit (not sure which)
tub of yeast vit
couple of sachets of Brupaks dry beer enzyme
a few spare sachets of yeast (but which?)
some hopped spray malt

anything else i'll kick myself for not buying... i wonder...?