Help with first brew please

[fractureman]

I did the amereilo brewuk recipe extract kit last week. All went well as is fermenting well SG was 1.052. After 6 days I still have a large yeast head in the FV & can't even see or find the hydro to see how it is doing (always leave hydro in my brews) Have not used US05 before so is new to me still having this yeast head after 6 days.

What would be the best advice to check to see what the SG is please?? should I just leave for the head to go, or get my test jar in their & measure with my spare hydro??

[Brotherton Lad]

I've not done that recipe nor used that yeast, but if there's still a big yeast head then it's still fermenting and I'd leave it alone till it settles. You only need to use the hydrometer to confirm that the fermentation is coming to an end, readings between OG and FG are not that important unless you get a stuck fermentation. It doesn't sound like you have that problem.

[fractureman]

Ok mate thanks was used to 7 day ferments with kits, after 7 days I still have a huge yeast head on it but has dropped to 1.015 so it is obviously still going. I will leave a few more days before maybe siphoning off into my other fv. Just don't wanna let any dead yeast spoil flavour. Any help on whether to do that or not appreciated.

[jubby]

US-05 (and WLP001) always does this when i use it. In the past, i have skimmed the yeast head off before racking because it remains after fermentation has finished, usually about 10 days. Your hydrometer will be caked in all that stuff, so i would fish it out and take a reading with a sample jar and clean hydrometer. I always drop the temperature to 10C for a day or two after the ferment has finished which causes the yeast head to collapse back into the beer. If you don't have a controlled temp, you could just put it somewhere cool instead.....or skim it of.

[fractureman]

ok thanks for that, I will wait till i get closer to 1.010 before removing heat source to let the head go back into beer.

[Ammered]

Very helpful - my IPA brew, started on saturday evening, continues to be quite vigorous with a thick 'ol yeast head.

The instructions recommend leaving 'till the bubbling stops in the air-lock or when the FG is consistent 1.011.

From what I've read on this site, leaving the brew in the FV for anything up to 10 days before siphoning to keg/bottles seems quite a normal thing to do.

I'm going to bottle mine direct, rather than Keg it, as recommended by BrewUk, which apparently does well for the beer and it should be well chilled, like all IPA, before serving, for which bottles are ideal. Horses, and courses.

Now comes the quest for enough bottles: have discovered that you can buy Grolsch swing top bottles from Asda for £1.33 each, where as empty brown bottles from suppliers work out at £1.20 each. The only downside is that the Grolsch bottles are full of larger.....larger....and it's not even the genuine thing....brewed under licence in the UK. I would have to drink 40 bottles in a week.......my mate suggested I drink one and pour one away......heh heh. More like: start one, pour all away.

Suddenly the empty brown bottles seem more appealing.

[JayM72]

I did the amereilo brewuk recipe extract kit last week. All went well as is fermenting well SG was 1.052. After 6 days I still have a large yeast head in the FV & can't even see or find the hydro to see how it is doing (always leave hydro in my brews) Have not used US05 before so is new to me still having this yeast head after 6 days.

What would be the best advice to check to see what the SG is please?? should I just leave for the head to go, or get my test jar in their & measure with my spare hydro??

Interesting as I've chosen this to do as my first extract brew! Wonder if I'll get the same! let us know how it goes.

Jason

[mandyandnick]

For what it's worth this was also my first extract brew (for many years!) The head on this with the US-05 is really something isn't it! I skimmed some off a couple of times. I have only 4 bottles left and have to say that it has been superb - initially creamy then an enormous wack of grapefruity hoppy flavour. I did a comparison to Sierra Nevada pale ale (a popular American pale ale) which is roughly what this recipe is cloning and it did really well against that except for the floral elderflower note in the commerical brew. I hope yours turn out as well as mine, will definitely be brewing again!

Enjoy!

Nick.

[Ammered]

Checked my baby, sorry brew, this evening. The yeast head has dropped away after only four days! But then if I recall that's Pretty well what happened with the St Peters Ruby Red. The air-lock still shows a bubble every now and then.

Will be taking gravity reading tomorrow - day 5.

I'm a little worried that the brew belt is keeping the temperature a bit on the high side speeding things along too quick. I've got some digi thermometers on order for greater accuracy.

[chivelegs]

Tell you what, I bet you'll love the end result. I've had a quick preview of my keg in the cellar after 7 days secondary and 10 days rest and it's a beauty. It's my other half's birthday do on Saturday and this will be coming out then.

[fractureman]

yes I kegged today dropped to 1.009 in the end so a good brew, was lovely & clear as well, will be having 2 weeks before a sneaky taste is taken but will be in the keg for at least 4 before being supped