Beer Notes

[little_carrot]

Batch two, bottled yesterday. I think my friends' basement is a little chilly - the initial brew phase took longer than the first batch. Now I'm debating whether our coat closet is too warm for a third batch - the living room hit 90 degrees earlier this week, but the closet seems cooler than the room itself. Perhaps I can see if the landlord will

Comments

[facetiae]

would offering fruits of the labor to current landlord help?

[little_carrot]

I will probably end up doing that, yeah - I'm just dithering, because I'm not sure that I like this landlord enough to offer him my beer...

[brannen]

You want it cool. Depending on the yeast strain, 60s or 70s (and if you're lagering then 56 to 72 and thence to 38 degrees for a few months). Slow is fine. If it seems oddly slow then check your nutrients and your Ph levels.

[little_carrot]

According to my instructions, the first phase should take 4 weeks, and it actually took 6 weeks. I recall that the first batch took a little longer than I had expected too - according to my notes, it took 3 weeks. So this has taken twice as long? I know it's not cold enough in the basement to freeze the yeast, so I expect it's all good.

Also according to my notes, the carbing process took three weeks last time instead of the 1 that the instructions suggested, so I'll keep my eye on that as well.

If it seems oddly slow then check your nutrients and your Ph levels.

Yeah - I'm using a Mr. Beer kit. I've got a cute plastic keg and a bunch of stuff in cans and packages. I don't have the means to check nutrients or Ph levels at this point in my entrance to the hobby. Perhaps that's the next step?

[brannen]

Ahhh, well, one secret - beer kit (and wine kit) instructions lie like a desperate student at the end of term. Going by the timetables on my kits will get you something vaguely drinkable and little more. Play it by ear. If your primary ferment is still bubbling, even six weeks out, then let it keep going. Its like making a roux - its done when its done.

[little_carrot]

Its like making a roux - its done when its done

Ha! I still have trouble with roux. So, basically, I should bottle when the bubbling stops? Because I'm not 100% sure there were ever truly visible bubbles in the first place. I'll have to pay much better attention with the next batch.