Advice please.

[Connor]

Hi all,

Complete novice here, first time. Was gifted the home brew equipment and a st peters IPA box as a birthday present a few days ago.

I pitched the yeast about 46 hours ago and there's no bubbling yet, although the lid does look quite swollen and if I push it down it bubbles, just not occuring by itself. I pitched at 25°c which I know is a bit high but it was getting late and I had work early the next morning. The temperature of the room it's in may also be a bit low. I haven't opened it up yet to check temp or anything as I didn't know if I should. I also didn't take a gravity reading at the start (I know I should have), but I was getting concerned with the amount of time the lid had been opened and the time since sanitising as I stupidly decided to use filtered water and it took me longer than I would have liked to filter all the water. Bad prep I know. So at that point I just wanted to get things going.

Basically, should I be concerned? Or is the swollen lid a hopeful sign? Is there anything you'd suggest to salvage it? Or is it a lost cause?

any advice welcome.

cheers!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

If you have this in a plastic bucked (FV) it may not be 100% airtight and the co2 is escaping through the lid seal rather than airlock a hydrometer is the only way to know for sure if it's fermenting.
Give it a week then take a reading leave it a few more days and do the same again.

 

[Connor]

If you have this in a plastic bucked (FV) it may not be 100% airtight and the co2 is escaping through the lid seal rather than airlock a hydrometer is the only way to know for sure if it's fermenting.
Give it a week then take a reading leave it a few more days and do the same again.

Thank you. Yes it's in a plastic bucket.
So you'd avoid opening it now and taking a reading?
The kit said ferment for 4-6 days then bottle but I presume it's going to take longer

 

[Rodcx500z]

Hi, if it is fermenting a tide mark will appear at the top of the liquid were the krausen as formed (the foamy stuff) as above leave it alone for a week then take a reading with a sanitised turkey baster or what ever you use

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I think the fact the lid is domed and produced bubbles when pressed is a good sign that things are as they should be.

 

[RichardM]

Thank you. Yes it's in a plastic bucket.
So you'd avoid opening it now and taking a reading?
The kit said ferment for 4-6 days then bottle but I presume it's going to take longer

You will get better beer if you leave it for two weeks in the fermenter, then bottle it and keep it somewhere warmish for two weeks to carbonate and then keep it somewhere cool for two weeks to condition.
It will be hard to wait and you may want to try a bottle earlier for quality assurances purposes, but if you get too entusiastic about drinking it early then it will be at its best just as you get to the last bottle.

 

[Connor]

You will get better beer if you leave it for two weeks in the fermenter, then bottle it and keep it somewhere warmish for two weeks to carbonate and then keep it somewhere cool for two weeks to condition.
It will be hard to wait and you may want to try a bottle earlier for quality assurances purposes, but if you get too entusiastic about drinking it early then it will be at its best just as you get to the last bottle.

Ah ok, thanks for the tip. I thought 4-6 days sounded short but assumed maybe some are quicker than others. Yes I may have a few at Christmas, only a week early, but will definitely save most for their peak. Providing all goes well.

 

[Stevieboy]

It's fermenting, dont worry. As above leave for min 2 wks in fv. To avoid the bulging top syndrome, I place a weight on the lid - keeps it down, and allows you to properly assess the airlock activity. (May also want to put vaseline round the lip of the lid to get a better seal)

 

[Connor]

Thank you all for the advice, it's been bubbling away nicely for days now

 

[labrewski]

Definitely leave it for 2 weeks minimum don't believe instructions that come with kits
Unless u are using kveik yeast 90 percent of brews will need the 2 weeks in fv

 

[Beermonster66]

Hi Connor, welcome to the forum. I did exactly the same kit as my first attempt earlier this year and I had exactly the same issue. Is your FV the type with a snap down frill around the lid? I don't think those are especially air tight. Mine came out OK, leave 2 weeks to finish before bottling. Nice malt forward ale, not too much hops though and comes out around 4.5% if I remember rightly.

 

[Connor]

Hi Connor, welcome to the forum. I did exactly the same kit as my first attempt earlier this year and I had exactly the same issue. Is your FV the type with a snap down frill around the lid? I don't think those are especially air tight. Mine came out OK, leave 2 weeks to finish before bottling. Nice malt forward ale, not too much hops though and comes out around 4.5% if I remember rightly.

Thank you.
Yeah that's the one. Will leave it 2 weeks. Just over 1 week now and it's still happily bubbling away. I don't know why they put 4-6 days on the box when it seems everyone here agrees 2 weeks.
Sounds good, looking forward to trying it. As you've done this kit before can I ask, did you do half teaspoon of sugar per pint like it says on the box? Just done another post asking for advice on sugar/carbonation drops. I'll copy and paste here...
Hi all,

Novice doing my first brew. Posted recently and got some helpful advice, now I'm after some advice for the bottling up stage.

The brew kit (st peters IPA) says to add half teaspoon of sugar per pint. I've been given crafty fox carbonation drops which says to add 2 drops per 500ml. That seems like more that half teaspoon to me.

Basically looking for advice on whether I should use 2 drops, 1 drop, or just use half teaspoon of sugar and if so is just normal granulated sugar ok or do I need to get brewing sugar?

If it helps, the bag of carbonation drops contains 80 drops and weighs 160g, so 2g per drop (don't know if they come in different sizes). Ingredients just says sugar, glucose. Will be bottling up in 500ml plastic bottles.

Thanks

 

[Beermonster66]

Hi Connor, I bottled this in 2ltr plastic bottles and used 2 teaspoons per bottle. Carbonation was just right. I have no experience using the card drops so hopefully someone else can chip in. I batch prime now, siphoning from the FV into another bucket with a sugar solution made up then bottle from there. Less messy than adding sugar to each bottle although I might give the card drops a go for my next kit as it would save time

 

[Connor]

Hi Connor, I bottled this in 2ltr plastic bottles and used 2 teaspoons per bottle. Carbonation was just right. I have no experience using the card drops so hopefully someone else can chip in. I batch prime now, siphoning from the FV into another bucket with a sugar solution made up then bottle from there. Less messy than adding sugar to each bottle although I might give the card drops a go for my next kit as it would save time

Thank you

 

[damienair]

Use 2 drops per 500ml bottle when bottling. Put the drops in first then fill with beer leaving a little space at the top. If you are using plastic bottles fill up leaving a little space. Then squeeze the sides of the bottle to get the beer to the top and secure the lid tightly. Bottle will look deformed but when carbonation starts the bottle will reshape to normal and become hard to press. You’ll know then that it is carbonating OK.
As above, I batch prime which is great. I measure and mix brewing sugar with 400ml of hot water, allow to mix and add it to the bottling bucket just before transferring over the beer. A gentle stir to mix and then bottle. Very easy. Carbonation drops work great so use them for this brew.

 

[Connor]

Use 2 drops per 500ml bottle when bottling. Put the drops in first then fill with beer leaving a little space at the top. If you are using plastic bottles fill up leaving a little space. Then squeeze the sides of the bottle to get the beer to the top and secure the lid tightly. Bottle will look deformed but when carbonation starts the bottle will reshape to normal and become hard to press. You’ll know then that it is carbonating OK.
As above, I batch prime which is great. I measure and mix brewing sugar with 400ml of hot water, allow to mix and add it to the bottling bucket just before transferring over the beer. A gentle stir to mix and then bottle. Very easy. Carbonation drops work great so use them for this brew.

Thank you very much!