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Post #26 made 12 years ago
by PistolPatch
Yep, definitely take a sample, check the gravity and taste it rbcon. I'd be very surprised if the brew had gone wrong in any way.

When you say there is no activity, how are you trying to see if there is activity? It is very unlikely for example that the plastic bag with holes would inflate.

As for smell, you'll always get funny smells in fermenting beer. My worry is fermenting in the cube and playing with it so much :).

Not sure how you are going to get a sample out of the cube but try and do so as cleanly as you can and let us know what you discover.

:luck:
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Post #27 made 12 years ago
by rbcon2
Hello PP,

The taste test was surprisingly fair. Weak in flavors as well as hoppy, but OK! I fully expected a skunky spoiled mess. the gravity ready is 1.105. The spreadsheet call for final gravity at 1.015.

Enclosed is the set up I made after starting with the bag. I got another cap and drilled it out to receive the airlock. there has been no activity that I can tell for two days from the airlock. The mini temp is at 68 degrees. I was trying to get the yeast to start up again but it looks as if it is done. I will wait out the week and reevaluate on Friday, unless you advise otherwise
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Roger Barnett

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
Mark Twain
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Post #28 made 12 years ago
by cwier60
rbcon2 wrote:the gravity ready is 1.105. The spreadsheet call for final gravity at 1.015.
Roger, I assume that's a typo. 1.105 would be the OG for a really BIG beer (~11-12% ABV). Also, are you using a hydrometer or refractometer for the gravity measurements? If you are using a refractometer, then you have to correct for the presence of the alcohol; the net effect is that the post-fermentation refractometer readings appear higher than they actually are. The most accurate correction I'm aware of is Sean Terrill's. Regardless, like others have said, don't necessarily give up unless something tastes really wrong.
Last edited by cwier60 on 02 Sep 2014, 03:56, edited 1 time in total.
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Post #29 made 12 years ago
by rbcon2
Hi cwier60,

It is a typo, I should have said 1.015, that being corrected the final gravity is as estimated in the spreadsheet.
Roger Barnett

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
Mark Twain
    • SVA Brewer From United States of America

Post #30 made 12 years ago
by cwier60
It sounds like you are about there. Since your measured OG was 1.047 instead of the targeted gravity of 1.058, you should probably reach a FG of ~1.012 (47/58 * 15). I'd give it a few days, and then you're ready to bottle or keg. You can confirm whether your gravity is still moving. Congratulations on BIAB #1. Lots of uncertainty, but hopefully a successful end result.
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Post #31 made 12 years ago
by PistolPatch
That's great to hear it tasting fine. At those temps (even 60 F / 15.6 C) your beer is probably done by now so bottle on the weekend.

1.015 is fine and remember that final gravity estimates are very primitive so never expect to match what the BIABacus (or any other software) tells you you will get. Do take note of what cwier is saying though... the lower your OG, the lower your FG.

Have you got a tap on that cube? If so, on your next ale brew, after 5 days, take a gravity sample and leave it beside your cube. Cover it with plastic wrap and then you will be able to watch the gravity drop without taking multiple samples.

One last thing, you need to be ultra fastidious in your cleaning and sanitisation if you are going to be no-chilling and sanitising in the cube.

Good stuff!
PP
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Post #33 made 12 years ago
by rbcon2
Hello and thanks to the following members.
Pistol Patch, Bobbrews, Mad Scientist,Contrarian, Goulaigan, Monkey man and Cwier60. If you have read the early parts of this thread you can hear my disappointment in the belief that I felt I had bombed in my first attempt at BIAB. Well I pushed through the doubt and kegged the brew. Now I am enjoying the fruit of my labor. Thanks to all of you for encouraging me to stay with it. The results have paid off. I have a great brew in spite of all attempts to muck it up.
Roger Barnett

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
Mark Twain
    • SVA Brewer From United States of America

Post #35 made 12 years ago
by kaiserben
PistolPatch wrote:after 5 days, take a gravity sample and leave it beside your cube. Cover it with plastic wrap and then you will be able to watch the gravity drop without taking multiple samples.
This bit of advice is intriguing and incredibly helpful to me (considering I'm doing small, 8.5L batches and don't want to lose potential beer to multiple samples).

Could you just guide me as to the science behind the 5 days? (why not straight after pitching, assuming I shake the FV a fair bit after pitching to make sure it's all mixed up nicely?)
Last edited by kaiserben on 29 Sep 2014, 10:46, edited 1 time in total.

Post #36 made 12 years ago
by PistolPatch
Sorry Ben, just caught your question.

If you go straight after pitching, your hydrometer jar, full of wort, goes through high krausen which creates a sticky mess which stops the hydrometer moving freely. I think, but am not sure, that my advice of five days will suit both lagers and ales but, to be safe, for lagers go for seven/eight.

Make sense? And apologies, I should have written four/five for ales and seven/eight days for lagers as I hate it when other brewers make generalisations between ales and lagers :headhit:,
PP
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Post #37 made 12 years ago
by rbcon2
Hello Friends,
My Amarillo APA was a success even though I felt several mistakes were made. But I learned a lot and it is true that the receipt is really forgiving. Now I am working on drinking five gallon of brew, That's a lot of brew to get down. Particularly when I don't drink every night.

Thanks Pistolpatch on the so simple method for measuring gravity by taking a sample after five days, then covering it and measuring without opening the fermentation bucket. Why is it some things are so simple that it get by so many? Thus the need for the forum, a lot of smart people helping the novice get smart.

With the holidays coming I want to brew a beer for gifting. I know there are a lot of traditional holiday brews, any suggestions for the novice?
Roger Barnett

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
Mark Twain
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Post #38 made 12 years ago
by BobBrews
rbcon2,
With the holidays coming I want to brew a beer for gifting. I know there are a lot of traditional holiday brews, any suggestions for the novice?
It's not to late to brew a Pumpkin ale. Google ( pumpkin ale recipe ) You will have many to choose from. Or ( holiday beer recipe all grain ) Or ( christmas beer recipe all grain ) go Nuts! :argh:
Last edited by BobBrews on 01 Oct 2014, 20:18, edited 1 time in total.
tap 1 Raspberry wine
tap 2 Bourbon Barrel Porter
tap 3 Czech Pilsner
tap 4 Triple IPA 11% ABV
Pipeline: Mulled Cider 10% ABV

http://cheesestradamus.com/ Brewers challenge!
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