Is this normal? First batch question

[CRX Don]

Hi All,

I am brewing my first batch in the 2 gal brew demon fermenter. I am not sure if everything is alright because on day 7 the beer is cloudy and the SG has been at 1.015 (kinda high?) for 3 days. I didn't have a hydrometer until 3 days ago so no readings before then. I am using BD's pilsner kit. Because I want to do 1 gallon batches I just halved the recipe, which is easy to do because the 2 gal kit ingredients seem to be two 1 gallon kits (2 cans, 2 packages yeast). I let the brew rest for an hour to be absolutely sure it had settled down to room temperature (20C) before pitching the yeast. For the first day or two there was an inch or two of foam on the brew that disappeared. Temperature was 18c the first night, 20C during the day, then I moved it to a different room that maintains a more constant 20-21C temperature. It tastes like beer, not too sweet, but then again I am not usually a pilsner drinker. My plan is to go ahead and bottle it per the instructions and see what happens, but I was curious if more experienced brewers out there would have some feedback on my suspiciously cloudy 1.1015SG result.

Next I plan on brewing another gallon of the BD pilsner kit. This time (on the advice of my bread baking wife) I will try to proof the yeast in a bit of water to make sure it is vigorous before pitching it. Does this sound like a good idea?

Thanks in advance for your help and sorry to bug you with noob anxiety over the first batch!

[John Sand]

Welcome aboard Don! We're always happy to meet new brewers, we were all there once. I would leave it until it clears, which is a good sign that it finished. Generally I let mine ferment three weeks regardless. Does the recipe list a final gravity? If you are within a couple of points, don't worry. Keep us posted

[RickBeer]

First, make sure you're reading the hydrometer accurately. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNVePBvI2ps

You want to ferment longer than 7 days. New brewers are best served following 3-4. 3 weeks fermenting, 4 weeks conditioning and carbonating in bottles.

For the 3 weeks, a temperature of 18.3 (65F) is great for the wort, because it's warmer (during active fermentation) than the air. When you carbonated and condition, you want 21C or a bit higher, for 4 full weeks.

You do NOT need to rehydrate your yeast, there simply is no reason to.

Also, watch your decimal places. 1.015 and 1.1015 aren't the same

[CRX Don]

Thanks for your feedback! I have turned down the heat in my "fermenting" room to 19C and continue to monitor the temperature of my fermenter. I'll let it go at least another week to try to clear it, taking hydrometer readings occasionally. Thanks for the video link. For what it's worth the foam in my fermenter wasn't as thick as in the video and I never saw bubbles in my airlock.

If there's any other feedback I am all ears!

[BlackDuck]

Welcome Welcome. Good advice from the previous guys so no need to repeat.

And don’t worry about the foam. Every recipe is different. Some will foam a lot, others not so much. It looks like your doing it right. This is a hobby that takes a little time to learn all the nuances. Keep at!!!


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[mashani]

If you don't have a good lid seal then you wont see any bubbles in your airlock. This isn't going to hurt anything, so don't worry about it.

The yeast that comes with those kits is a kind that doesn't drop out quickly, so patience as people above have said, will solve many things, including this.

Welcome to the hobby!

[CRX Don]

Thanks for your advice and encouragement. I agree it will take a while to learn the nuances, and that's part of the fun and challenge. Plus I get to drink beer
Beery Christmas, All!

[John Sand]

[bpgreen]

Welcome.

I wouldn't take too many hydrometer samples. With a 5 gallon batch, the amount of beer in the hydrometer tube is negligible, but it's a bigger percentage of the total in a 1 gallon batch.

I do 5 gallon batches and usually wait until it has been fermenting for 3 weeks before taking a reading. I do it more to estimate ABV than to check if it's done, because I know it's done at that point.

While it may be tempting to return the sample to the fermenter, I don't think it's worth the risk.

[John Sand]

Good advice BP.

[Dawg LB Steve]

Welcome to the Borg, all good advise!! Have a question please ask, there is a great group here that can answer for you. Biggest advise I can give is PATIENCE.