Brewdemon Questions

[BxOldE1]

When i get the 2 gallon kit, should i let it ferment longer than 7 days? If so how much longer? Same question with carbonation and conditioning. Also how can i raise the abv to 8.5% to 9%? Thank you in advance.

[mashani]

Don't even think about trying to get 8-9% abv without first learning how it all works.

You should wait for at least 14 days, and consider just ignoring it for 3 full weeks before you even think about bottling it, until you know how to use a hydrometer or other device to test it. It *will not hurt* to leave it for 2-3 weeks. It will hurt if you bottle it at 7 days and your bottles all start to explode because it wasn't done yet.

Carbonation/conditioning with sugar in the bottles - 3 weeks at least, 4 is better, more might even be better then that with those kit beers.

You will get better results by waiting more often then not. There are exceptions, but they require fine tuned process or are for specific types of beer(s).

Once you are happy with how everything tastes and the process is working for you then think about 8-9% beers. But they take longer to ferment, longer to condition (sit around until they taste good), etc. unless you pitch *way more yeast* then come with those kits. The short answer on "how" is more fermentable, more extract, sugar, etc. But then you have to adjust other things to keep it all in balance or you will end up with a hot mess.

So just don't go there yet, first learn the basics. Chasing ABV is the worse way to make beer IMHO.

[BxOldE1]

Don't even think about trying to get 8-9% abv without first learning how it all works.

You should wait for at least 14 days, and consider just ignoring it for 3 full weeks before you even think about bottling it, until you know how to use a hydrometer or other device to test it. It *will not hurt* to leave it for 2-3 weeks. It will hurt if you bottle it at 7 days and your bottles all start to explode because it wasn't done yet.

Carbonation/conditioning with sugar in the bottles - 3 weeks at least, 4 is better, more might even be better then that with those kit beers.

You will get better results by waiting more often then not. There are exceptions, but they require fine tuned process or are for specific types of beer(s).

Once you are happy with how everything tastes and the process is working for you then think about 8-9% beers. But they take longer to ferment, longer to condition (sit around until they taste good), etc. unless you pitch *way more yeast* then come with those kits. The short answer on "how" is more fermentable, more extract, sugar, etc. But then you have to adjust other things to keep it all in balance or you will end up with a hot mess.

So just don't go there yet, first learn the basics. Chasing ABV is the worse way to make beer IMHO.

Thank you very much for responding, will wait the 3 weeks for fermentation and conditioning. Will also wait on the abv. Dont think i can wait longer than 3 weeks out of sheer excitement though!

[John Sand]

I understand, it's exciting to brew, and you want to taste it and improve it. But I also believe that it is best to learn the process and try the recipes before making changes.
Good luck, keep us posted.

[The_Professor]

......how can i raise the abv to 8.5% to 9%?.......

While Mashani's advice is good I will ask what style/type of beer did you want to brew with that ABV?

[BxOldE1]

......how can i raise the abv to 8.5% to 9%?.......

While Mashani's advice is good I will ask what style/type of beer did you want to brew with that ABV?

Good question, i didnt think that through! Just thought i would ask. Are there certain types that are better for that? If so which ones? Just really excited! I will start my first brew on sunday God willing.

[mashani]

......how can i raise the abv to 8.5% to 9%?.......

While Mashani's advice is good I will ask what style/type of beer did you want to brew with that ABV?

Good question, i didnt think that through! Just thought i would ask. Are there certain types that are better for that? If so which ones? Just really excited! I will start my first brew on sunday God willing.

If you like IPAs, a double IPA or 3x IPA will be there. Those will be drinkable fast because it's all about the hops and the hops bury everything slightly off that might be noticeable in a less hoppy beer. Ideally you would use some sugar in it to reach that ABV so it is not heavy bodied and so the yeast has an easy time with it, and pitch a lot of yeast. All of the best DIPAs/3xIPAs to my taste incorporate sugar. Beers like Pliney the Elder for example (but that beer is actually only 7.5%).

Belgian beers like Triples or Strong Golden Ales or Quads are in that range, they also will incorporate sugar to get there.

Northern Brewer / Midwest has an Imperial Saison kit (Storm the Bastille / Drunken Farmer) that will be right up there. It is a delicious but seriously dangerous beer. I only made it that way one time. Every other time I bought that kit, I actually made 3 batches of beer out of it. It is something dumb like 12.5% ABV because the yeast it uses will eat everything (normal yeast eats 70-80% of the sugars, the yeast it uses eats 97-100% of them, and starch, and anything else it can find).

Imperial porters or stouts can get there. Also barley wine style beers. And very strong Scotch ales.

I'm sure I missed something else.

Many of them will require or at least improve greatly with some months of aging. Pretty much all of them except for the DIPAs / 3xIPAs.

Normally if you want to be able to drink it soon after you make it, high ABV is not the ideal beer.

There are ways to turn around strong beers quicker, like feeding the sugar during fermentation instead of adding it all up front (yeast don't get as stressed up front this way), but it still requires a hefty pitch rate.

Fermentation temperature control becomes even more important in these beers because the yeast will become very active in some of the styles. It's easy for things to get out of hand.

The little 5g packs of yeast that come with the normal Brew Demon / Mr. Beer cans really aren't idea. Ideally you would want to pitch a whole 11g pack of yeast in such a beer if you want the best results more quickly.

I'm sure I'm missing something but that is a good start.

[BxOldE1]

Good question, i didnt think that through! Just thought i would ask. Are there certain types that are better for that? If so which ones? Just really excited! I will start my first brew on sunday God willing.[/quote]

If you like IPAs, a double IPA or 3x IPA will be there. Those will be drinkable fast because it's all about the hops and the hops bury everything slightly off that might be noticeable in a less hoppy beer. Ideally you would use some sugar in it to reach that ABV so it is not heavy bodied and so the yeast has an easy time with it, and pitch a lot of yeast. All of the best DIPAs/3xIPAs to my taste incorporate sugar. Beers like Pliney the Elder for example (but that beer is actually only 7.5%).

Belgian beers like Triples or Strong Golden Ales or Quads are in that range, they also will incorporate sugar to get there.

Northern Brewer / Midwest has an Imperial Saison kit (Storm the Bastille / Drunken Farmer) that will be right up there. It is a delicious but seriously dangerous beer. I only made it that way one time. Every other time I bought that kit, I actually made 3 batches of beer out of it. It is something dumb like 12.5% ABV because the yeast it uses will eat everything (normal yeast eats 70-80% of the sugars, the yeast it uses eats 97-100% of them, and starch, and anything else it can find).

Imperial porters or stouts can get there. Also barley wine style beers. And very strong Scotch ales.

I'm sure I missed something else.

Many of them will require or at least improve greatly with some months of aging. Pretty much all of them except for the DIPAs / 3xIPAs.

Normally if you want to be able to drink it soon after you make it, high ABV is not the ideal beer.

There are ways to turn around strong beers quicker, like feeding the sugar during fermentation instead of adding it all up front (yeast don't get as stressed up front this way), but it still requires a hefty pitch rate.

Fermentation temperature control becomes even more important in these beers because the yeast will become very active in some of the styles. It's easy for things to get out of hand.

The little 5g packs of yeast that come with the normal Brew Demon / Mr. Beer cans really aren't idea. Ideally you would want to pitch a whole 11g pack of yeast in such a beer if you want the best results more quickly.

I'm sure I'm missing something but that is a good start.[/quote]


Thank you very much, that was very informative. I will stick with the refills i have now but when those are done its game on!!

[bpgreen]

A phrase that I have repeated many times is "chase flavor, not abv"

Some of the worst beers I've made are beers where I tried to get high ABV for the purpose of getting a high ABV.

I've made some good low ABV beers, and I've also made some good high ABV beers.

[BxOldE1]

A phrase that I have repeated many times is "chase flavor, not abv"

Some of the worst beers I've made are beers where I tried to get high ABV for the purpose of getting a high ABV.

I've made some good low ABV beers, and I've also made some good high ABV beers.

Duly noted.

[BxOldE1]

So i made my first batch yesterday of deep red ale and i have a question. While i was waiting for the wort to come up to temperature to put the yeast in i noticed a lot of trib at the bottom. It took like 2 hours for it to get to temperature. Is this ok?

[bpgreen]

I'm not sure I follow you. What do you mean when you say you were waiting for the wort to come up to temperature. What was the temperature originally and what temperature did you want it to reach?

Trub doesn't start forming until fermentation starts, and that doesn't happen until some time after the yeast is pitched. I'm not sure what you saw on the bottom.

[mashani]

It would likely have been extract that didn't fully get into solution, or possibly break material but you shouldn't get a lot of that from those canned extracts.

I'd just relax either way, if it was extract it will get into solution over time anyways, and break is harmless.

I suggest using refrigerated or near freezing water for topping up if you want to get to pitch temp faster.

[BxOldE1]

While making the wort, when i added the water to cool it down, it went down to 61 degrees and instructions say 64 to 82 degrees. It took about 2 hours to get back up to 64 degrees. In that time i started to see something collecting at the bottom of the fermenter. Once it hit 64 i added the yeast. I can see the yeast doing its thing now. I will be leaving it for 3 weeks before i bottle it.

[BxOldE1]

Is condensation inside the fermenter ok?