Problem with Irish Stout

[DrtDoctor]

Ok, Since Wine expert discontinued the Baron's kits (I got George's last one), I decided to try my first Brewer's Best kit (Irish Stout). Things were going great except it got cold in my basement, it is winter, and the air temp. dropped to about 60. This was day 2 just as the fermentation started up. So I put on my brewers belt and fermentation proceeded well.

I had to go out of town. Things warmed up while I was out of town. When I returned the temp on the my stick-on thermometer read 76 F. This was exactly one week after starting the kit. There was still positive pressure in the sealed primary but it wasn't bubbling.

Next evening I racked to secondary. As this was my first five gallon kit, I trusted the five gallon mark on the side of my primary. Well, that was a little short. The rack only got to the shoulder of the 5 gallon carboy.

Now, their seems to be NO activity in the carboy. No positive pressure, no active bubbling plus all this head space. It's only been a day. I'm thinking I should prime it and bottle it. I'll let it cure in the bottle. My big question is should I be concerned about the lack of activity and should I bottle it right away?

Thanks in advance,

DrtDoctor

 

[masta]

No problem Doc,


This is exactly how I ferment all my beers...one week in the primary with a snapped tight lid and airlock then transfer to carboy. Many times the volume does not completely fill the carboy due to the amount of trub (beer talk for sediment)

in the bottom of the primary.


You can see in these pictures of two Brown Ales I am making there is plenty of head space in the carboy.

Even if the fermentation is complete there is plenty of CO2 in the beer that will come out of solution to fill the head space to displace the air. Giving the carboy a gentle but firm rocking with help this and you should see a few bubbles in the airlock. The important thing at this point if that you keep the airlock in place to maintain the CO2 cap on the beer and don't open it up until you are ready to rack, prime and bottle.


When making wine or beer I routinely rock my carboys to help knock the fines off the sides and settle the lees or trub.


Trust me all is well and like us beer guys say "relax and have a home brew"

 

[DrtDoctor]

Thanks Masta,

So even though there seems to be no pressure at all, I'm alright here? I don't even see any little bubbles at the edge. I'll give it a firm rocking!!!

What's your suggestions on how long to leave it in the secondary and how long to let it 'condition' in the tap-a-draft before tasting. I've been told stouts take awhile??

DrtDoctor

 

[masta]

I would suggest 10-14 days in the secondary before priming and bottling.
At least 2 weeks in the tap-a-draft at room temp (70 degrees) after priming should produce carbonation.

 

[uavwmn]

Drt Doc, I may have the same dilemma with my Stout. I racked to carboy yesterday. Beer came to shoulder of carboy. Got the airlock on there.
This morning I see no visible bubble action or bubbles on top of beer.
This is my first beer kit and I am a bit on the anxious side. haha
Did your Stout come out ok?

 

[uavwmn]

Masta, those look good. How do they compare with commercial ales?

 

[smurfe]

Your hydrometer or refractometer will tell you if your fermentation is done or if there were problems with the fermentation. The OG (SG in beer talk) should be between 1.036 and 1.050 for an Dry Irish stout with a Finished Gravity (FG) of 1.007 and 1.011 Taking a hydrometer reading for three days in a row just like you do in winemaking will advise if there is any fermentation activity still.


Like Masta says though, you really don't want to expose the beer to Oxygen and there will bee little to no CO2 release. I have CO2 tanks so I can shoot a layer in mine to blanket the wine. I also do not transfer to a secondary. None of the "Beer Gods" do, so if they can win medal after medal at the competitions I figure it ought to work for me and it does. One less step and one less chance for contaminations. Beer is much more sensitive to infections and contamination than wine is.

 

[DrtDoctor]

My stout turned out unbelievably good. I've made another since and it's all gone too.

Drtdoctor

 

[AAASTINKIE]

I make True Brew beer kits, love the Irish Stout, also make lots of can kit beers (no boil) all of my beers are in the primary fermenter for one week then into the bottles, I don't use a secondary, keeps it simple and fast. I figure you're going to have sediment on the bottom of the bottle anyway so whats a little more? The less I have to pick up carboys the better!