Morgan’s Frequently Asked Questions:
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info@morgansbrewing.com.au
Cheers
The Morgan's Team
Sometimes, mainly in summertime, the ferment will be so active that froth comes out through the air-lock. There is no need for concern as, apart from a bit of a mess, this is actually a good thing! Plenty of frothing indicates that the yeast is strong and fermenting vigorously. Simply refill the air-lock and allow the yeast to carry on with fermenting the brew. Frothing over may be avoided by using a bigger fermenter, filling to a lower level for the first few days and topping up with water to the correct brew volume once the froth has subsided, starting the brew at cooler temperature.
While a hydrometer should be used to monitor the progression of fermentation, many new brewers have problems getting accurate readings. This problem is, in part, caused by the hydrometer having such small graduations. More commonly though, a false high reading will be made because CO2 gas, dissolved in the brew, releases forming bubbles which cling to the hydrometer. In turn, the bubbles cause the hydrometer to float higher in the sample giving a false high reading. To dislodge the bubbles tap or spin the hydrometer a couple of times. The lowest reading achievable is the most accurate one.
After bottling, all beers will take a week or so to gas up but then should settle out crystal clear. If your beer refuses to clear after a reasonable time, ten to one it’s affected by one of the following problems.
1. Contamination - If a beer becomes contaminated by airborne bacteria, which usually happens after fermentation, prior to or during bottling, the beer won’t clear properly. This type of haze is usually accompanied by a waterline ring that forms in the bottle.
2. Starch Haze - This haze is created by using too starchy products (unconverted sugars) in your brewing.
3. Chill Haze - Occasionally a beer can be quite clear but once chilled becomes slightly hazy. Caused by slightly higher than normal protein content which has no effect on the beer taste etc.
This is the most common of problems. Many brewers assume the brew is not fermenting because the air-lock is not bubbling so, “Out she goes”. Most likely, the brew is fermenting but as fermenters don’t always seal well, the air-lock does not bubble and the brewer assumes that the yeast is dead. A brew does not need to be in a perfectly sealed container to result in good beer. A number of commercial breweries, today, still ferment high quality beer in open vats!
Before making the ultimate sacrifice and tipping it out, assess the situation. Look for visual signs of fermentation such as frothing and a scum ring around the top of the brew, condensation on the inside of the lid, a build up of sediment in the bottom, a sample from the tap is frothy and cloudy and the SG is dropping from day to day.
www.brewcellar.com.au
This is a great site and well worth taking a look.
Cheers
The Morgan's Team
Over-gassed beer may be due to; bottling before the yeast has finished fermenting, adding too much priming sugar to the bottles, the level of infection is high enough to create excess gas.
Flat beer may be due to; not enough priming sugar, bottles not stored warm enough for the yeast to ferment the priming sugar, not allowing the bottles to condition long enough for secondary fermentation, not enough yeast carried over from the fermenter to the bottles to perform secondary fermentation, bottles not sealed properly.