Did I ruin my first batch?

[davidckahn]

I got a Northern Brewing kit for Christmas and brewed my first batch the next day, using the Northern Brewing Block Party Amber Ale kit, which says it should take 14 days to brew before bottling. It was bubbling consistently a day or so after I brewed it and was doing so faster the following day, when I left on vacation. Now that I've returned, it is not bubbling at all, which is only 10 days after brewing (and of course, since I wasn't here for a week, it may have stopped several days ago). Is there a way to tell if it's bad before I go through the trouble of bottling it?

In full disclosure, I made a mistake when brewing it but don't know how significant it is. I pitched the yeast without first adding the additional 2 gallons of water to the wort, so added the water after the yeast was already in there. Is that likely to be a problem? I also did not oxygenate it until after the yeast was already there. So I am cognizant that my lack of ability to follow instructions adequately might be a problem.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[MashBag]

No

"was bubbling consistently" shows it started OK. Your beer will be fine.

Instructions are generally crap, there are plenty of brewing books for little money. Have a read up on the stages it will help settle your mind as to the whole process and it really isn't rocket fuel

Welcome aboard!

 

[RichardM]

Leave it for a few more days the measure the SG. If it is at or near the finishing gravity measure it again in a couple of days. If it hasn't changed it is ready for bottling.

 

[Clint]

By adding the extra water to the wort after first adding the yeast you would have in fact oxygenated it.

 

[MashBag]

Leave it for a few more days the measure the SG. If it is at or near the finishing gravity measure it again in a couple of days. If it hasn't changed it is ready for bottling.

Does that kit come with a hydrometer

 

[An Ankoù]

I got a Northern Brewing kit for Christmas and brewed my first batch the next day, using the Northern Brewing Block Party Amber Ale kit, which says it should take 14 days to brew before bottling. It was bubbling consistently a day or so after I brewed it and was doing so faster the following day, when I left on vacation. Now that I've returned, it is not bubbling at all, which is only 10 days after brewing (and of course, since I wasn't here for a week, it may have stopped several days ago). Is there a way to tell if it's bad before I go through the trouble of bottling it?

In full disclosure, I made a mistake when brewing it but don't know how significant it is. I pitched the yeast without first adding the additional 2 gallons of water to the wort, so added the water after the yeast was already in there. Is that likely to be a problem? I also did not oxygenate it until after the yeast was already there. So I am cognizant that my lack of ability to follow instructions adequately might be a problem.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Sounds like it was fermenting in a fairly warm environment. Say 7 days for fermentation and 7 days for the yeast to settle out prior to bottling. You don't bottle as soon as fermentation stops.
Liquoring back shouldn't be a problem. (adding extra water. It's done all the time)
Dried yeast doesn't need oxygenated wort, only future generations of that yeast would need it.
Sounds as if everything is exactly as it should be.

 

[An Ankoù]

Have a read up on the stages it will help settle your mind as to the whole process and it really isn't rocket fuel

Is this a Freudian slip, @MashBag ?

 

[davidckahn]

Thanks for the advice everyone, glad to know I didn't screw it up (yet)! I do have a hydrometer, but neglected to measure the initial gravity, though I will follow the above advice to measure final gravity in a few days.

 

[MashBag]

Is this a Freudian slip, @MashBag ?

It was humour. If I keep trying I might get the hang of it.