Razorback IPA

[GazzaW57]

Last Tuesday morning I started off a Razorback IPA kit. Within a couple of hours, it started bubbling away merrily through the airlock and it suddenly stopped on Sunday morning. As it’s now the 6th day, and following the instructions, first thing this morning, I added the hops to the brew and it’s bubbling away once again. I’m not complaining, but I just want to know out if curiousity if this is because I’ve added the hops, or did the fermentation just take a bit of a rest!

 

[Graz]

It could be done in 5 days but the only way to know is by taking a hydrometer reading. If you haven't got one it's worthwhile getting one so you can determine how well fermentation is progressing.

So adding the hops has either just caused enough disturbance to wake the yeast up to ferment a bit more, or when fermentation happens the beer absorbs quite a bit of the CO2 from the fermentation process and adding the hops has provided passivating surfaces to ease the release of that CO2 back into the atmosphere. Another explanation is that assuming your using a fermenting bucket the lids rarely ever seal that well on these so perhaps gas was escaping before and not through the air lock, after you took the lid off to add the hops it sealed up properly again and now the gas is coming back through the airlock.

Personally I just tend to give it 2 weeks to ferment, then add the hops, give it a 2-3 days and then keg. Better to add them later as if fermentation is still active you can lose some of the hop aroma that you are trying to add with the dry hops.

Just started drinking my Razorback, very good kit that I've done a few times before

 

[GazzaW57]

Thank you. The lid was sealed right the way around.I know that because I heard it snap as I closed it. I had thought about taking a reading, and I may do in a short while. I’ve only heard good things about the Razorback, so I’m looking forward to sampling it once it’s ready!

 

[Rwilts]

The anticipation of tasting a new homebrew

 

[GazzaW57]

I’ve just tried to take a sample for the hydrometer, but the hops have swelled up and I don’t want to disturb it. I’ll wait until it all dies down and then I’ll take a hydrometer reading.

 

[Clint]

FWIW the few times I did that kit it took nearly a month to hit fg.
Leave it at least another week before fiddling with it.

 

[GazzaW57]

I think you’re right. You can’t rush these things!!

 

[GazzaW57]

I’ve just taken a reading with the hydrometer it’s around 1010-1012, so it’s got a while to go yet. The instructions advise not bottling it until it’s around 1.005. I never rush these things anyway.

 

[GazzaW57]

It’s now been 8 days on. The brew bubbled away through the airlock until last night, when it stopped, but the hydrometer is still reading 1010. Should I leave a few more days again? The instructions do advise that it should be nearer to 1005 before bottling.

 

[GazzaW57]

It’s now been 8 days on. The brew bubbled away through the airlock until last night, when it stopped, but the hydrometer is still reading 1010. Should I leave a few more days again? The instructions do advise that it should be nearer to 1005 before bottling.

Update…..its started bubbling once again! I’ve never known a brew like this!

 

[lmbollinger]

The amount of bubbles you're getting suggests (to me) that it's the yeast and not just nucleation points from the hops.

What's your temperature regulation look like? If it's swinging several degrees the yeast may be slowing down at the cool temps and getting more active at warmer temps. There will also be more co2 coming off at high temps since it can't be dissolved as well

 

[GazzaW57]

I’m using a brew belt and it’s been stable at 22 degrees since it started.

 

[lmbollinger]

Perfect. Strange fermentation for sure. I'm assuming you had a good pitch rate and oxygenation early on since it started fermenting so quickly. Sounds like it's progressing well, though. Personally, I moved to a refractometer since my final gravity measures with a hydrometer were, let's just say, "variable".

 

[GazzaW57]

I think I may go down that route sometime in the future. I’m just going to leave this one until probably Monday or Tuesday before taking another hydrometer reading. I’ll go from there.

 

[GazzaW57]

The latest update is that the brew is still bubbling away and the hydrometer is now reading 1.008, so it’s getting close to the suggested 1.005. I am beginning to think I should have waited a while longer before adding the hops, as Graz suggested, but we’ll just have to see how it (eventually) turns out!

 

[GazzaW57]

Well it took until Saturday for the brew to settle at 1.005 on the hydrometer, so I bottled it today. I don’t know what I’d do without the bottle tree when I’m washing and sterilising the bottles. I have never known a beer to take so long to brew, especially given I used a brew belt to keep the temperature at a steady 22 degrees. (I started it on 4 July).

it smells lovely and I’m really hoping that it’ll taste just as nice, given I’ve only ever heard good things about Razorback IPA. The bottles are in the airing cupboard for the next fortnight, and I won’t try it until probably the end of September at the earliest.

 

[matt.]

Well it took until Saturday for the brew to settle at 1.005 on the hydrometer, so I bottled it today. I don’t know what I’d do without the bottle tree when I’m washing and sterilising the bottles. I have never known a beer to take so long to brew, especially given I used a brew belt to keep the temperature at a steady 22 degrees. (I started it on 4 July).

it smells lovely and I’m really hoping that it’ll taste just as nice, given I’ve only ever heard good things about Razorback IPA. The bottles are in the airing cupboard for the next fortnight, and I won’t try it until probably the end of September at the earliest.

Interesting post. Thanks for the up-dates.

May I ask about your bottling tree? I've been tempted to buy one.
Any things to look out for with different brands / makes?
Recommend yours?

Cheers

Matt

 

[GazzaW57]

This is the one I bought, and it’s served me well§:

https://brew2bottle.co.uk/products/stationary-50-bottle-drainer

 

[MashBag]

Perfect. Strange fermentation for sure. I'm assuming you had a good pitch rate and oxygenation early on since it started fermenting so quickly. Sounds like it's progressing well, though. Personally, I moved to a refractometer since my final gravity measures with a hydrometer were, let's just say, "variable".

How are you doing final readings with a refractometer?

 

[MashBag]

The latest update is that the brew is still bubbling away and the hydrometer is now reading 1.008, so it’s getting close to the suggested 1.005. I am beginning to think I should have waited a while longer before adding the hops, as Graz suggested, but we’ll just have to see how it (eventually) turns out!

FWIW I think you are right. This bizzare behaviour could be fermentables becoming available for the hops.