moto748
Landlord.
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2010
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Hi folks!
I'd appreciate a little guidance. I used to make beer pretty successfully years ago, and recently decided to give it another go. So I dug out my old recipe book, dating back to 1985... :)
Anyway, I have an old Burco boiler that I used satisfactorily for mashing grains, and had a pet recipe with pale malt, crystal malt, and barley. So all went OK, although the yeast took a long time to get going, the best part of 24 hours. I suspect this was maybe the wort was a bit to warm still when I pitched the yeast. Anyway, in time it fermented quite vigorously. I made the beer on Saturday, yeast in on Sunday, and by yesterday the fermentation had started to die down so I decided to transfer it to demi-johns. I think this is partially because I fear that whilst in a plastic bucket, there is more risk of contamination, whereas once it's in the demi-johns under a fermentation lock, it's 'safe', so as to speak.
However, there is no sign of further fermentation through the locks now at all. When I made it before, I recall a fair amount of action through the fermentation locks when in the jars. That's why I wanted to transfer it over whilst there was 'still a little life in it'. But, paradoxically, having left the yeast (or, at least, 95% of it) in the bottom of the bucket, I now fear I should have waited longer before transferring. I'm beginning to wish I'd primed the demi-johns with a little of the sediment from the bucket.
So my question is, do you think I should add a little more yeast to the demi-johns? Perhaps start a 'primer' up in a bottle, and add a little of that? Any comments gratefully appreciated.
I'd appreciate a little guidance. I used to make beer pretty successfully years ago, and recently decided to give it another go. So I dug out my old recipe book, dating back to 1985... :)
Anyway, I have an old Burco boiler that I used satisfactorily for mashing grains, and had a pet recipe with pale malt, crystal malt, and barley. So all went OK, although the yeast took a long time to get going, the best part of 24 hours. I suspect this was maybe the wort was a bit to warm still when I pitched the yeast. Anyway, in time it fermented quite vigorously. I made the beer on Saturday, yeast in on Sunday, and by yesterday the fermentation had started to die down so I decided to transfer it to demi-johns. I think this is partially because I fear that whilst in a plastic bucket, there is more risk of contamination, whereas once it's in the demi-johns under a fermentation lock, it's 'safe', so as to speak.
However, there is no sign of further fermentation through the locks now at all. When I made it before, I recall a fair amount of action through the fermentation locks when in the jars. That's why I wanted to transfer it over whilst there was 'still a little life in it'. But, paradoxically, having left the yeast (or, at least, 95% of it) in the bottom of the bucket, I now fear I should have waited longer before transferring. I'm beginning to wish I'd primed the demi-johns with a little of the sediment from the bucket.
So my question is, do you think I should add a little more yeast to the demi-johns? Perhaps start a 'primer' up in a bottle, and add a little of that? Any comments gratefully appreciated.