Bad Luck Brew?

[CJ01]

Okay I'm a rookie brewer with 3 batches in process but I'm just wondering if anyone else has ever had a cursed brew?

My second batch seems cursed. My 4 YO son tipped the batch over about an hour after I pitched. None leaked out except thru the air lock. I only had RO in the airlock from my chilled water cooler.

I didn't see any airlock activity for 3 days so I re-pitched. I have never seen or heard airlock activity from this batch. Hydro and taste says it is fermenting.

I tried to do a hydrometer reading tonight and the darn rubber stopper that my brother gave me (last time I'll use one) was stuck in the carboy and I ended up breaking the airlock. Of course, plastic bits fell in the brew. Added flavor?

It is frementing but still very cloudy looking.

On the other hand Holly's wheat is rocking, SWMBO took a sample from the hydro reading and said "Damn that's going to be a fine beer".

And my very first batch (a pale ale) just won't stop fermenting. It was 2 weeks in the carboy last Sunday but I figured another few days wouldn't hurt since it's still bubbling every 5 minutes.

Let me finish with this-I love brewing. I am at least 50% German so something about brewing just feels right.

[DecoJuicer]

This is where we all say...Relax, don't worry. Have a homebrew(or a reasonable facsimile thereof).

Let's address your issues one at a time.

1.) If the hydrometer says that it's fermenting, then it is. Trust your instrument, it is really hard to screw up a hydrometer reading.

2.) As long as the plastic was cleaned and sanitized properly, you shouldn't have any problems. Just be sure that no small shards make it into the bottle.

3.) Cloudy is ok right now. When it is done fermenting, transfer it to secondary. That will get the beer off of the trub and allow more stuff to fall out of solution. Put it somewhere and forget about it for 3 weeks. I'm serious. Don't worry about it, don't look at it, don't even think about it. When you go back, your beer will be wonderfully clear. When you siphon into the bottling bucket, make sure that you keep the siphon off the bottom.

4.) Tell Holly that I'll be the judge of who's beer is better. You each need to send me a six pack, so that I can be fair and impartial.

5.) Take a hydrometer reading from the pale ale. If the reading tells you that it's done fermenting, then transfer to secondary, or bottle it it....however you want to do it(I give everything at least a couple of weeks in secondary).

6.) To paraphrase Earnest & Julio Gallo - You can drink no beer before it's time. Go to your favorite beer store and start trying different styles. You can never do to much research into beer.

[Otis_The_Drunk]

If your pale ale is only putting a bubble out every 5 minutes, it's safe to say it's more than likely done. After two weeks (unless it's an incredibly big beer) would be scrubbing co2 in that time.

I agree with DecoJuicer here.
And like DecoJuicer, in order to be an impartial judge your going to have to send me a 6-pack of each to evaluate. ;)

[CJ01]

Thanks guys. It won't be too hard to get Deco a sixer as he lives about 20 miles from me but Otis I'll have to owe you one (or 6).

Holly didn't brew it, I just call it that because she loves wheat beer.

[Mad Scientist]

I'm not too far fro Otis, so you can send mine with his. I'll be happy with your pale ale though......

SO the question here is what stage is the pale ale in? Primary or secondary? Either way it is like ly ready to go. Unless you are having to age something for months, it will bubble at some rate until bottled. And remeber to blink when you watch that airlock...otherwise you'll end up funny (and not ha-ha funny) then next thing you know you are fementing softdrinks.....

[CJ01]

Originally posted by Boerne Brew
I'm not too far fro Otis, so you can send mine with his. I'll be happy with your pale ale though......

SO the question here is what stage is the pale ale in? Primary or secondary? Either way it is like ly ready to go. Unless you are having to age something for months, it will bubble at some rate until bottled. And remeber to blink when you watch that airlock...otherwise you'll end up funny (and not ha-ha funny) then next thing you know you are fementing softdrinks.....

The pale is in secondary. I'm going to bottle it this weekend, that will be four weeks from brew date.

Man I didn't know I would end up having to give away half my first batch!

lol

[dparsons]

Originally posted by CJ01

Man I didn't know I would end up having to give away half my first batch!

lol

Actually the requirement here is half of each of your 1st 3 batches. Send mine to Otis too. :D

[Otis_The_Drunk]

Yall are trying to get me drunk and take advantage of me aren't you? :D

[Mad Scientist]

Originally posted by Otis_The_Drunk
Yall are trying to get me drunk and take advantage of me aren't you? :D

Oh yeah baby.....let me give you this 'drink'.......

[CJ01]

Originally posted by dparsons
Actually the requirement here is half of each of your 1st 3 batches. Send mine to Otis too. :D

All right I'll add you to the IOU a 6er list. Hope you guys make the canoe trip.

[De Hooter]

Originally posted by Boerne Brew
I'm not too far fro Otis, so you can send mine with his. I'll be happy with your pale ale though......

SO the question here is what stage is the pale ale in? Primary or secondary? Either way it is like ly ready to go. Unless you are having to age something for months, it will bubble at some rate until bottled. And remeber to blink when you watch that airlock...otherwise you'll end up funny (and not ha-ha funny) then next thing you know you are fementing softdrinks.....

I thought beer WAS a soft drink... or am I using the 18th/19th century definition?

[CJ01]

[i]And remeber to blink when you watch that airlock...otherwise you'll end up funny (and not ha-ha funny) then next thing you know you are fementing softdrinks..... [/B]

I find watching my airlocks more entertaining than most the crap on the tube.

:D

[Otis_The_Drunk]

Originally posted by CJ01
Hope you guys make the canoe trip.

You sure do got a purdy mouth :D

[CJ01]

Originally posted by Otis_The_Drunk
You sure do got a purdy mouth :D

EEK

Remember what happened to the fine fellows that said that.

Did I mention that I've been an archer since 1969? My grandfather was MN state champ for many years.

[Otis_The_Drunk]

I was California State Jr Archery Champ in 1978.

Jr. Archery was for archer's under 18. I was 16 when I took the Championship. Nice to meet fellow archers.

[DecoJuicer]

I have read a ton of Green Arrow comic books...does that count?

[CJ01]

Originally posted by Otis_The_Drunk
I was California State Jr Archery Champ in 1978.

Jr. Archery was for archer's under 18. I was 16 when I took the Championship. Nice to meet fellow archers.

Wow I wasn't near that skill level.

[dparsons]

Archery is not good when you're close up anyway. ;)

[CJ01]

Originally posted by dparsons
Archery is not good when you're close up anyway. ;)

Ever shoot a crossbow? Besides, if I'm out in the woods and someone is yelling "Suuuuuu EEEEE" they're not getting too close!

lol