Need some help with fixing dryness

Ya I don't doubt that.

 

What do you use as a fermentor and how do you sanitize it? Also, how do you transfer and how do you sanitize that aspect?

Cheers!

 

True, Jack...but a lot of folks are using stainless now where you can't use bleach.

 

Do you really think that for homebrewing that Stainless Steel fermentors are all that popular?

I have nothing to back me up but I would be willing to bet that much greater than 50% of homebrewers ferment in non-stainless steel fermentors. It has been my experience that the majority of homebrewers are a frugal lot and stainless steel fermentors are not inexpensive compared to the other options.

Cheers!

 

You’d be surprised at what they can survive. I know I was. I’m talking 155° 40min. 2% caustic CIPs that swabs still showed micro presence.

Also, and I fully admit I don’t use bleach very often, but doesn’t it gradually decrease in effectiveness after initial exposure to atmosphere?

Extreme heat is really the only way to kill microbes; and even THAT doesn’t kill all of them...

 

You can use chlorine and stainless, steel. Been doing it for years and we use stainless fittings at the water plant for chlorine. That is what is recommended.

Just rinse out after a 1 hour soak with hot water and your fine.

Chlorine kills, l love it

 

I know I have one SS fermenter (out of 1/2 a dozen buckets). I think you are probably right, but a lot of carboy and plastic bucket owners would not even consider using bleach (even though they could). I still think storage temp is a big factor as stated in the quote/link I provided earlier.

 

I really do not know the answer to that question.

When I started homebrewing in the 90's the only homebrewing sanitizer that I knew of was a bleach/water solution. This was in the instructions I obtained from my LHBS and the books I read at that time (e.g., Charlie Papazian books). The 'rule of thumb' I personally used was a minimum contact time of 20 minutes. Some folks are not fans of the fact that you need to rinse after the bleach/water sanitation process. I am of the thought that there is very little in the way of unwanted microorganisms in the water coming from my hot water tank due the combined effects of it being treated municipal water and it is hot.

Needless to say but we brewers practice sanitation vs. sterilization so there is indeed a risk here. I do not have the resources to conduct sterilization in my homebrewery so I simply do the best I can with my sanitation practices. I have been brewing for over 20 years and batch number 412 is in my primary fermentor right now (a CAP) and things have been working out fine for me so far.

I believe in the motto of: it it ain't broke don't fix it.

If you ever see any scientific studies about exposing Diastaticus to a 20 minute soak of bleach/water and that microorganism surviving please send me a link. I would be interested in reading that information.

Cheers!

 

Don't know what kind of stainless or chlorine you are using, but from my understanding 304 SS is pitted by bleach...there are a few types of chlorine compounds that could be used, but bleach, I believe is not one of them.

 

Since we are all head brewers of our homebreweries we all get to choose.

Select what is 'right' for you.

Cheers!

 

John Palmer (whose is a metallurgist by trade) writes the below in his on-line book How to Brew:

“Many brewers have experienced pinholes in stainless-steel vessels that have been filled with a bleach-water solution and left to soak for several days.”

Also, Brad Smith discussed this in a blog entry:

“Do not leave bleach based cleaners in contact with stainless steel for any extended period of time. A short wash is acceptable, but extended bleach exposure will pit stainless steel and may even bore a hole in it if left long enough.”

http://beersmith.com/blog/2009/06/21/cleaning-and-sanitation-for-beer-brewing/

So, it appears that if you soak for an extended period of time (e.g., several days) then pitting can occur.

I am not a metallurgist but it seems like there is an easy solution here: only soak for a short period of time (e.g., 20 minutes).

Cheers!

 

Na . . . more of a certain yeast won't make it attenuate better. Attenuation has to do with enzymes and environment. Pitching more yeast will just shorten your log/growth phase and get you to maximum cell density more quickly.

 

I don’t think that is the case. From my calculations your pitching rate was about 0.84 million cells/ml/plato. That is about average. A lot of brewers fluctuate between 0.75 - 1.0 million cells/ml/plato pitching rate.

1.077 = 19.25 plato
3 gallons = 11,355 ml

S-04 is said to have 8 billion cells/gram

23 grams x 8 billion cells/gram = 184 billion cells pitched.

 

Will do . And I like your style: if it ain’t broke. Although there are times I disagree with that approach i.e. I think no chill brewing is dangerous and no one should do it. Even if it’s worked for years, but obviously, your method is a different story.
We can’t truly sterilize without special equipment, but heat sanitizing is about as close to sterilization as brewers need to get.

Also, bleach is an excellent disinfectant, but the denaturing nature of an open container always dissuaded me from it. I don’t want to have to test my titration every time I mix it up.

I really hope the idea of contaminating your equipment with ‘risky’ tap water will die. Aside from the ridiculousness of it when you really stop and think, (water not being clean enough for rinsing brewing equipment, but somehow clean enough to pump into millions of peoples’ homes without lawsuits), it is extremely common practice for breweries to pump city water through pipes and hoses post sanitizing to cool them down.

 

I don't think anyone has suggested the obvious: Did you add any simple sugars to this recipe? No doubt that could get you to the FG you're at.

Just trying to eliminate the easy fixes.