FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS -- HOME BREW TIPS

Q. How long to ferment?
A. In beer making time is relative to temperature, and original gravity. The warmer the brew, the faster
the fermentation, which is usually not a good thing.   Warmer temperatures can cause off flavors
depending on style and yeast profiles.  The cooler the brew, the more slowly things usually happen
depending on yeast strains.  The higher the original gravity of the beer the more food the yeast has to
eat, so it will take longer to ferment higher gravity beers.  Brewing takes patience and proper
fermentation temperature control is a key to good results.  See the yeast strain guild to see what the
proper fermentation temperature should be for your beer.

Q. Air-lock not bubbling
A. Usually the individual assumes the brew is not fermenting and bad so “Out she goes”. Fermenter
buckets do not always seal well and if not sealed properly, the air lock doesn’t bubble. First, assess the
situation properly by taking a hydrometer reading or by looking for visual signs of what’s going on. If
the brew is still fermenting, seal it as well as you can. If it is finished, put it into the secondary fermenter
and let it clear up before bottling. Don’t throw it out, as it’s quite possibly OK.


Q. Fermentation doesn’t start or stops early
A. Genuine lack of fermentation can be caused by several reasons but here are the most common:
1.        Not adding the yeast or the yeast is old and inactive.  Add a fresh yeast packet.
2.        Adding yeast over 80°F.  Insure beer temperature is cool enough and add another yeast packet.
3.        Temperature too cold, below 55°F can cause definite problems depending on yeasts. Warm the
brew by using a brew heater or some other method to activate the yeast (usually 65-70°F but check
yeast instructions). Brews will often stop
in the later stages of fermentation in cold conditions.
4.        Not adding enough yeast.  Make a starter if you are concerned about the amount of yeast.
5.        Not adding enough O2 after the wort has cooled.  Ensure you stir the wort or shake it to get
oxygen back into the wort so the yeast has a better start.

Q. Add another yeast packet?
A. Many home brewers add yeast because they think the brew is not fermenting. Often fermentation
has already finished. The anxious brewers gaze at the air-lock and if it’s not bubbling, they assume
nothing is happening. Fermentation is inevitable if the temperature is right, so use your hydrometer if
there’s any doubt.

Q. Frothing through the air-lock
A. This is a common problem in hot summer conditions. If brewing in warm temperatures try to ensure a
stable cool temperature for your beer.  Usually a frothing airlock is caused due to very rapid
fermentation, it only happens in the first stage of fermentation or if you don’t have enough headspace
in the fermenter. Simply wash the air-lock and refill with water. Stable temp control is key. If you have a
frothing airlock it’s a good idea to use a blow off tube. This will ensure the airlock won’t become
clogged and cause a messy explosion.

Q. Mysterious hydrometer readings
A. While a beer hydrometer can be used to monitor the progression of fermentation, most home
brewers have definite problems in getting accurate readings. Where there is any doubt as to which
reading is the correct one, take the lowest reading or in other words, that closest to 1,000 as the
accurate one. Before taking a reading, spin the hydrometer a couple of times in the liquid and be sure
the sample is at the proper temperature.  Most hydrometers are calibrated for 60 or 65 F.

Q. Bubbling won’t stop
A. Slow air-lock bubbling can continue for an extended period of time in the perfectly sealed fermenter.  
Ascertain the correct time at which the bottle by either using your hydrometer or alternately by the
visual signs.  Don’t use the air-lock to determine when to do anything. Home brewers all too often leave
the brew in the fermenter too long because of slow air-lock bubbling. Brews spoil fairly quickly if not
bottled at the correct time.  Given good sanitation, brew can sit in the primary for about a month with no
problems and in the secondary fermenter for many months.

Q. Sediment
A. As commercial beer contains no sediment in the bottles, some home brewers become obsessed with
achieving the same with their brews. It is impossible unless you keg it. There is always small final
sediment in the bottles of home brewed beer. If the beer is made correctly, the sediment should be
similar to a coat of paint on the bottom of each bottle. The obsessed brewers leave the beer in the
fermenter for weeks after fermentation only to find it has spoiled. They try to filter the beer, only to
oxidize (allow to be affected by oxygen) or contaminate the beer, thus ruining it. The answer is
compromise and understanding. Allowing your brew short
but sufficient time to settle before bottling is the only way to produce good beer to measure
accurately.

Q. Which sugar for the bottles?
A. Only use Dextrose (corn sugar) other sugars can give you off flavors.

Q. Bottles exploding
A. This condition can be caused by excess sugars in the bottles after capping.   
1.        You may have bottled too early, when there were still unfermented sugars in the brew. This can
often happen when the actual brewing is during winter. In cold conditions, a brew can ferment
reasonably while fermentation is active (generating a bit of heat) but can stop prematurely when the
activity lessens. The remaining unfermented sugars will in time over gas the bottles.
2.        You may have added too much sugar before bottling. Some people are of the opinion that if one
teaspoon to each bottle makes a good brew then three teaspoonfuls will make it even better – NOT
SO. Crazily, some still believe that the alcohol content of the finished beer depends on the sugar you
add before bottling.
Any wild yeast or bacteria can continue to ferment sugars that the primary yeast couldn’t. This is
probably the most common issue with new brewers and infected/over carbed beer.

Q. Overgassed beer
A. Certain bottles or even whole batches of your beer may at times become over gassed, while
not necessarily exploding. This condition is also caused by one of the above mentioned
reasons. Bottles that almost fill the glass or jug with froth can be brought under control by
chilling the bottles to close to freezing point prior to opening.

Q. Flat beer – little or no gassing
A. True flat beer can be caused by the following factors: Insufficient or no sugar in bottles when
bottling, bottles not sealed properly, very cold maturing conditions, the yeast may be inactive due to
time and/or alcohol level, and residual sanitizer.

Q. Poor head
A. If a beer refuses to form and then hold a good head, chances are the beer is either undergassed or
insufficiently matured.  For a better head sometimes wheat malt is added.Try googling beer head
retention for more reasons.

Q. Off flavors
A. There are hundreds of reasons for off flavors but the most common is the result of contamination.
This could be caused by the water you’ve used in the brew, poor hygiene or exposure to contaminants
late in fermentation, or during bottling; If only the odd bottle tastes “off” then the problem is with your
bottle hygiene or splashing during bottling. Should the whole batch taste bad, pay more attention to
your method of brewing and sanitation next time. For instance, a common contamination often comes
at the end of fermentation. That is if you were to open your drum very late, then reseal it and leave for
a few days prior to bottling, chances are there will be a white film on the surface of the brew when you
go to bottle. This form of contamination can also appear in the bottles. It won’t do much for the flavor of
the beer. Bottle as soon as possible after fermentation finishes.


Q. Hazy beer
A. All home brews will take a week or so to clear after bottling, but should then settle out to be crystal
clear. If your beer refuses to clear after a reasonable time, ten to one it’s affected by one of the
following problems: 1. Oxidization – This is caused by excessive exposure to oxygen during bottling. 2.
Starch haze - This means a hazy state created by the addition of starchy additives to the brew. 3. Chill
haze – Occasionally when a beer is chilled. It may become slightly hazy. This condition can occur with
any beer. It is caused by a slightly higher than normal protein content in the basic ingredients. The
beer is perfectly all right. There is no effect on taste, as it is a natural occurrence. Save these ones for
black outs. By the way, chill haze is quite common and natural in wheat beers.
Beer Recipe Kits
Beer Ingredients
Brewing Supplies
Other Information
Homebrew Supply