Expert: Dave Nyce - 1/25/2003

Question
Dave,

I am a new brewer, on my second batch now.  I have the standard plastic food-grade fermenting bucket (7 gallons) and have inherited a cornelius keg from a former brewer.  My first batch was a pilsner (now settling/fining in the cornelius); now I am making a nut brown ale (ala Sam Smith).

I have two questions:
1) With the current Nut Brown Ale, the initial day of fermentation (yesterday) was quite vigerous.  The airlock was percolating to the extent that some of the water was coming out of the top.  The lid of the container was bulging out considerably and the air in the room smelled of a strong yeasty odor. I was concerned about the strength of this odor since my first batch was very faint, so I checked to see that the lid was fully closed.   When I firmly pushed down on the perimiter of the lid to ensure the seal, a rather strong burst of air popped out of the side.  I shut the lid firmly afterwards.  Since then, however, fermentation has been very slow and gentle.  Is this a bad sign, or does it not really matter?

2) Both brews are out of complete brew kits.  The pilsner malt can came with finings (Isinglass).  The Nut Brown Ale kit did not.  SHould I use gelatin (which I have on hand) to fine the Nut Brown Ale, or were finings ommited from the kit for a reason.  IN general, should I use finings on all of my home brews or only those that demand a very clear color?

Your feedback is appreciated.

Answer
If your kit came with finings, you should use it, because the kit supplier has had experience with that recipe and decided it was needed.

I rarely use finings. I often rack the wort from the sediment and do a secondary fermentation if needed to clear it. Adding finings can have some effect on taste.

The possible problem I see from your high rate of fermentation is that some liquid in the trap might have gone back into the wort after you stopped pushing on the lid. This could have bacteria, or, if you use a sterilizing solution in the trap, the sterilizing solution could have gone into the wort. There's nothing you can do now, either way. So, I would wait a few more days to see if it comes out ok.

Hope this helps!

Dave