Common problems and solutions in the use of home brewing equipment

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Making beer at home with home brewing equipment is really fun but at the same time, there are a few problems that you may encounter if you are doing it for the first time. It is okay to make a few mistakes because you are not a professional beer maker. Sometimes, maybe it is the recipe but most of the time, it turns out to be home brewing equipment that causes problems. But don’t let those problems change your mind about making beer at home because it is worth a shot. Here we have pointed out some common problems with the home brewing equipment and their solution. Have a look:

  • No fermentation: One of the most common problems that many people encounter while making beer at home with home brewing equipment, is that it doesn’t start fermentation and it makes them worried. Surely, you have to be worried because you don’t want to ruin all of your beer because there is no bubbling activity in the vessel of wort. You have to do something. Well, there could be different reasons why there is a delay in fermentation. One of them is that the airlock is not tight enough which is why it is letting the CO2 leaked somehow. It is not a person’s fault, but this is a fault in the home brewing equipment. Fermentation can take from 6 to 72 hours but if there is nothing happening, you should either change the airlock or seal it properly so that it doesn’t let the CO2 leak. Apart from the airlock lid, your vessel could have a damaged side which is why the lid is not properly fitted, so make sure every utensil is ready to use for beer making process. Other reason could be the yeast. If your yeast is not viable then it can ruin your batch of beer.
  • Airlock is clogged: Sometimes, when fermentation starts, it goes really well but all of a sudden, there is so much pressure in the container that it started to burst out the wort. This happens because of too much yeast, sugar or sometimes temperature. What matters is that it can get the airlock clogged, so it would be better if you clean and sanitize the airlock before making beer and make sure that pressure doesn’t build in the container vessel.
  • Flat beer:It is usual that when you put the beer inside a bottle, it seems totally flat. Well just like the airlock, if your beer is flat in the bottles, it is because of the faulty beer bottle seals. If your seal is not tight enough then you will ruin the beer. So, buy the good quality beer bottle seal for packaging. There is another reason why your beer could be flat and that concerns the temperature. You must be doing the second fermentation in between 21 Celsius to 27 Celsius temperature otherwise it will be flat. If you want your beer to have bubbles, don’t forget to add some priming sugar before sealing.
  • The foam doesn’t stay long: Your beer can be flat if you are not taking care of the beer bottle seal, temperature or not using sugar properly. Sometimes, the beer doesn’t go flat but the foam doesn’t stay for long too. This is also a common problem while using home brewing equipment. Not only your foam doesn’t last longer but also your beer smell skunky and way too sour because of infection and impurities that react together to create this taste and smell. Even though home brewing equipment is clean, but they need proper cleaning and sanitizing. If you are using the utensils that have been here long, there is a possibility that there is a grease, oil, dirt, or detergent patch left in the bottles or vessels. If these impurities mix with the yeast then it is not only unhealthy, but it won’t let the foam last which mean low in quality. So, clean and sanitize your home brewing equipment before making beer. It is recommended to use a soft cloth instead of using the scorch for cleaning wort vessels.
  • Exploding bottles of beer: If you add too much priming sugar in the bottle then it can cause an explosion in the beer bottles. It is common that you have waited long enough for the beer fermentation and you put it all down in the glass bottles because you think you have waited enough but after few hours the glass beer bottles are starting to explode. Well, this is very dangerous, and it happens because the fermentation process wasn’t over yet and the priming sugar added more pressure in the glass bottles and in the result, it starts exploding.
  • Temperature effect on the vessel: Usually, if you are making beer in summer season then pick a spot where they are cool on the room temperature, try the air condition if the temperature is too hot. But if it is winter, then having a heater in the room on a normal temperature would be fine. The room temperature also effects on the making of beer. If you are making it on New Year’s Eve, it got to be chilly which mean the vessel will cool off quickly. So, take proper precautions to ferment your beer on time before it is too late.

Conclusion

Making beer at home seems very interesting if you have some friends and family but it doesn’t always go as planned. But there is nothing to worry about because home brewing equipment is not always delivered over the top quality and the reason behind is that people don’t make beer on a regular basis. The home brewing equipment is used often but not regularly but a few adjustments can make the beer satisfying for the whole family and friends. Plus, the whole experience of beer making is rewarding because you get to drink the home-made beer which is probably healthier than the market available be