Thanks for the input so far, Dave.

I soaked and then scrubbed the hell out of my fermenter with simple
diswashing soap. Rinsed and let dry. Right before brewing I put C-Brite in
there and scrubbed and sloshed it around. I then placed the fermenter in
front of a fan to dry it out more quickly and examined the interior for any
soil. So I think it may be the hop pellets. At least I hope so.

I'm rinsing out the hydrometer really well so that I can taste tomorrow's
sample.

Thanks again,
Joe


"David M. Taylor" <dmtaylor@SPAM.geocities.SUCKS.com> wrote in message
news:10k4uhifje62a27@corp.supernews.com...[color=blue]
> "Joe Murphy" <SPAMTHIS@SPAMTHIS.com> wrote in message
> news:41426029$0$6917$61fed72c@news.rcn.com...[color=green]
> > Prior to opening up the ferementer tonight I did notice some activity in[/color]
> the[color=green]
> > airlock but I'd say 3-4 minutes passsed between 'burps' so there is a[/color][/color]
wee[color=blue][color=green]
> > bit of hungry yeast left.
> >
> > Intial gravity before I pitched the yeast was 1.040. Today it is at[/color][/color]
1.017.[color=blue][color=green]
> > I'm going to take another reading in the morning and then again tomorrow
> > night. If there is no movement from 1.017 I guess it is time to bottle.[/color]
>
> Sounds good. Sounds like the yeast is almost finished doing its job.
>[color=green]
> > When I pulled the lid off the fermenter I noticed a subtle film of oil.[/color][/color]
Is[color=blue][color=green]
> > this from the hop pellets? Should I be overly concerned?[/color]
>
> It's probably the hops, but could be that your fermenter was not clean.[/color]
If[color=blue]
> it's a cleanliness problem, you might not get as nice a head on your beer[/color]
as[color=blue]
> you might like... but it's not a real big deal. If it's the hops, it's
> nothing to worry about.
>[color=green]
> > Otherwise the beer has retreated from the hops and left them clinging to[/color]
> the[color=green]
> > sides of the fermenter. During transfer to my bottling vessel I should[/color][/color]
be[color=blue][color=green]
> > extra careful not to get hops in there, right?[/color]
>
> It won't hurt anything, but it's nice to leave most of the slime behind so
> you don't end up with a half inch of crud in the bottoms of all your
> bottles.
>[color=green]
> > The beer smells sweet, malty and boozy. I'm pretty excited. I damned[/color][/color]
near[color=blue][color=green]
> > drank my sample for the hydrometer, but given that I dunno how clean the
> > hydrometer is, I thought it best just to throw out the sample when I was
> > done.[/color]
>
> I usually drink a sample, there's no harm in it. It's flat and not fully
> developed yet, but it gives you a rough idea of how your beer is going to
> turn out.
>
> --
> Dave
> "Just a drink, a little drink, and I'll be feeling GOOooOOooOOooD!" --
> Genesis, 1973-ish
>
>[/color]