Houston, do I have a problem?

[jonewer]

My wherry kit has been in the bin since saturday and the gravity has dropped to 1.102. What worries me is that the thick blanket of foam has gone, leaving only small foamy patches on the surface.

Is this bad? It will be a week tomorrow and I'm really worried about oxidation as it just sits there (apparently) not doing very much.

If I get the same gravity tomorrow, should I keg it at 102 or give it a stir and leave it a few more days?

[Trunky]

[Ditch]

Run a search on terms around " Wherry Problem Fermentation " and ye'll find a Huge thread about it. You're not alone

[Barm]

The reduction in foam you've seen is completely normal - and just what Mission Control would expect.

Also, the carbon dioxide generated by the fermentation is slightly more dense than air - so (unless you keep going in the bin and stirring things up) it just sits there in the bin's headspace and excludes air from reaching your beer, thus preventing oxidation. So there's no rush to get it kegged; and 7-10 days in the FV wouldn't be considered unusual.

Sounds like fermentation has pretty well gone to completion, and has not 'stuck'; usually sticking happens at a gravity considerably higher than 1012. eg If it was say 1016+ then I'd be suspicious...
Chances are that 1012 is going to be your final gravity - actually not many people seem to get their wherrys to go any lower than about that.

Many people say that 3 consecutive days with no further gravity drop is your trigger to keg/bottle - this seems pretty safe since you've gone down to 1012.

[jonewer]

Great, kegged it without swearing up a blue storm and spilling it all over the floor... did have to suck on the siphon to get it flowing in the end so fingers crossed its not innoculated with mouth bacteria!

[Normski]

Hi jon

So what was your Final Gravity then. Ta

[jonewer]

1.012 so far as I could make it...

The beer didnt taste too bad straight out of the fv. Fingers crossed!

[KevP]

Although cleanliness is said to be next to godliness I have at times taken some silly risks and only once had a bad brew, not trying to make out that a decent clean routine is not the law (it is very important) but merely that it isn't as essential as you'd believe.

[jonewer]

Well, not infected and it is drinkable!

Bit sweet and cloying though. Not nearly enough hops for my taste.