Not sure if my kit has stopped fermenting...

[paid2review]

Hi there,

My beer has been brewing for over a week now and when using a hydrometer it is still a few points below the expected final bottling marker. Would this mean that my yeast may have failed, and that I need to try and save the kit?

Thanks for any help.
Matt

[Jim]

It could still be fermenting - depending on the conditions, the yeast etc. I would leave it a few days longer, and check the gravity each day. If the reading remains stable AND its within a couple of points of the expected gravity, fermentation is probably complete.

Other factors to take into account are the temperature it's been fermented at, and the actual final gravity. What's your gravity reading at the moment?

[paid2review]

At the moment its right in the middle of the black band, on the 10 marker. The value has decreased since earlier on today, so maybe it is still fermenting.

Do I have to wait until it hits the "bottle" mark?

Thanks for your help.
Matt

[stevezx7r]

If I understand your question correctly...Don't bother with the bandings on the hydrometer - IIRC these are for wine brewers. Do you have instructions with the kit your making, it should have the final gravity in there i.e 1010. Once it's within a few marks (each mark is usually 2 points) and hasn't moved for a couple of days it should be safe to bottle/keg.

Hope that helps clarify things.

Steve.

[paid2review]

Yea I do have instructions and a set number, think its 1.05 or so. Should I leave it a few days, and if it stays around the same marker then just presume its ready for bottling?

Thanks for the help again.
Matt

[stevezx7r]

Yeah, if it's been at a steady number for about two days then I would bottle/keg it unless it was too high (i.e it's at 1015 and you need it to be at 1005) in which case a careful stir (no whisking) of the yeast at the bottom should get things going again.

Steve.

[paid2review]

It's got a reading of 10 at the moment, the same as yesterday. It's right in the middle of the black marker and hasn't moved at all.

My kit instructions say to wait until the gravity has been at or below 1.005 for two days.

Does this mean I should give the yeast at the bottom a bit of a stir? I can't see any bubbles rising up in the container either.


Thanks for any help again.
Matt

[stevezx7r]

If it were me I would go ahead and bottle/keg it as it's not too far away from the final gravity
On the other hand, a gentle stir would probably get you closer to the 1005.
Then again, if there is no food left for the yeast to ferment into alcohol you may not get any movement on the hydrometer even if you do stir

As a thought, you may like to add some yeast vit to your next brew as this seems to help me with slowing/stalling fermentation - I put it in everything now, mainly as an insurance

Oh, if you do choose to stir up the yeast, remember to sterelize everything first

Steve.

[paid2review]

I think my reading has gone up really slightly, I'm not sure if the warm weather might mean it's still fermenting. Going to leave it a few days and if no more improvements then I'll give it a stir and see if that does anything.


Thanks for all the help.
Matt

[paid2review]

Have left it quite a few days now and it still hasn't really improved. Gave it a stir a few days ago as well, but that hasn't really affected things.

Should I just go ahead and bottle it?


Thanks. Matt

[oxford brewer]

Yep

[paid2review]

Thanks for that.

When it comes to bottling straight from the fermenting barrel, how do I transfer the beer to the bottles?
I've got a siphon kit which I used for wine which involves blowing through a small pipe which builds pressure and causes the wine to go up the tube and into the bottles, not sure if I could do the same with the beer?

Thanks for any help again.
Matt

[fivetide]

Dont blow into your beer

My landlord says this to me around 1am on a Friday night.

He also says "Don't juggle pickled eggs" and "Don't borrow my bar towels"