Advice wanted - Fermentation for 10 days - is it ok?

[joebongo]

Am doing my first brew with Woodford's Wherry. It's been in the back bedroom (20 degs + temp) for 10 days.

I haven't done a SG check at all and haven't opened it much. I took a quick peek in last night and it looks like there is a ring of scummy stuff at the top of the liquid line

I know this is not exactly the recommended way to brew but have had a really busy patch at work.

What I would like to know and can't seem to find out is how I know the brew has brewed, and if 10 days will have killed the yeast and generally how to proceed with the pressure barrel and secondary fermentation.

I have my dextrose at the ready (1kg) and some more yeast, but wanted to ask you chaps first.

I'll check back after work this afternoon if anyone has replied with sage advice

Joe

[MartialAnt]

Take a hyrometer reading daily for the next 3 days. If the reading is the same (eg 1.012) then its done. If the readings dropping daily then its still fermenting.

[Gurgeh]

20C is great. 10 days is great. leaving it alone is great. you're all done. keg it.

[Minus The Bear]

The yeast will still be there, but if the fermentation has finished it has run out of food. Priming will sort that out for you when you keg/bottle it.

[joebongo]

Thanks guys. I am going to syphon to the pressure barrel tonight and add the dextrose.

Will be back for more advice soon I have no doubt!

Joe

[stevezx7r]

Be careful when syphoning as the bacteria in/on your mouth can infect beer. For your next brew it maybe a good idea to fit a simple tap to the bottom of your fermenter then you just need a length of hose from the tap to the bottom of your bottles/barrel.

[oxford brewer]

How much priming sugar are you going to use joebongo?

[joebongo]

Well, according to this article:

http://hbd.org/ddraper/priming.html

If I am aiming for a 1.5-2.0 volumes CO2 carbonation then I need about 4g dextrose per litre which makes 90g

Does that sound about right? 24 ish litres to 40 pints

And according to this calculator for 1.5 vols of CO2 I need to add 64g of dextrose:

http://www.kotmf.com/tools/prime.php

Bugger. Now I'm confused. Both boxes I have say 1/2 tsp per pint, = 20 tsp for a 40 pint kit, which takes me to 100g of cane sugar.

Anyone able to shed some light for me here? Am in the process of sterilising and syphoning so have about 30 mins to decide on what to do

Joe

[Minus The Bear]

Yeah that sounds good, would make it around 80g for the lot which is about what i use.

The next brew i do i will reduce the priming sugar a bit as i find 80g made mine a bit too carbonated!

[joebongo]

Yeah that sounds good, would make it around 80g for the lot which is about what i use.

The next brew i do i will reduce the priming sugar a bit as i find 80g made mine a bit too carbonated!

Thanks, I was editing my previous message when you posted. So your estimate of 80 is in between the figures I have. Would the 60 of dextrose be too small you think? I am guessing as I've never done it , but if you need slightly more dextrose than cane, how would 70g sound?

I do love a bit of practical science!

Joe

[joebongo]

Ok I used about 65g of dextrose. I couldn't resist a little 20mL sample and it tastes ok to me - very flavoursome being a wherry from what I remember the taste of it to be in the pub, and quite a warming effect as it goes down; the next question I need to figure out is how you know the secondary fermentation is actually taking place.

My assumption is the yeast was in that light brown slop at the bottom and so I am wondering how the secondary fermentation will work.

There is no pressure guage so I can't tell that way.

Am I looking for presence of fizz on sampling during the next 2 weeks?

I am really enjoying this brewing lark. I wonder why I've never done it before.

Many thanks for the tips - couldn't have got this far without you all!

Cheers,

Joe

[macleanb]

If it tastes good now, then I am sure you will be pleased with the final result.

Many people use a clear plastic bottle to act as a tell-tale. So bottle all your beer as per normal except make one of the bottles a clear plastic one. Then treat as the others, you will be able to feel the bottle firming up, see the sediment settling etc. (make sure you keep it out of the light ).

Yes that gloop is yeast (and probably some other shite), but unless your beer is a clear as glass, then there are billions of the little blighters still in suspension, ready to have a major reproductive orgy, as soon as you supply the required energy (the priming sugar).

Keep the bottles somewhere realitively warm (not hot, just warm) for a week, and then store somewhere cool as long as you can - would think a further three weeks at least. Of course you will be sampling before then - we all do.