help! stuck ferment!!!!!!

[brysie]

merry christmas one and all

been away for crimbo after starting a coopers bitter kit made with beer enhancer and a pinch of yeast nutrient. came back today to find that it had gone
berserk {its even in the airlock} and the sg has dropped to around 1014. the temp had also dropped to around 18 degrees [unexpected cold snap on the riviera]
and i wanted to open it up to turn the heater up a bit and give a gentle rouse but the fermenter lid is stuck fast. its got a farty smell to it as well,.. which from what i gather on here, is nothing to worry about.

any suggestions on how to get it open?

[brysie]

no panic then.
i used a flat blade screwdriver and hammer to crack it.

[Ditch]

Sorry, Brysie. I missed ye original post ~ which I wouldn't have done for the world! Yeppers; Coopers kits are gaining something of a reputation for their meteoric and exuberant fermentation styles. Great fun, aren't they?

In future, as I presume ye not going to make a habit of running away from ye brews? I'd suggest forgetting the air lock - they do, as ye've seen, just tend to get filled with wort. That, sadly, providing a pretty direct route of potential 'infection'. Just wait till it starts to form a head, then crack the lid open and wrap a towel round the base of the FV.

That way, the gas coming off the head, whilst smelling of farts, will keep any nasties out. The cracked lid will allow the brew to spew. Towel will save the floor.

Once things calm down again, by all means refit the lid and air lock. Though I'd be tempted to run a J Cloth, dampened with Sod Met round the rim. Just to clear away any potential 'super glue' there and inside the lid rim.

[brysie]

cheers ditch

i put some finings in yesterday but they dont seem to be helping much.
guess i should just leave it for a couple of days. how long do you think its safe to leave, and should i turn off the heater now?

cheers in advance

[Ditch]

What heater, mate? I didn't see that ye had one. How did it drop to 18, if ye have a heater?

Anyway, if ye've been applying artificial heat all along? Just keep at it. No sense in 'shocking' the brew.

Regards what to do next and when; Industry standard says ten days or when ye getting the same reading for three on the trot. How long's it been and what's ye hydro saying now?

[brysie]

had the heater set at 20 degrees but as we were away i didnt have any other heating on, when i checked it saturday it was on 18 degrees.
started it the previous monday so it was less than a week.
sg dropped from a solid 1040 to a steady 1006. gave it a gentle stir yesterday when i added the finings and turned the temp up 22 and its showing 20 degrees since then.

[Ditch]

Good week at, give or take, 19F? Steady at 10.06? I'd personally be sorely tempted to get it kegged and get a fresh one in the FV!

[brysie]

now that sounds like good advice.

cheers.