Woodfordes Nog - My first brew

[debs]

Hi, I started my first brew last Thursday, and just want to check it's doing as it should.
It had an OG of 1036 and has been kept at 22.C
Bubbled like mad for 2 days then nothing, just seems to have stopped. Can see about half an inch of sediment on the bottom of the FV
Took a reading last night and tonight, and has stayed the same at 1016
I know from reading through a few posts that the instructions on the amount of time it should stay in the FV is optimistic, and I should leave it 12 days, is that right? It won't hurt my beer will it?
Thankyou

[Haggis]

Hi,
The beer has been on for four days so i would expect that it is still fermenting. Leave it alone for another week, resist the temptation of looking at it and on about day twelve check the gravity, then again on day fourteen check it again if it is the same, bottle it with a level half teaspoon of regular sugar per pint or 500ml bottle or bulk prime with 80g of the same. Then a week or two in the warmth followed by a week or two ( at least ) in a cool place.
The beer may be finished fermenting in a week or so but its best to leave it for a fortnight for the yeast to do a clear up act and drop to the bottom of the fermenter, leaving you with clearer beer and less sediment in your bottles or beer keg.
This also helps the beer clear quicker in the bottle or keg .
Cheers.

[debs]

Hi Haggis,
Thankyou, that's put my mind at ease! Was going to keg it but probably bottle about 10 pints or so as well to see which method I prefer. What sugar would you recommend? Just normal granulated/caster sugar or a brewing sugar?

[Haggis]

Hi,
Keep the brewing sugar for brewing, normal granulated is fine and half the price of brewing sugar ( dextrose / glucose ).

What i have started to use lately is caster sugar because it is fine and dissolves quickly and easily in the bottles.
If i were you i would be careful with the amount of sugar to use. 80g is for 40 pints. think about your brew length is it 40 pints? or 32? or whatever and adjust your ratio accordingly.
It also might be easier for you to bulk prime all the beer in your keg and then transfer over your 10 bottles.

Regards.

[Underscore]

Bubbled like mad for 2 days then nothing, just seems to have stopped.

Mine (which is currently undergoing secondary fermentation) did the same - went bonkers very quickly and for a couple of days, then almost nothing. However, I left it for 2 weeks before testing it - it was 1.010 - and then kegged it. The sip out of the trial jar tasted promising so the time in the FV doesn't appear to have done any harm and may have done some good...

_