Third brew - further questions

[Shoit]

I'm now on my third brew (Fixby Gold) and have a few more questions:

I made the kit up as per the basic instructions and used S-04 yeast (rehydrated as per instructions). After 3 days the krausen has disappeared and the SG is at 1019. Given that my previous 2 brews have both stuck at around this point - is it too soon to start worrying? How long should the krausen last? What if this brew is stuck?

Is there anything else i can do?

Interestingly the first brew that I made (a Muntons IPA) stuck at 1019. However, after 4 months in the keg the hydrometer is now showing 1010 - does this mean that fermentation was still happening even after it was kegged?

Kev

[Shoit]

Anyone help? I'm becoming a anxious brewer - they all keep sticking!

Thanks in advance

Kev

[Marts]

If it was 1019 and then after four months you got a reading of 1010 then it suggests that it was not stuck when you kegged it, just slowed down on the fermenting. Patience young jedi

I'm not one for hard and fast rules but a good general one I stick too is to allow a brew to ferment for at least 10 days. This not only gives the yeast time to ferment out it also allows the sediment to settle to the bottom of the fv and for some of the unusual flavours that yeast creates while fermenting to settle too.

Where are you doing the fermenting? Is it a reasonably warm and constant temperature area? Or somewhere where the temperature can drop low at night?

[Shoit]

The temp is controlled by a immersion heater (electrim 75) and sits at around 20 deg, maybe slightly below according to a thermometer stuck to the outside of the barrel. Is it common that three brews in a row would do the same thing - admittedly 2 of them were muntons.

I just can't help wondering if i'm doing something wrong?

Kev

[alefric]

The temp is controlled by a immersion heater (electrim 75) and sits at around 20 deg, maybe slightly below according to a thermometer stuck to the outside of the barrel. Is it common that three brews in a row would do the same thing - admittedly 2 of them were muntons.

I just can't help wondering if i'm doing something wrong?

Kev

Your temp. is o.k......How long are you fermenting for?.......as Marts says 10 days is fine then i usualy rack into secondary for a further 7 before kegging and are you checking gravity over a few days to see whether it has dropped any further or not?

Regards

Andrew

[Horden Hillbilly]

Give it a darn good stir or pouring from one vessel to another before fermenting your brew, this will aerate it.

[Shoit]

I'm giving it about 10mins vigourous stirring and the water is transferred from height from the FV where it is treated with the campden tablet into the FV. Interestingly Mr Fixby Gold has now been in the primary fermentor for 7 days and dropped to 1015 where it has stayed for the last 3 days. It's still higher than I'd like but its better than it sticking at 1019 like the last 2 brews.

I don't really have a second container I can transfer to, would this significantly improve the taste - if I left for 10 days in the primary and 6 days in the secondary?

Kev