Stone IPA stopped bubbling after 5 days

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nrritts

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I'm brewing a clone of Stone IPA, which is a very hoppy brew. Starting density was 1.070, exactly what the recipe states, but now after 5 days in the primary fermenter the air lock has stopped bubbling.

Should I at this point take a density reading to compare to tomorrow nights? Or should I wait a few more days?

Also, taking this density reading I have to remove the lid for a short time. Aren't I impacting my brew?

Thank all for the feedback


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That seems about right. Most healthy fermentations will be visibly active for 4/5 days in my experience.

In about a week, you can check the SG to make sure it's indeed done and starting to clear. You won't harm the beer by popping the lid and taking a reading.
 
Thanks yooper
When you say a week, do you mean from now or a week from the start of fermentation?


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nrritts said:
Thanks yooper
When you say a week, do you mean from now or a week from the start of fermentation?


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Click to expand...


I speak Yooper. She means from start of fermentation.


Almost Famous Brewing Company
 
My advice is that there is no need to take a gravity reading until you hit about 3-weeks out or more. If you are brewing this for a special event, and trying to put the rush on .. I get it! Otherwise, the toughest lesson that I have learned is to let it sit.

In a week.. your fermentation might be complete. In two weeks, the finished yeast might settle into a trub. In week three, the beer is clear and might be ready for kegging or second fermenter (I usually keg). At that point, I will take a reading. The benefit here is that the alcohol is high enough to protect you in case you might not have sanitized your ladle well enough. If it is clean and clear, and FG as desired.. I transfer.

Having a decent thermometer on the carboy or vessel can help too. I know it is not perfect, but it can tell you a few things that is happening. I see a DRASTIC drop in temp when I hit my FG. I see a spike in activity when the temps are up. Sometimes, I see it rise TOO high and realize I need to start fermenting in the back room where temps are cooler.
 
HBC said:
My advice is that there is no need to take a gravity reading until you hit about 3-weeks out or more. If you are brewing this for a special event, and trying to put the rush on .. I get it! Otherwise, the toughest lesson that I have learned is to let it sit.

In a week.. your fermentation might be complete. In two weeks, the finished yeast might settle into a trub. In week three, the beer is clear and might be ready for kegging or second fermenter (I usually keg). At that point, I will take a reading. The benefit here is that the alcohol is high enough to protect you in case you might not have sanitized your ladle well enough. If it is clean and clear, and FG as desired.. I transfer.

Having a decent thermometer on the carboy or vessel can help too. I know it is not perfect, but it can tell you a few things that is happening. I see a DRASTIC drop in temp when I hit my FG. I see a spike in activity when the temps are up. Sometimes, I see it rise TOO high and realize I need to start fermenting in the back room where temps are cooler.
Click to expand...

That's all true- but by week three, most of my beers have been kegged and are half gone. I think that leaving the beer for weeks and weeks in the fermenter is just simply unnecessary. If the beer is done by day 14, it's not going to get "doner" in another week or two.

The idea is to wait until the beer is finished and has been finished for at least three days, and is starting to clear. At that point, whether day 10 or day 25, it's the time to take a gravity reading and think about packaging or otherwise going to the next step (dryhopping, oaking, etc).

An IPA is best when clear, but still fresh. So, in a week, check the SG and see how clear the beer is. If it's murky, put it away for at least three or four days. If it's fairly clear, go ahead with the dryhopping (I assume there is dryhopping?) and then package 5-7 days after dryhopping.
 
Yup the recipe calls for dry hopping with two different hops in a secondary fermentation after the gravity has dropped 3-4 points.

I'm assuming that means if the starting gravity was 1.070 my movement to the secondary (w/ dry hopping) would be a gravity anywhere from 1.040-1.030?

Sorry I probably should have added those details in my original post :)


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I personally would not move it (or do anything else to it) until it is finished, which I would expect to be in the 1.010-1.014 range. Maybe even a little lower...not sure what the recipe looks like.
 
nrritts said:
Yup the recipe calls for dry hopping with two different hops in a secondary fermentation after the gravity has dropped 3-4 points.

I'm assuming that means if the starting gravity was 1.070 my movement to the secondary (w/ dry hopping) would be a gravity anywhere from 1.040-1.030?

Sorry I probably should have added those details in my original post :)


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freisste said:
I personally would not move it (or do anything else to it) until it is finished, which I would expect to be in the 1.010-1.014 range. Maybe even a little lower...not sure what the recipe looks like.
Click to expand...

Agreed! Do NOT move the beer when the recipe says, especially if it is at 1.030 or thereabouts. Any off-gassing from fermentation will blow off the nice aromatics, and the yeast will pull out any hops oils as it drops out, so wait until the beer is clear or reasonably so, and THEN dryhop. You don't have to move the beer to a new vessel, but you can if you really want to. But still, dryhop only once the beer is clear and about 7 days from packaging!
 
Stone IPA clone so I'm assuming that you used an English yeast, most of which ferment very fast. Take a gravity reading and you will see that you are probably at FG, or maybe point or two off. Even with WLP001 you should only be a point or two off.

Most English yeast clear very fast so depending on how your yeast are doing you should be ready to dryhop here within the next couple of days. I also agree with the consensus: You don't have to move the beer to a secondary fermenter to dryhop.
 
Yooper said:
That seems about right. Most healthy fermentations will be visibly active for 4/5 days in my experience.
Click to expand...

Unless you using english strains in which case they seem to take a bit longer
 
Took a gravity reading last night and it was at 1.020! Recipe is looking for 1.018 so I'm going to take another reading tonight to see if it moved. If not, I'll be moving it to my secondary for dry hopping!

Thanks for all the advise!


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nrritts said:
Took a gravity reading last night and it was at 1.020! Recipe is looking for 1.018 so I'm going to take another reading tonight to see if it moved. If not, I'll be moving it to my secondary for dry hopping!

Thanks for all the advise!


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Click to expand...

You should give more than a day between readings. 3 days is the typical recommendation. The reason is that toward the end of fermentation, one day's change in SG might get missed as a rounding error, temperature fluctuation, etc.

Edit: That said, since you're so close to the expected FG, you're probably okay to rack to secondary. (Some people might not agree.)
 
ImageUploadedByHome Brew1396795305.073402.jpg

Thanks all


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It's now wrapped up in a towel. Hopefully it gets clearer!


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