My first 5gallon batch - fermented out in 4 days

I recently picked up one of those $64 kits from Groupon/Midwest. I've done a few batches of Mr.Beer, but this was my first 5gallon batch and my first time using "specialty grains"

I did the Midwest Autumn Amber recipe. OG reading was 1.044 (within the suggested range for their recipe). The airlock bubbled slow but steady for about 4 days. Then it stopped dead. I fought my urge to panic, and let it sit for a full week before I checked it. Looks like the final gravity is 1.016. (The recipe suggested it should ferment down to 1.012). I was hoping it would continue to ferment a bit lower, but it has held steady at 1.016 for the last several days.

So here's my question. The recipe suggests 5 to 7 days for primary fermentation, and another 5 to 7 in a secondary. I have an additional fermenter (better bottle) I could rack into... but it doesnt look like anything else is happening in there so what's the point? Also, what can I do to increase my attenuation on my next batch? I have this recipe on deck for March. I would like to get more than 4%ABV out of this one.

Even if it doesn't look like it is doing much the yeasties are still working. They do a lot of clean up work and it will improve the flavor of the beer. Be patient with it and you will be rewarded.

Secondary does wonders for clarity that's mostly what I use it for on standard ales. Some bigger beers or lagers require it to properly age the beer.

Did you use a yeast starter?

What was your fermentation temp? Don't pay any attention the the calendar references in recipes, EVERY fermentation is unique to watching and testing is the only way to tell when it's over. You do not have to move the beer at all, it can just sit on the trub for a few weeks to clarify and finish conditioning.

That reading is not unusual, it all depends on the type of yeast, the temperature and the amount of fermentables in your wort. If you want higher alcohol just add extra LME or DME to your boil. Start with an extra pound of LME added to your kit ingredients. Some brewers use corn sugar or rice solids.

You will get significantly more than 4% ABV out of the kit you linked to, no need to muck with it. Stopping at 1.016 on your other beer is really not surprising. There are a number of things that could contribute to that; differences in yeast, "extract stall", etc. If you are just getting started, attenuation should be pretty low on your list of priorities. Work on sanitation, consistency, temperature control, learning which ingredients contribute certain characteristics, etc.

Your right, for $64 I could buy some nice ingredients, then I could muck with them all I wanted.

Give it a few more days in primary and then stick it somewhere cold to get the yeast out of suspension. No reason to do a secondary.

Thanks for all the advice guys. Glad to know that I didn't screw anything up with my first batch. If the secondary will help with clarity, I might move it on over to the secondary tonight and let it sit another week before I bottle it.

two_one_seven said:

Did you use a yeast starter?

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No starter. The recipe came with muntons dry ale yeast. I just sprinkled it over the wort after I aerated it.

helibrewer said:

What was your fermentation temp?

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The first night in the bucket, it dipped down into the low 60's. Since then it has been a consistent 65-70.

fbold1 said:

Your right, for $64 I could buy some nice ingredients, then I could muck with them all I wanted.

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The $64 was for the whole kit plus the first recipe. But yes, I agree. As soon as I finished brewing, I started shopping for more recipes and quickly realized that it would probably be cheaper (and more fun) to throw my own ingredients together.

Thanks again for the advice!