First brew! Red ale maybe stuck!

Okay, I used a brewers best red ale kit following directions so to say, except pitched yeast when wort was just below 80degrees. It was popping airlock the next night, then died off today (third day). It started at 1.048 gravity, and today it was just at 1.02.

Of course I would love it if it would continue to ferment, and go below 1.02, but maybe it is stuck? I did taste the sample I extracted, and it did taste a little bit like flat beer, but a little water-y. I replaced the lid and airlock and am going to wait a few more days to check the gravity, but is there anything I can do if I get a 1.02 gravity in a few days? How long should I wait before I pitch more yeast, or should I just be happy with the 1.02, and get ready for the bottle stage?

Thanks for any helpful hints!

EDIT: Just read a post about watery tasting beer, and that it might be normal to taste like that because it is not carbonated, and is young. I am still going to wait a few more days to check the gravity, then decide if I just want to bottle it, or hopefully it will be dropping gravity points like I wish I was losing weight!

This thread has lots of good info regarding fermentation time, when to rack, and when to bottle.

everything sounds fine, when did you start the beer?

Wait at least a week, the gravity will drop more. Your yeast is fine, just give it more time to do it's job. Take another gravity reading in a few days and see if it's dropped.

Even though the airlock stopped bubbling, that DOES NOT mean fermentation is finished.

Repeat after me: The airlock is not the way to determine what is happening during fermentation.

>>Repeat after me: The airlock is not the way to determine what is happening during fermentation.


Thanks...sometimes I need to read this as well....my last brown hardly bubbled the lock at all but final reading is fine...