Hi All! Last Friday I brewed my first batch of beer. I used Midwest's Irish Stout extract kit with dry yeast (Munson's). I brewed right to the directions in the box. Unfortunately, I forgot to take an initial gravity reading.
All day Saturday, the airlock was bubbling like mad. Sunday it stopped cold. Since I hadn't taken an initial gravity reading, I thought I'd open the bucket and do so. First thing I noticed is that there had been about a 2 1/2" krausen that had fallen. The top of the beer was still foamy, but it was like little islands of foam. The gravity was down to 1.021. This after only 39 hours in the primary. I drank the sample, and it was way hoppy and sweet (but you could tell it was beer!). I buttoned the bucket back up and it's been sitting ever since.
This morning, I wanted to take another reading just to see what's happened in the last week. This time, there was no foam on the beer at all. Once again, the sample was at 1.021. Again, I drank the sample. It wasn't quite as hoppy (but still bitter) but was still quite sweet.
Since I don't have a carboy, I'm just going to let the beer sit in the primary for at least another week, but I'm wondering if I should repitch yeast, or just let it be. I know the yeasties are the experienced ones, but I just want to make sure I'm doing right by them. Any thoughts?
Thanks!
Wisconsin Bob
All day Saturday, the airlock was bubbling like mad. Sunday it stopped cold. Since I hadn't taken an initial gravity reading, I thought I'd open the bucket and do so. First thing I noticed is that there had been about a 2 1/2" krausen that had fallen. The top of the beer was still foamy, but it was like little islands of foam. The gravity was down to 1.021. This after only 39 hours in the primary. I drank the sample, and it was way hoppy and sweet (but you could tell it was beer!). I buttoned the bucket back up and it's been sitting ever since.
This morning, I wanted to take another reading just to see what's happened in the last week. This time, there was no foam on the beer at all. Once again, the sample was at 1.021. Again, I drank the sample. It wasn't quite as hoppy (but still bitter) but was still quite sweet.
Since I don't have a carboy, I'm just going to let the beer sit in the primary for at least another week, but I'm wondering if I should repitch yeast, or just let it be. I know the yeasties are the experienced ones, but I just want to make sure I'm doing right by them. Any thoughts?
Thanks!
Wisconsin Bob