Yeast stopped fermenting

[Tippin44s]

So today is the 7th day for my brew in the fermenter. Im brewing a German Oktoberfest. The OG was 1.053. By the third day it was in the middle of a violent fermentation and eveything was looking great. The airlock has since stopped bubbling and im not seeing anymore signs of fermentation. I just took a reading of 1.020. Is it done??? What happened to my yeast? Should I wait a few more days and take another reading?

Thanks in advance and happy brewing!

 

[Jtd6628]

Just keep waiting the gravity will drop more over time

Sent from my iPad2 using HB Talk

 

[Tippin44s]

Okay thanks... It seems like its stopped fermenting but im not completely sure. Should i give it a stir to try and wake the yeast back up?

 

[topend]

Should I wait a few more days and take another reading?

Yes.

 

[Yooper]

Okay thanks... It seems like its stopped fermenting but im not completely sure. Should i give it a stir to try and wake the yeast back up?

No, don't stir it! It's either done or darn near. You definitely do NOT want to oxidize it!

 

[Tippin44s]

Okay thanks. I will give it another week or so. This is only my second brew and it seems to be taking much longer then my first brew which fermented in less then a week.

 

[Tippin44s]

Okay so I am a complete idiot... I just looked up the recipe instructions. FG is recommended between 1.013 and 1.016. So everything turned out good. I guess i freaked out for no reason lol.

 

[Darkblade]

Okay so I am a complete idiot... I just looked up the recipe instructions. FG is recommended between 1.013 and 1.016. So everything turned out good. I guess i freaked out for no reason lol.

You're not on your own mate.
I freaked out coz my 1st brew wasn't bubbling, wasn't making noises like the beer the lads at work were brewing (they stout - me ale) etc etc.
In the end I let it go & allowed it to finish it's ferment. FG was within range & I bottled it. Will know soon if ok tho tasted ok when bottled.
Like every thing - mistakes are to be learned from. Cheers.

 

[Jcmccoy]

let the tenp rise slowly about 5 degrees

 

[Jcmccoy]

over 5 days

 

[TopherM]

Am I allowed to repost the "REVVY MANTRA?"

Airlock activity IS NOT the only sign of active fermentation!!! Yeast are eating sugars and producing alcohol and CO2 as byproduct. The CO2 rises out of the solution and forms a blanket of CO2 in the headspace above the solution. If there is sufficient pressure, the CO2 will escape from the airlock. But there can still be active fermentation without there being enough CO2 pressure to push CO2 out of the airlock.

In fact, in the latter stages of fermentation, like you are in, there is way less sugar in solution, so you would reasonably EXPECT there to be less vigorous fermentation, less CO2 byproduct, and thereby less CO2 pressure above the solution, so you would EXPECT there to be little to no airlock activity even though the yeast are still eating sugar and still producing CO2 and alcohol, just in much lower quantities than days 1-5 or whatever.

PATIENCE IS THE #1 INGREDIENT IN BEER. Try using lots on each and every batch!!

 

[unionrdr]

I've had ales with a 1.050OG take 2.5-3 weeks to get down to FG. I've gone from 1.050 down to 1.010FG a couple of times. So you def have a little way to go yet. Let it ride.

 

[Darkblade]

Great piece of info re CO2 production from TopherM. It's info like that I find really helps.
I have an ale & a stout brewing side by side. The stout was bubbling away like crazy for first week & after 2.5 weeks is still doing a few bubbles.
The ale hasn't bubbled at all yet I can see that a large 2-3" foam has formed then collapsed so something must be going on.
And I now know that the stout bubbling away is not necessarily still fermenting. It's only by taking SG readings that I will know.
Thanks to all for all the little bits of info.
And I will try to exercise patience. Ha Ha.