Beer Clearing During Primary Fermentation

[Brewlaw]

Just coming to the end of day 7 of my primary fermentation and I notice that the beer is clear near the top of my fermentation vessel. Does this mean that fermentation is complete? I calculated my ABV and this is about 3.75% which I believe is quite low. OG was 1040 and now is 1012. The malt I used was Coopers Australian Lager, with about 1.2 kg sugar (I added a bit more). Tomorrow I will add a beer fining (Chitosan) to my beer, unless this is not necessary. Brew temperature started at around 26-27 initially for 1 day, then dropped slowly to 21 degrees in the days following. The vessel stayed at a fairly constant temperature.

Can someone please give me advice as to how I am doing, and anything I should change? Why is my beer clearing already, is something going wrong. And also the beer tastes ok, just very bitter and yeasty. Will this improve with secondary fermentation?

Thanks

 

[Travestian]

The only way to tell if your fermentation is done is to take a gravity reading over a couple of days. If the reading doesn't change then you are done fermenting. It is normal for some yeast to drop out of suspension before fermentation is complete. That would likely explain the clarity of the beer towards the top. Has the krausen ring dropped back in?

Also, you don't want to put in a fining agent until you are certain fermentation is complete. Doing so would leave fewer yeast in suspension to finish up the beer.

 

[Brewlaw]

can I stir the beer so that the yeast is evenly spread? Or is it best to not stir the beer in the vessel?

 

[grem135]

Just leave it alone. The yeast know what to do.

 

[Brewlaw]

Just leave it alone. The yeast know what to do.

When I add the beer finings, I have to stir it in?

 

[Brewlaw]

Just leave it alone. The yeast know what to do.

Seperate question, how did you make the Belgian Dubbel? What malt is this?

 

[flars]

Could leave your beer in the primary for three weeks. This will give it time to finish and clear. If after three weeks you don't think it is clear enough, then add the finings.

 

[grem135]

Seperate question, how did you make the Belgian Dubbel? What malt is this?

This was a northern brewer extract/specialty grains kit using wyeast. Don't remember what yeast or starter size off top of my head. I have only used Irish moss so I have no experience with gelatin or other finnings. I left it in primary for 4 weeks then bottled. It was good after 4 weeks in bottle and Great after 3 months!