Coopers DIY Lager KIT, FG seems to be 1.012 after 11 days, what to do?

davejacko · Jan 11, 2014

Hi,
My First brew. OG was 1.040 11 days ago.

I have it fermenting at a fairly steady 19 degrees and the readings seem to be holding at 1.012 for the last 3 days. I know I need to get it below 1.010, I'll give it another week anyway but will it get to below 1.010 if it give it more time?

Also, if was was to bottle this would the ABV only be around 3.7% or would the carbonation drops add to that?

Thanks,
Dave.

jonmohno · Jan 11, 2014

Rack it and do a dycetal rest? What yeast? Maybe you had old yeast? Also is 19F too cold? That seems low for lagering but IM not experienced with lagering, Ive only made one. I lager/fermented around 50 deg. I would say yours just needs more time. As does lagering anyway. Your also suppose to overpitch yeast with lagers as a good practice. Are you not suppose to lager it for a month or two before bottleing?
Also carbonation does add a few points in abv like .2%

Euphist · Jan 11, 2014

Actually, 19C is extremely warm for a lager. But, having never used a Coopers kit, I did a little poking around and it looks like that kit comes with an ale yeast. In that case, it might help to bring the temp up a couple of degrees to encourage the yeast to finish up.

davejacko · Jan 12, 2014

Coopers say it should be between 24-27 degrees C for a week before bottling but just about everyone says it needs a lower temp and slower time.

I'll warp a towel around it and give it another week before checking it again.

unionrdr · Jan 12, 2014

Correct. The Cooper's OS Lager kit does use their 7g ale yeast packet. My OG was 1.048,FG wound up at 1.012 @ 12 days. Your results may vary. It could get down to 1.010,so give it another week. Besides,it'll have time to clean up by products of fermentation & settle out clear or slightly misty. Cooper's ale yeast is a high flocculation one,so it settles out clear quite handilly. And 19C equals 66.2F,so that's a real good temp for the Cooper's ale yeast,which gets sluggish below 64F. Rehydrating it made it go about the same as US-05 sprinkled dry in a side by side experiment we did.

davejacko · Jan 12, 2014

Hopefully the extra week will get it to 1.010 and the carbonation drop should add another .2% from what I have read. That should give it a total abv of 4.2% which would be good. Thanks guys.

I spotted this pic today, made me giggle.

unionrdr · Jan 12, 2014

I've seen some eight different calculators,but they all range from about .2% to .5%. Cooper's formula is (OG-FG)/7.46 +.5= ABV%...which gives the highest percentage. But I noticed it's still in range of what BS2.1 shows me.