Coopers European … finished or stuck

[Ron173]

Hi all,

So… I started a coopers European lager, used their enhancer 3 pack instead of sugar as per recommended

all sterilised, pitched at 20deg, not much happened overnight then off it went bubbling away in the airlock as expected.

However it stopped after 2 days.

checked sg 1020 , started at 1038

so working out its only 2% odd alcohol

Is it finished? Can I buy more lager yeast n ferment it a bit more to get alcohol up a bit or is it finished period?

thanks

 

[hotbeer]

Well it calculates to 2.36% ABV. It'd only be 3.68% if it made it down to 1.010 which is more typical for the ales and IPA's I've been brewing.

I don't know what an enhancer 3 pack is. Sounds like yeast nutrient to me. If that is what it is, then sugar would have given a higher OG and more alcohol with even the current SG.

If it's only been 2 days, then go away for 12 more days. Take a holiday or something. Then look at it when you get back.

I don't brew lagers, but there is a time for them to stay cooler and a time for them to be warmed up while in the fermenter. Some others can help you with that.

 

[DBhomebrew]

sg 1020

With what tool are you measuring SG?

 

[Ron173]

Well it calculates to 2.36% ABV. It'd only be 3.68% if it made it down to 1.010 which is more typical for the ales and IPA's I've been brewing.

I don't know what an enhancer 3 pack is. Sounds like yeast nutrient to me. If that is what it is, then sugar would have given a higher OG and more alcohol with even the current SG.

If it's only been 2 days, then go away for 12 more days. Take a holiday or something. Then look at it when you get back.

I don't brew lagers, but there is a time for them to stay cooler and a time for them to be warmed up while in the fermenter. Some others can help you with that.

Yeah I’m just leaving it in the vessel, usually let clear in there rather than bottle early.

 

[Ron173]

With what tool are you measuring SG?

Just a basic hygrometer

 

[DBhomebrew]

Just a basic hygrometer

Carry on.

 

[Ron173]

Carry on.

Autocorrect
Lol
HyDrometer

 

[micraftbeer]

If I have a beer that seems to have stopped early, I usually raise the temperature about 2 degrees (F), and see if that gets it going again.

That said, sometimes fermentors can have unexpected small air leaks, and cause an airlock to stop bubbling because CO2 found an easier path to escape through. Which typically means just leave it alone, it's still fermenting, you just can't see it.