Draught Kit - Beginner Issue

[rraypold]

Hi everyone,

Quick question: I have a Brew Canada draught kit. OG was 1.044. Temp was at approx. 12-13 C. Started Mar.18. Gravity Apr.3 was 1.022. Called brew store, they told me to get it warmer and stir up bottom trub. Did that. Furnace room. Temp around 16 C. Apr 7 gravity at 1.020. No bubbling. Pitched new yeast, Ale yeast (Windsor). Good bubbling 2 days then stopped. April 11, gravity 1.014, wort temp 18 C. April 13 (today) gravity 1.012 wort 16 C. Smells good, but green. A little cloudy still.

When should I bottle? After the weekend? Won't have time. Monitor gravity?

Thanks everyone!

 

[kh54s10]

13 degrees C was the problem that is low enough to make the yeast go dormant. It didn't totally but it certainly slowed the fermentation. So I would say your ferment really started when you pitched the new yeast. I would go 2 weeks from that date or I would take another gravity reading tomorrow or Saturday and if it is still 1.012 you could bottle it. Or if it is still cloudy you could cold crash for a day or two first.

 

[rraypold]

Here's my note board! ��

 

[rraypold]

kh54s10 - cold crashing...put back in the 12 C room? That will clear it up? Do this after sitting 2 more weeks?

Thanks for the help!

 

[kh54s10]

I see bubbling every 11 seconds.... At the height you should get 5-10 bubbles per second, if you don't have a leaky seal on your fermenter, but that is another story.

Cold crash would be at about 1-2 degrees C.

The 2 weeks is probably long since you have had fermentation, although very slow.

I would look for pretty clear beer before bottling. Time will allow it to clear. Cold crashing will speed the process. Finings can be used, such as gelatin.

I have to leave it to you to research and decide which route to go.

 

[jrgtr42]

If th gravity is still going down,. it's still fermenting. Bottling now risks bottle bombs among other things.
Wait till you have a stable gravity for at least 3 days, then cold crash (or let sit a week or so in regular temps) At that point you should be good to bottle.

 

[Vedexent]

Temperature range is always always always important - I learned that on my first batch. Yeasts are picky little suckers - and looking it up online, it looks like the Danstar Windsor strain needs 18C - 21C to be happy.

Know the yeast strain you're using; know your required temperatures. Colder = sleepy yeast (that's what seems to have happened to you), Warmer = off flavors by yeast producing esters you weren't counting on (that's what happened to me).

Also - airlock bubbles mean next to nothing, although it is nice to see it burbling away

Gravity measurements are what's important.

As other - wiser - posters have said: wait until your S.G. is stable for at least 3 days, then you can cold crash to 1-2C (maybe with finings) for a good stretch of time (maybe a week?), then you can bottle.

 

[rraypold]

Thanks everyone!!! ��

Yeah, I have read by seasoned home brewers that bubbling doesn't mean anything.

I'll leave it and let it clarify and will read up on gelatin for clarifying.

Again, thanks everyone! ��

 

[rraypold]

Sorry, those weird symbols were faces!

 

[rraypold]

Awesome! I have a second fridge I'll adjust the shelves and throw the pail in.

Other question...anything I can add at this point to smooth the flavour and reduce the "green"?

 

[Konadog]

Other question...anything I can add at this point to smooth the flavour and reduce the "green"?

The only thing at this point is "time". After you bottle, and wait again for it to carb up (more time) then it won't taste as green.

 

[Vedexent]

The only thing at this point is "time". After you bottle, and wait again for it to carb up (more time) then it won't taste as green.

+1 on the time, and waiting - but it's really hard to do on your first batch!

I know - my first batch is still bottle conditioning.

Home brewing tries to teach us patience ( although I'm not a good student on that front ).

 

[rraypold]

Thanks everyone!

Awesome advice!