First brew - no hydrometer change after 9 days

[Rumblebelly]

Hi Everyone,

Nine days ago I brewed my first batch, thanks to my lovely wife who bought me a kit for my b-day from Northern Brewer.

The batch is a Scottish Ale extract kit from Northern Brewer with dry yeast, doing the full boil because my better half bought me the bigger pot. I had a lot of activity in the lock within a day or two of pitching the yeast, and then it died off. Now it's producing a bubble every 2-4 minutes.

Anyway, the day the wort was made I got a hydrometer reading of 1.034. After 7 days it was 1.014 and today, 9 days, it's still at 1.014.

I tasted the beer and it's slightly carbonated but the flavor is really thin. I'm guessing that may be normal for a beer at this stage but I'm not sure. I'm also not sure what to expect from an extract kit, since I like to think of myself as an experienced beer drinker. I'm expecting some disappointment but hopefully I'll be suprised.

I have a secondary fermenter but after poking around here, I ready it only clarifies ales such as this style. I heard it might stir up some more fermentation though.

I can think of a couple of small things that might have impacted the beer during the wort-making:

1) 1 gallon of chlorinated tap water to top off my 4+ gallons of spring water prior to boil....oops, I know. I felt a little awkward that day.

2) my electric stove couldn't produce a very high boil, it was kinda wimpy a boil but it was still boiling. No worries about a boil-over.

3) when I pitched the yeast into the fermenter some of it suck to the carboy around the neck.

Not sure if I should let just her sit for a couple of weeks, pitch more yeast or trying to move it to the secondary fermenter.

 

[Arneba28]

Give it a gentle rocking and try to rouse that yeast a bit. What were your ferm temps at. Most likeely after those 3 days of active fermentation it finished out. But I have had to rerouse yeast before. If you still have no change then I would say pitch a dry yeast pack. But rouse it and wait another week and take a hydrometer reading.

 

[david_42]

It's at 58% ((34-14)/34) attenuation. Rousing it by rocking or swirling should give you a few more points.

The chlorinated tap water won't impact the ferment, as the chlorine boils off. There is some chance that it will cause an off-flavor, but it sounds like it didn't.

Carbonated beer has more flavor and mouthfeel.

 

[eddie]

Rousing the yeast isn't a bad idea but I don't think you'll have to repitch. Give it a few gentle swirls to get some of the yeast back into the beer but be careful not to splash it around then wait another week as was already suggested. Having a full boil isn't so critical with an extract brew as it is with an AG brew because you don't have to worry about DMS in the wort. You might end up with a little less hop utilization but not enough to be an issue. As long as you can maintain at least a simmer, you'll be fine.There is enough active yeast in dried yeast packets that if a little bit didn't make it into the wort, it isn't be a problem so long as the yeast have been properly stored. letting it set on the yeast cake for a couple weeks is a good plan, though. The yeast continue working even after active fermentation is done. Leaving it should result in a couple dropped gravity points as well as a cleaner tasting beer in the end.

**damn, I type too slow.**

 

[Rumblebelly]

Give it a gentle rocking and try to rouse that yeast a bit. What were your ferm temps at. Most likeely after those 3 days of active fermentation it finished out. But I have had to rerouse yeast before. If you still have no change then I would say pitch a dry yeast pack. But rouse it and wait another week and take a hydrometer reading.

Ferm temps are between 69-71 F. I'll try swirling it like everyone suggested. We'll see if it helps some.

Thanks.

 

[Rumblebelly]

I know it's only been 5 days but I checked it again and the gravity is still at 1.014. However, I tasted it and it has a fuller flavor.

I'm still wondering if I should repitch another yeast pack. Is it worth putting it in a secondary fermenter, especially with this style?

I forgot to mention that all of the karusen (sp?) fell a few days ago too.

 

[oberon567]

What was the temperature when you took the OG of the wort? Was it 60? Has the OG of 1.034 already taken temperature into consideration? Because 1.014 is not a bad FG for a lot of styles of beer... but usually the OG is higher if it finishes that high...

I dont know if your kit was a 60, 70, or 80 Schilling Scottish Ale, but on any of them I would expect the OG to be a bit higher than 1.034. And if you had even an OG of 1.040 or so then I would not consider 1.014 that bad of an ending point. If the OG was 1.050 then 1.014 is certainly a fine ending point...

 

[Rumblebelly]

What was the temperature when you took the OG of the wort? Was it 60? Has the OG of 1.034 already taken temperature into consideration? Because 1.014 is not a bad FG for a lot of styles of beer... but usually the OG is higher if it finishes that high...

I dont know if your kit was a 60, 70, or 80 Schilling Scottish Ale, but on any of them I would expect the OG to be a bit higher than 1.034. And if you had even an OG of 1.040 or so then I would not consider 1.014 that bad of an ending point. If the OG was 1.050 then 1.014 is certainly a fine ending point...

It was the 60 Shilling (kinda wish I got a higher gravity kit). NB says the kit's OG should be 1.031.

The OG temp was around 85 ish but I did the temp conversion, following the instructions that came with the hydrometer. However, it was really hard to see exactly where the liquid met the line of the hydrometer because there was a a lot of foam in the tube. My OG might not be completely accurate but prolly within +/- 0.002

 

[Rumblebelly]

So I'm guessing I should just let her sit for a couple of weeks?

 

[Rumblebelly]

Maybe I should try repitching the yeast? Since the manuf. OG is 1.031 and mine was actually 1.034, my FG should be less than 1.014. Probably more like 1.011? It's been a week of no gravity change.

If I did my calcs right, I have 2% beer. Is there a chance it'll ferment more in the next couple of weeks or is the yeast hashed?

 

[carnevoodoo]

Maybe I should try repitching the yeast? Since the manuf. OG is 1.031 and mine was actually 1.034, my FG should be less than 1.014. Probably more like 1.011?

You won't get more than a couple of points out of repitching. 1.014 is not a bad place for a beer to be at. If the fermentation is complete, I'd say stick with it. It is a 60 schilling. It won't be strong, but it'll be good.