Is my brew ok???

[Mishkin]

I'm making some Mexican cerveza at the moment. The airlock bubbled for about 2 days and then stopped. My initial reading was 1.039. Day 3 it stopped bubbling, day 4 I took a reading of 1.011 and day 5 (today) took a reading of about the same as yesterday (maybe a bit closer to 1.010). So there has obviously been a lot of activity happening.
The temperatures lately have been pretty high. It was 34c degrees (the weather, not the actual barrel) the other day. I'm guessing that has contributed to the quick fermentation but I still didn't think it would be done in 2 days even at high temperatures.

Is this normal? what could be any other explanation? contamination maybe? does that kill the fermentation process? Maybe a leakage of air from the barrel which stops the airlock from bubbling?

Do you think the beer is ok considering the airlock bubbled for 2 days? But then again the hydrometer readings seem ok so there should be nothing to worry about right?

Thanks

 

[McCall St. Brewer]

Although it could be a "stuck" fermenation, I doubt it. Lots of us here often experience short fast fermentations. A number of people here who have posted on this subject say that those actually tend to be some of their best batches. Was the 2 day fermentation you describe vigorous?

Keep in mind also that although visible activity may be over, the fermentation process has not completely stopped. There are still fermentables in your beer that require slower activity to complete.

A tip for future batches-- be sure to aerate your wort thoroughly when you pitch your yeast.

 

[SteveM]

Two days of real active fermentation is not off the charts by any means. Stay the course.

 

[Mishkin]

Thanks for the help guys =) and yes it has been very vigorous. The airlock was bubbling very quickly for the 2 days. Also what do you mean by aerating the yeast? In my kit instructions it just says that as soon as you sprinkle the yeast on the wort, to screw the lid on straight away. Do you mean I should wait a bit before putting the lid on?

 

[Beer Snob]

"screw the lid on"... Ok.... this does not sound as if you aerated the yeast and I am not enterily knowledgable on the different kits out there that you would "screw a lid on". Not terrible. Your SG is still pretty low. Next time after you pitch the yeast, shake the fermentor around a bit. Either completely or with a sanitized spoon. They even have these gadgets in the HBS that attaches to your drill.

Do you have a good book? I am one that favors books a lot. "The joy of homebrewing" or "How to brew" are both very good books. "The Joy of Homebrewing" can be a tad less on the technical side if that is not your forte.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060531053/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

You can't go wrong with this one. It has been considered and is still called "The bible" by many.

 

[Mishkin]

Thanks for the info. I don't have a home brew book yet but I think i'll definately need one soon because the only instructions I use are the ones that come with the kit and it doesn't really go into much detail.
About the barrel. Yes it's a screw on lid fermenter. It's a proper home brew fermenter though. I think I know the one's you're familiar with. I've seen pictures of them and they dont have a lid or anything. The one I use is really good because it's easy to mix everything together without the lid on. And when you commence brewing the lid has a rubber ring around it to make it airtight.

 

[david_42]

You attenuation is 74.5% which is pretty good. Your OG is fine for the style, as is your FG. A two day ferment at 34C is ok. Maybe it will go another point or two, but I'd say it was ready for the secondary.

 

[dave-m]

There seems to be some confusion here. I read two different references to "aerate the yeast". What you need to do is aerate the wort (unfermented beer). You do this quite simply by agressively stirring or even shaking the liquid in the primary fermenter. This action will introduce dissolved oxygen into the liquid which is vital for the yeast cells to multiply and do their job.

If you are making lots of bubbles in the liquid you are doing it right.

 

[Beer Snob]

There seems to be some confusion here. I read two different references to "aerate the yeast". What you need to do is aerate the wort (unfermented beer). You do this quite simply by agressively stirring or even shaking the liquid in the primary fermenter. This action will introduce dissolved oxygen into the liquid which is vital for the yeast cells to multiply and do their job.

If you are making lots of bubbles in the liquid you are doing it right.

Appologies. You are certainly correct. You aerate the wort to give Oxygen to the yeast.

 

[dave-m]

Sallright Schaap.

From reading your posts on here I figured you had just made a typo. I was jus' tryin to help out the Aussie.

Cheers mate!

Dave.