Lager kit fermenting very slowly

[Phil2006]

Hello - I'm quite new to this home brewing hobby, so please bear with me

I started a lager kit going on Monday, and it seems to be fermenting very slowly - less than one bubble per second though the airlock. I followed the instructions to the letter and sterilised everything beforehand. Fermentation is supposed to take about a week, so I would have expected it to be going vigorously by now. What's the most likely cause of the problem?

 

[Kaiser]

Hello - I'm quite new to this home brewing hobby, so please bear with me

I started a lager kit going on Monday, and it seems to be fermenting very slowly - less than one bubble per second though the airlock. I followed the instructions to the letter and sterilised everything beforehand. Fermentation is supposed to take about a week, so I would have expected it to be going vigorously by now. What's the most likely cause of the problem?

What was your pitching rate (amount of yeast used)?
What kind of yeast?
What pitching temp?
What is the current fermentation temp?
How did you oxygenate/aerate ?

I should be able to help with this info

Kai

 

[Phil2006]

The yeast came measured out in a little sachet with the kit, so I'm unsure about the type and quantity - hopefully the kit manufacturer got it right.

The wort temp was about 23C when I put the yeast in, along with the sachet of yeast nutrient, as directed in the instructions. I gave it a good stir when I added the sachets, then stirred again about 24 hours later.

The current temp is about 20C. I stirred it up again last night, and it foamed up nicely, but its still not fermenting as quickly as I'd expect.

There's also no thick 'head' on the wort. The only time I've brewed beer before was about 15 years ago, and I got a thick foamy head on the top when it was brewing, the beer tasted good, so I assum this is the norm?

The only thing I've added which didn't come in the kit is tap water. Being a keen aquarist, I can provide plenty of information about the water, if its important.

 

[Mikey]

Without knowing what the original gravity was and what it is now, it's pretty difficult to know how far along your beer is. Do you have access to a hydrometer?

One bubble per second is not so bad.

I assume you know that the beer your making will not be a 'lager', but a light ale instead. Lagers require specific yeast and cold fermentation and storage.

 

[Kaiser]

One bubble per second is not so bad.

I must have missed this. Yes one bubble every 1 or 2 seconds is not that bad.

I assume that you are using dried yeast. They are the easiest to use and they don't need as much O2 as liquid yeast does. How much tap water did you add? If a large enough portion of non-boiled tab water was added, enough O2 for dried yeast would have gotten into the wort.

But your fermentation temps are to high for a true lager. It should be between 10 and 15C. What did the instructions say about the fermentation temp? But lowering the temp wouldn't make the fermentation go faster (It will actually slow things down) but it will reduce the off-flavors that are produced during the fermentation.

Kai

 

[Phil2006]

Okay - panic over. I checked the SG and it is now about 1015-1020 - the OG was 1045, so something is definitely happening. I did expect to see more bubbles though.

The kit is called "Brewmaker Pilsner" - don't know how authentic it is - just hope it tastes okay The instructions recommend a fermentation temp of 20C, with a warning not to let it drop below 17C, or fermentation may stop altogether. Just got to sit tight and wait now I guess.

Many thank for the advice.

 

[Kaiser]

The kit is called "Brewmaker Pilsner" - don't know how authentic it is - just hope it tastes okay The instructions recommend a fermentation temp of 20C, with a warning not to let it drop below 17C, or fermentation may stop altogether. Just got to sit tight and wait now I guess.

Good to know that you don't really have a problem with your beer.

As for the suggested fermentation temperatures, 20C is definately a little high for a true lager yeast. Some microbrewers are fermenting their lagers as warm as 15C. But even that is pushing it. With the comment of "...not to let it drop below 17C, or fermentation may stop altogether." I suspect that they actually gave you a cleanly fermenting Ale yeast (or a Lager yeast that works only at warmer temps). I don't see a problem with this in beer kits since they are designed to be simple, and ale yeast is easier to work with than lager yeast.

Kai

 

[Phil2006]

Quick update - fermentation now appears to have stopped. SG has been at about 1010 for the last 6 days. Does this indicate that the fermantation has stuck too early, or am I worrying about nothing?

 

[Mikey]

An sg of 1.010 indicates that it's fully fermented, completely normal.

 

[Phil2006]

Okey dokey. Bottling day tomorrow then

 

[boo boo]

1.045 to 1.010, is not bad at all. As most of the guys said the yeast that comes with a K&K (kit and kilo) brew is most likely an clean tasting ale yeast that makes a lager look-a-like beer. You should consider replacing the yeast that comes under the can lid with a fresh pack. As for not seeing a lot of action, your primary fermenter might not have an airtight seal causing leakage of fermenting gas.
If no one has mentioned it to you yet you can get a lot of info by reading this on-line book.. http://www.howtobrew.com/ .
Good luck in your future brews and welcome to the board.
Cheers

 

[Phil2006]

<<all bottled now>>

thanks for the link, ****oo - looks very useful for future reference.