scottish ale fermentation time

[skillzman1]

Hello all...my name is Matt...this is my first post after lurking for a month or so.
2 questions.
1) I brewed an extract batch of scottish ale 1-4-12 in the evening after work....followed the directions to the letter,sanitized everything as usual.
Pitched the yeast and put the top on the bucket,temp was 70*,stored it in the brew closet and went to bed.
Checked the next morning and saw it bubble once...went to work. Came home and didnt notice any active bubbling thru the bubbler.Pressed on the top and a few bubbles came out,thought it was odd it wasnt as active as the other batches I have brewed recently(different beers).
Today makes 48 hrs since I pitched the yeast,starting OG was 1.036 and the range was 1.034-1.038....just checked it with the hydrometer...and its at 1.012...the finishing gravity is supposed to be 1.010-1.014.

So question 1 is-
Does it seems right that the fermentation started and ended that quickly?

Its only my third batch ever so I have the usual newbie questions I suppose.

question 2)
I brewed a batch of stout(extract) 2 weeks ago today...1.054 starting gravity...got impatient (first mistake)..and racked it to secondary at 9 days and the gravity was only 1.024. Finishing gravity was supposed to be 1.015. Then,after reading on the forum the next day,I realize the trub I 'cleaned out' contained the viable yeast to finish the fermentation....its been setting 5 days since and the gravity is at 1.022...what would be the recommendation from here?
Pitch some more yeast?
-Matt

 

[Snowhere]

Relax and back away from the fermenters! A true Scottish ale needs time. I have a 90/- and a 80/- fermenting away right now. The 90/- (not really a true Scottish ale but who cares!) is 4 WEEKS in a primary and will go another 4 WEEKS in a secandary before I bottle/keg it! Ditto for the 80/-. Then they will go months more in the bottle before I drink them. I just ran out of my last 80/- and it was 12 months old! Just think of time in the primary/secondary as bulk conditioning.

For both beers, just let them sit and age more before you bottle. Don't fret over the final gravity #s unless they are way off like in 20 points or more. For just a few points go grab a beer and stop being so anal about it! There are so many varibales that can effect the final gravity if your close you are good. Let it go for a few more days to see if it is really stable and then let it go a few weeks more! You will have better beer if you do......

 

[skillzman1]

fair enough....always had to work on the patience aspect of things...this will teach me one way or the other.
Thanks!

 

[ClarnoBrewer]

Snowhere is right. Give them a bit more time. As far as your stout, there's still enough yeast in suspension after transferring that fermentation will continue.

For the Scottish, your fermentation is probably pretty much complete, but give that one some time to mellow and come together. I like using Scottish yeast for all sorts of beers, but I ferment cool (60-62) and still get pretty vigorous fermentation. So fermenting at 70 speeds things up a fair bit.

It also sounds like you may not have a great seal on your primary if it fermented that fast with no bubbling. Not a big deal, but worth looking into.

Good luck!

 

[skillzman1]

the lid on the primary bucket has a rubber seal...but the plastic in the lid is fairly 'broke in' shall we say.I suppose it could pop off under the right pressure..will have to scavenge up a new one.