Seems to have stopped...

[tomsimmons]

My kit and kilo brew has been going for 6 days but seems to have stopped, though the SG hasn't reached target...

Any thoughts? Concerned that might be mould starting to grow on the top.


Tom

 

[schmurf]

Let it sit for a few more days. Maybe move it to a slightly warmer place. Probably it's more or less finished. And an advice: don't let the fermenter be open like that... you never know what will find its way in there. Take gravity samples another way.

 

[Gareth Collier]

Hi No concerns from what i see. Go off your instructions but take them as a guide. Not always will your brew be same fg as instructions. If its the same reading after 48 hours on hydrometer it should be done bottle or keg. When fermenting is taking place try to avoid opening lid all the time leave check hydrometer after 5 days or so. Avoid opening as much avoid contamination. Keep an eye on temperature of you wort while fermenting too hot too cold will kill or stop yeast and fermenting will stop.

Bit of advice as post above while fermenting keep lid on always with a air lock if you can. The best advice I would give is sanitise anything that comes on contact with your wort/beer sanitisation is one of the most important parts of home brewing in my opinion.

All said welcome to homwbrewing enjoy. I now keg with a kegarator and pour my own pints enjoying a coopers larger cheap buy just a day drinking beer 3.5%. Have a razorback ipa as well just priming should be done in a week or 2. Take care Gareth

 

[Steveruch]

My kit and kilo brew has been going for 6 days but seems to have stopped, though the SG hasn't reached target...

Any thoughts? Concerned that might be mould starting to grow on the top.


Tom

What was your original gravity and what is your current gravity?

 

[IslandLizard]

An FG of 1.012-1.013 after 6 days is very reasonable. But it's best to let it go for 2 weeks to make sure it's completely done, before bottling.

Those little beige floating blobs are yeast rafts, completely natural.
Next time, don't fill that bucket so high, you need to leave ample head space (about 1/5-1/4 of your batch volume) for krausen (foaming) to expand into, or it will spew out, or worse, pop the lid off, under pressure.

And yeah keep that lid on...

 

[tomsimmons]

An FG of 1.012-1.013 after 6 days is very reasonable. But it's best to let it go for 2 weeks to make sure it's completely done, before bottling.

Those little beige floating blobs are yeast rafts, completely natural.
Next time, don't fill that bucket so high, you need to leave ample head space (about 1/5-1/4 of your batch volume) for krausen (foaming) to expand into, or it will spew out, or worse, pop the lid off, under pressure.

And yeah keep that lid on...

@IslandLizard

It wasn't the yeast Islands, more the white island nearer the front.

Tom

 

[tomsimmons]

The only other vessel I have for sampling into at the moment is the tube the hydrometer cam in. Testing in there I'm getting the same reading, 1010, see attachment. The start was 1040.

That is now 8 days that it has been fermenting.

The temp has been between 20 and 22 pretty much the whole time, certainly never higher then 24 or lower than 18.

Tom

 

[IslandLizard]

It wasn't the yeast Islands, more the white island nearer the front.

Mold is usually fuzzy, like a clump of small hairs.
Infections often form a haze on the surface, that becomes a (thick) pellicle over time.

I don't see any of that.

To take a sample without lifting the lid, use the spigot on the bottom of the fermenter, if it has one. Sanitize that area and spigot well before and after sampling!

Or remove the airlock and snake a 2' long skinny piece of vinyl hose half way down the hole. The other end will be pointing down along the outside bucket wall. Start a suck-siphon and collect enough beer for a hydrometer jar* sample. When you have enough, pull the hose back out quickly, without letting any beer flow back. Replace airlock.
Hint: Train yourself using a bucket of water.

Don't forget to sanitize all equipment that touches your beer as well as those areas, thoroughly.

* Put a hydrometer jar on your "to get" list. It's a clear plastic tube that screws into a wide plastic foot. They're quite stable, more so than glass ones, having a much narrower foot.

The only other vessel I have for sampling into at the moment is the tube the hydrometer cam in.

Be careful using the sleeve/tube your hydrometer comes in. Some don't have a fixed/solid bottom (!), but just another plug that can drop out any time, especially if you put beer in it. I've taped mine well down to the sleeve, so it's gonna stay put forever.

Testing in there I'm getting the same reading, 1010, see attachment. The start was 1040.

I read around 1.012, on the bottom of the meniscus.

Have you checked calibration with distilled or RO water? It should read 1.000 (on the bottom of the meniscus). Make a note of any deviation, and add or subtract the deviation on subsequent readings.

 

[IslandLizard]

That is now 8 days that it has been fermenting.

The temp has been between 20 and 22 pretty much the whole time, certainly never higher then 24 or lower than 18.

It may well be done. It's definitely clearing from what I can see.

Once fermentation has shown signs of nearing completion (bubbling only sporadically or stopped, krausen dropped, beer clearing, etc.), take a reading. If you get the same reading 3 days later, and it's close to your expected FG, it's usually safe to bottle. Especially if you keep it a little warmer (22-24C) those last 3-5 days.

 

[tomsimmons]

I don't have any distilled water to hand, but tap water reads 1000.

The guide if I recall, it's down stairs, suggests I'm looking for 1006 on 2 consecutive days.


Tom

 

[IslandLizard]

The guide if I recall, it's down stairs, suggests I'm looking for 1006 on 2 consecutive days.

1.006?
It's unlikely the FG (Final Gravity) will get that low given fermentation has quieted down already at 1.012. It may drop another 2 points (to 1.010) over the next week. Or not. I would leave it another week for all security.
If you'd bottle before the beer is really finished you may create bottle bombs.

FG depends on many factors, such as yeast, mash temps or kinds of extracts used, sugar additions, boil time and vigor, etc.

Next time try to keep your fermentation temps more even, so it doesn't go from 22C to 18C overnight, then back up. Temp drops, especially toward the end, can make a fermentation stall. Toward the end, when things are slowing down, it's better to raise the temps a few (2-6) degrees say from 18C to 22C (and keep it there) to encourage the yeast to finish out. The slightly higher temps at the end also help with conditioning.

 

[tomsimmons]

@IslandLizard

Checked this morning, it is 1.006 that is suggests.

Sounds like I'm best off increasing the temp and see what another couple of days brings?

What is the recommendation for the temp control? I have a band which I have been shuffling up and down. Would a mat with a temperature sensor to regulate it on the side of the barrel be better? If so, where should the sensor be placed, top, middle, bottom?


Tom

 

[IslandLizard]

Checked this morning, it is 1.006 that is suggests.

A 6 point drop after most fermentation activity had ceased is truly remarkable. Congrats, all good!

What is the recommendation for the temp control?

A warm place, or a heating mat or heating belt, plus some insulation, wrapping a thick blanket or such around the setup.
I wouldn't let the conditioning temp go past 23-24C for most normal beers, exceptions noted (e.g., Saisons, Kveik fermentations, etc.).

Probe placement is by experiment. Most probes are not to be immersed into the beer, which is not necessary or even wanted in most cases due to lag. Usually taping or strapping the probe on the outside of the fermenter works best, with a piece of packing foam over it to insulate it. But for conditioning temps are not that critical.

Now for fermentation controlling temps is much more critical, it can make or break your beer.
Too high, you'll get fusel alcohols and other (unwanted) fermentation byproducts. Staying on the low end of a yeast's recommended range tends to give the best and cleanest results.
Now fermentation is exothermic, it generates heat, so you need a way to draw that off. Put the fermenter in a tub or beverage cooler with cool water, make a swamp cooler, or place in a (spare) fridge or freezer with an external temp controller. Again, probe placement is important to prevent over- and undershooting the target temp.

 

[tomsimmons]

@IslandLizard

Sorry, think we're at crossed purposes. The guide said it should be 1.006, I haven't checked again - waiting for my testing glass to arrive tomorrow.

For now, the belt is holding it at 24.


Tom

 

[IslandLizard]

Sorry, think we're at crossed purposes.

Sorry, I misunderstood...
Even at 1.012 it will still be good beer, perhaps better.

 

[tomsimmons]

@IslandLizard

Well, unless you think I need to move before Wednesday, I'll leave it until then with the belt on.


Tom

 

[IslandLizard]

Well, unless you think I need to move before Wednesday, I'll leave it until then with the belt on.

Leave it be till Wednesday. Then check FG again and if the same, bottle away!