Slow fermintaion??

[fubar121]

Hello all! I have been brewing for a little over 2 years and have always had great beers. I thought I'd try a beefed up coopers Mexican cerveza. I used 2 can and a kilo of light dme I was expecting a volcano and all I am getting is a few farts. I pitched both yeast packages and the temp is hold at around 28 Celsius. I'm getting 3 to 5 bubbles every 10 seconds or so.. Has anyone every seen this before. I figured with that much fermentables it should have been a bomb? Any input would be great!

 

[frazier]

First thought is, 28C is way too hot. For beer, that is. Shouldn't hurt the yeast though.

What's your gravity? Plugging your quantities in with a gess about volume leads me to estimate about 1.060. Should be fine. How long has it been sitting? You may yet have a volcano in your future.

Did you aerate the wort? Rehydrate the yeast? What is the yeast?

We need more info than you have given. But my guess is, you are just sitting through a bit of an extended lag time.

 

[fubar121]

I did aerate my wort and it was the coopers that came with the kits. Always had good results with the "stock" yeast. The gravity was exactly as you called it. Been on for 2 says now... I did not rehydrate the yeast though. Perhaps I will in the future... Just getting spittle worried do to past experiences with coopers yeast.

 

[KepowOb]

Airlocks don't tell you as much as you'd think, so I really wouldn't worry about it. 28 does seem really high though.

 

[fubar121]

I am having a hard time with the temp has its been 36 with humidity the last 5 days in a row... Maybe a wet towel will help.

 

[frazier]

Do a search on "swamp cooler" - and fill some plastic soda bottles with water, freeze, and add to the cooler to keep the temp down.

 

[fubar121]

Was thinking about opening it and re aerating and adding some yeast nutrient? Maybe get some more yeast? What you all think about that?

 

[KepowOb]

Was thinking about opening it and re aerating and adding some yeast nutrient? Maybe get some more yeast? What you all think about that?

Don't aerate it at this point, you'll risk ruining your beer.

Do you have a hydrometer? Airlock activity doesn't tell you very much. There is another thread here where someone still has a bit of airlock activity, but the consensus is that it's done fermenting because of the gravity readings.

Let your beer do its thing at this point. Once it's been in the fermenter for a few weeks, take a gravity reading and then another one two days later. It's probably doing just fine.

 

[rynoryan]

It sounds like you almost made an imperial cerveza. Sounds pretty cool to me. I'd like to know how this turns out. Please keep us informed.

 

[fubar121]

Imperial cerveza I like it! Call it Aztec gold or Mayan mayhem

 

[fubar121]

Ok so I'm thinking its pretty much done should I secondary this brew? Ill do a gravity check tonight.

 

[KepowOb]

Most people won't recommend a secondary unless you have a specific reason for it (adding fruit, or dry hopping), or of course because you need the fermentation vessel for another batch.

 

[fubar121]

Just wanted to share the brew it's only been in bottle a week its still very young and could use a month oh mellowing. its so good though! Can't wait for it to mature.

 

[rynoryan]

Wow that looks pretty good. I've been waiting to hear how that came out. There's Mexican beer everywhere here in Texas but like bmc it lacks flavor to me. Your idea about doubling down sounds pretty damn good.

 

[fubar121]

It's awesome! The only thing I change is I'd leave out the DME and change the yeast maybe. Not sure what I would use but I didn't like the way it fermented. Going to brew another batch with those changes and some hops. Any suggestions on yeast and hops?