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Darkdude

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Hi I've done 3 beer kits so far and I'm doing my fourth which is evil dog pale ale


All my other kits. Have been fine, but this kit ive had problems with. I have followed the instructions and have sterilised everything but after 5 days of fermenting it's been like this it's been like this from the start has it gone wrong ?

image.jpg
 
looks good 2 me, the yeast wont always kick up a huge foamy head, what looks like floating gob islands is in fact the result of yeast activity and the co2 generated, as is the dirty ring around the bucket wal...

the best way to monitor the progress is with gravity readings, as long as its dropping its working ;)


good to see the side peer inspection ;) so take a gravity reading every few days and as long as it keeps dropping towards the final gravity target published in the instructions (circa 1010?) dont worry.

some will argue that hydrating the yeast first in sterile warm water will help maintain a better pitching population especially with the smaller mass of yeast provided with a kit (5-6g) when using a off the shelf dry yeast pack you will find 10-15g in the pack, tbh i generally just pitch my yeast packs dry for 5 gallon brews, but wil make a starter up for bigger brews.. ideally there is an optimum population size to pitch, there is a fascinating and captivating book on the subject..
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&r...=akm71rfk_x-XC7y4VvxATQ&bvm=bv.87269000,d.ZGU





it will get there ;)
 
Hi thanks, I really struggle with the hydrometer I tend to go by eye, i. Awful at maths, to the point I can't count change, I tried it and it said 20? What does that equate. To, in terms like you would a dog or small child please, and I thought the less I open it, the less chance of contamination
 
If it's on 20 then your gravity is 1.020, which means a lot of the fermentation has happened. You are aiming for a gravity of approx 1.010, or 10 on your hydrometer. Most kits finish somewhere between 1.005 and 1.015.
 
as said above, +1

I dropped the decimal from the 1.010 estimate of a final gravity target above , my bad sorry.

a turkey baster is an easy to sanitise sample taker for a gravity reading, just remember to squeeze the air out before you submerge the tip to avoid oxidisation ;) trying to read a hydrometer in the bucket is a pita as you cant get a good viewing angle and close proximity easily.

drink the sample after the reading dont return it to the bulk, some do with no problems, i think its a lil too risky and if you drink the sample you needent be ocd about sanitising the sample jar and hydrometer.. and as the beer looses its sweetnes its nice to taste the difference..

in a trial jar you can shine a light and use a magnifying glass to read the thing at your leisure with more confidence.. :drunk:
 
Looks spot on that. I bottled this kit a few weeks ago. Mine got down to 1.006 (from memory). It's a very nice tasting beer. I just hope I have the willpower to leave it a few months.

Dave
 
Thanks for all the advice and info guys :) just checked it again today, and it's just edging o to the black.

My next trick will be how to keep my 2 kegs in synch so I never run out lol
 
Don't bottle it as soon as it gets to the black zone. Although fermentation will have stopped by then, the starving yeast cells clean up the brew by eating all the unwanted by products of fermentation. Leave it a week longer - you'll end up with less sediment in your bottles and a less headachey brew.
 
hi i was going to keg it, as i cant afford the bottles atm


?? bottles are free?? but if you cant wait for family n friends to aquire nice glass flip tops for you.. and dont fancy raiding bottlebanks or the neighbors recycling..

24l worth of 2l pet bottles will set you back circa £2.50 filled with sparkiling tap water from tesco(?20p each), 35p for 1l bottles filled with tonic water etc..

or just hang around places that sell pop in pet bottles at lunch time for 500ml size bottles..

2l pet bottles are a bot of a pita as i find they are best decanted in one into a jug for serving as any back tiping ofhe bottle will upset the sediment, and the really cheap bottles need 3 hands to support pour and hold the jug to stop them collapsing on themselves during the pour, BUT are a lot better than no bottles


just drape a towel or old dust sheet over any clear bottles to avoid UV skunking the hops, :cheers:
 
Ok 10 days from when I started it and there is still little bubbles floating to the surface with yeast sinking back down, does this mean it still needs longer?
 
Probably. Take a hydrometer reading. And I always leave at least 14 days in the FV anyway.
 
So the gravity is between 1.000 and 1.010. If it's half way between it's 1.005.

It's either reached final gravity or is very very close.
 
wouldnt it have stopped with the moving yeast and little bubbles if it had stoppe? im confused lol
 
Yes. Bubbles can carry on rising after the yeast has stopped, but the moving yeast sounds like it's still fermenting. Just relax and give it a week.
 

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