Beginners fermentation problem

[Kevin_Bean]

I believe I may be having a fermentation problem with my first brew:

Beer kit: Muntons Geordie Yorkshire Bitter
Enhancer: Muntons Beerkit enhancer
Equipment: Wilko (including fermentation bin without air lock)

The temperatures and specific gravity have been:

Day 1 22 1.044
Day 2 23 1.040
Day 3 22 1.024
Day 4 22 1.016
Day 5 22 1.016
Day 6 21 1.016
Day 7 20 1.016
Day 8 20 1.016

(The hydrometer reads 1.000 at 20C).

Is this a problem, and how should I proceed ?

thanks,

 

[Cwrw666]

Has it fermented? You would be able to see a layer of scum up the sides of the fermentation vessel if it has. If it's finished the surface will have no trace of bubbles. 8 days is quite reasonable for a full fermentation, especially if you've managed to keep the temperature up as you have.
1.000 seems very low for beer but your hydrometer may not be too accurate.
Sterilise a spoon with boiling water and taste a spoonful. It should taste like beer! With no sweet flavour at all.
If it tastes like this then I'd bottle / pressure barrel it.

 

[Kevin_Bean]

I should have said that the hydrometer reads 1.000 at 20C in tap water.

 

[Cwrw666]

Cheers Kevin, missed that and the fact you gave SGs all through the brew. Actually I've just made a batch of Muntons Gold Old Conkerwood and that ground to a halt at 1015 or thereabouts - a little high I thought despite it being 4 weeks in the FV. It tasted alright though so I just went ahead and bottled it. So far no burst bottles so I'm assuming it really had finished. My local homebrew shop said all malt kits always finish at higher SGs than one can kits as the sugar in the latter ferments completely away but malt doesn't.