Coopers English bitter - problem?

[sanch3z]

Not sure if I have an issue. Mixed on the 31st and OG of 1042, had 3-4 days of crazy bubbles which have now reduced so there's only a thinning layer of about 15-20mm on the top. I took a reading on the 4th and it was 1016, just took another (6th) and it's still 1016. I tasted it as it smelt wonderful but the aftertaste was quite bitter. Does it sound like I have a problem? Should I just leave it another week? Should I be getting this aftertaste at this stage?

Thanks for any help

 

[Brewerboy]

There is nothing wrong with your brew. It is very normal for the brew to bubble madly in the first few days.
I would leave it another week then check the gravity. If it is still at 1.016 then your breaks stuck but well cross that bridge if we get to it.
Hope this helps
Jacob

 

[mcc111]

+1

 

[sanch3z]

Thanks guys, think my Wherry might have done the same but I didn't take readings this early however i'm chomping at the bit to get the next brew on the go

When can I remove the collar from this one as it looks a bit skanksville? Or does it not harm anything leaving it in? I hear the less 02 ingress the better, just don't want it going off...

 

[sanch3z]

ok guys so 8 days on this is how it has gone:

31/01 - Mixed OG 1042
04/02 - 1016
06/02 - 1016
08/02 - 1014
10/02 - 1013
12/02 - 1013

This gives me an ABV of around 3.9% + 0.5% for the secondary fermentation totaling 4.4%

Reading most threads people are able to get their brews down to around 1007-1008 so does this mean I have an issue or just it hasn't gone quite as far?

A week ago when I tasted the brew it had quite an after taste but now it has really mellowed, it's still quite bitter but nothing like it was, it has also darkened up in the FV so I wonder if i'm now ok to bottle?

 

[dickiedavis]

I did one of these a few months back - pretty much exactly the same readings as yours. I couldn't get it any lower, so bottled it, 10 days in the warm then out into the cold. It was pretty harsh at first, but mellowed after a month of conditioning into a lovely brew.
I'd leave it a couple of extra days, check the gravity and bottle if the same as before. Then wait for a month... if you can...

 

[sanch3z]

thanks for the info, happy to leave it another few days or even a week but didn't know at what point it would start to go off if it's not bottled?

 

[winelight]

Never got anything down to 1.007... 1.012 or 1.010 if I'm lucky.

 

[sanch3z]

ah, sounds like mine might be done then... Will look to bottle in the next few days

 

[IOMMick]

Never got anything down to 1.007... 1.012 or 1.010 if I'm lucky.

I think it's a hydrometer thing - I've never had anything above 1.006 (or maybe my tap water is alcoholic!)

 

[sanch3z]

ok, so where does this leave me then? Assume it would have to be higher to be a stuck fermentation?

 

[IOMMick]

ok, so where does this leave me then? Assume it would have to be higher to be a stuck fermentation?

I'd say you are almost there - but the thing that everyone will scream at you is patience. I don't think it will go horribly wrong if you decide to finish it off now (worst case it needs a bit of extra conditioning and has a big head), but there will be absolutely no cost if you leave it another week - it will either be better, or about the same. Personally I'd take the chance on it getting better (and I'd maybe give it a stir and try to get the temperatures up a bit, higher temp should do no harm at this stage because it's at worst 'almost finished' fermenting).

 

[winelight]

+1 whenever in any doubt leave it another week

 

[sanch3z]

So a few weeks on and my brew is ready for the second phase of conditioning (outside) therefore I thought I would take a few minutes to add a few pics of the phases I went through (nothing new but might help someone at some point). It's funny, I drew samples at various stages to check the gravity and each time tasted it to see how it was progressing. I found towards the end it actually tasted pretty decent considering it still had a way to go so it's quite promising

Making my hop tea:

After initial mix, it's quite dark (I did add 500g of dark spray malt as well as 1kg of enhancer):

As you can see it's really bubbling:

A week in and the colour is going lighter:

It''s funny the colour change, when I first brewed it the colour was dark, then it went a light tan colour and a week later it had returned to a dark brew.

Will add an image of the pint when it's in my glass