Help - Bottled and buggered!

[annakyn]

Hi. I am fairly new to brewing and have just tried a few Woodfordes kits. All has been fine, but this time not so... Fermented for 8 days at about 19deg until bubbles didn't rise, as I had before, but didn't check with a hydrometer.

Bottled with 1/2 teaspoon sugar and left for 2 weeks, but just opened a bottle and it's flat and tastes rubbish. Very disappointed and resorted to a bottle of Merlot to console myself.

I now have a hydrometer and tested another bottle and it's at 1020. Is there anything I can do about this to save my brew? I've brought them back inside as I thought it might not have been warm enough in my shed to get the yeast going again? I didn't have the problem last time but it was summer last time I did a brew.

Lesson learnt for next time - use the hydrometer, and probably some yeast nutrient!

 

[Tanzanite]

throw it all back in a bucket , put some were very warm lean against a rad when its warm add a wilko yeast seal and hope for the best

 

[annakyn]

Thanks, I'll try that!

 

[dad_of_jon]

throw it all back in a bucket , put some were very warm lean against a rad when its warm add a wilko yeast seal and hope for the best

i'd slowly pour back into the bucket being careful not to spash and introduce air to the brew. i.e. don't pour it in from a height. The only time you want oxygen in your beer is before the wort has started fermenting and you have a half finished beer - wherry's are famous for sticking at 1020.

Given the packet of yeast in the kit is smaller than individual ones you can buy separately and you have no control how it's been kept it no surprise when it sticks.

perhaps swap the yeast out next time or re-hydrate it first.

 

[morepunk]

At this time of year your shed almost definitely won't be warm enough to finalise fermentation or to prime the beer. Most ale yeasts prefer temperatures roughly around the 15°-20°C mark. Some ale yeast strains will ferment slowly at lower temperatures, but unless your shed has heating or is really well insulated, it's going to be well below the temperature needed.

Great that you've now invested in a hydrometer. You'll always want to check the gravity has settled at a low value before bottling (early to mid teens is probably about right for a kit brew like Wherry), and take hydrometer readings on a daily basis when you think fermentation is complete, just to make sure that the gravity has settled at its final value. Beware bottling before fermentation is complete, otherwise you might end up with a big cleanup operation!

As others have said, in this case you may want to very gently (so as not to introduce any air) pour the beer back into a fermenter and bring back inside. Generally, if you find that fermentation has stuck, you can try gently stirring the beer to rouse the yeast. If you're fermenting at the lower end of the yeast's optimal temperature range, try placing the fermenter in a slightly warmer environment.

If all else fails, you can try buying a pack of yeast (try Safale S04 or Danstar Nottingham - they're both reputable ale yeasts) from your local homebrew shop and pitch that into the fermenter. It may be that the yeast that came with the kit is a bit old and less viable as a result.

 

[zippy40]

I would agree with most above. It sounds like your fermentation has got stuck. Sometimes they come back on their own and sometimes no. For a couple of quid you could take them out of the bottles and back into a fermenter with some new yeast. Bit of a faff though doing this.

You are right about the hydrometer - it will sort you out the very best.

 

[annakyn]

Thanks, I've put back in the fermenter (carefully) and back in the cupboard wrapped in blankets and heat tape so now sitting at 22deg. It seems to have come down to 1018ish (in 2 days) but will keep an eye on it. I don't have anywhere to get beer yeast here (in Shetland) so will just hope for the best. I don't suppose any other yeast would work? I do have a wine yeast sachet for rhubarb wine I never got round to!

Surprised that if I bottled too early that they weren't gassy when I opened them? But I guess that may have been down to the temperature they've been at since bottling (10deg). Lots to learn!

 

[terrym]

If its a Wherry it's a well known fact (at least on this forum) that there is a good chance it will stick at about 1.020. This is because Muntons are miserly with the quantity of yeast they provide. I'll bet the other Muntons Woodfords kits are the same i.e they might stick. The usual advice to people is to chuck the kit yeast before you start and substitute with a 'proper' yeast. Wilkos Ale yeast is one of those.
As far as restarting others have said it, repitch with more yeast, place in a warmer spot. But as far as repitching, it might be best to rehydrate to wake up the yeast cells rather than sprinkling on dry.

 

[zippy40]

Thanks, I've put back in the fermenter (carefully) and back in the cupboard wrapped in blankets and heat tape so now sitting at 22deg. It seems to have come down to 1018ish (in 2 days) but will keep an eye on it. I don't have anywhere to get beer yeast here (in Shetland) so will just hope for the best. I don't suppose any other yeast would work? I do have a wine yeast sachet for rhubarb wine I never got round to!

Surprised that if I bottled too early that they weren't gassy when I opened them? But I guess that may have been down to the temperature they've been at since bottling (10deg). Lots to learn!

If the hydrometer iis going down then likely that the yeast has woken up. Keep it at an ideal temp and it will eventually ferment the rest out.

 

[morepunk]

I don't have anywhere to get beer yeast here (in Shetland) so will just hope for the best. I don't suppose any other yeast would work? I do have a wine yeast sachet for rhubarb wine I never got round to!

You can order beer yeast (and kits, equipment etc) online. I'm sure most of the main online brew shops should deliver to Shetland, or there's always Amazon for backup. I haven't tried using wine yeast in beer, but I'd imagine it wouldn't be as effective as beer yeast, or lead to as desirable an outcome. At 1.018, you're seeing progress, so I'd wait and see what happens from here before taking any further action.

Surprised that if I bottled too early that they weren't gassy when I opened them? But I guess that may have been down to the temperature they've been at since bottling (10deg). Lots to learn!

Absolutely right, the temperature is too low to ferment so you had no carbonation in the bottles.


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[Dutto]

......... I don't have anywhere to get beer yeast here (in Shetland) so will just hope for the best. I don't suppose any other yeast would work? ...........

..........

...... Lots to learn!

Yeast is yeast so give it something nice and sugary to eat and off it goes.

However, like people is people there are many different types and each is designed to do a specific job.

In extremis (i.e. in Saudi Arabia for instance) I have brewed beer with bread yeast and it has tasted fine; especially after six weeks with no alcohol. Also, my Grandma always brewed her Elderberry Wine with bread yeast and I can't remember any of that being thrown away either.

So, in Shetlands in winter with no access to a beer yeast I would use a dry bread yeast rather than see a beer brew go down the drain.

On the other hand, I recommend that you keep a stock of dried yeasts handy so that in future you have a genuine beer yeast to fall back on. (I live only half a mile from a Wilco shop and I still keep about half a dozen sachets of their Ale Yeast on hand in case I get a stuck brew.)

Lots to learn? You bet. I'm still learning after many years at the game! :thumb: :thumb: