I think I may have done something daft?

[TL4244]

Hi,

I am still only on my first attempt at brewing a kit (technically my second as well), having go a kit Muntons Premium Larger, I duly followed the instructions and all was fine for a few days. Someone I know kindly donated a couple of 12l FVs they had spare and I had a second kit (also Muntons Premium Larger).

I decided to leave well alone and just let the first kit finish fermenting, and then I changed my mind! I decided to syphon out the part fermented kit into the 2 smaller containers and then set off the second kit in the 25l FV. Having read a bit on the forum (and clearly having no idea what I was doing) it seemed that moving to a second FV part way through fermenting could be a good thing anyway as you can get rid of all the dead yeast at the bottom of the FV (In truth it was just impatience as opposed to thinking it would actually improve things).

It has had next to no fermentation (going by the airlock) and a gravity reading staying at around 1015 for a few days. The part fermented kit is still a little dark in color but very clear, there are a few bubble floating to the top, but nothing much. A few searches seemed to indicate that all of the Muntons yeasts sink to the bottom rather than float on top.

Would I be correct in my suspicion that I have discarded all of the active yeast which is why nothing is now happening and what should I do?

Any advice gratefully received.

 

[GerritT]

I should not have done that, but it might work anyway :) You just racked early. You KNOW by now that you don't check fermentation by bubbles, but by measuring density?
Anyhow, it wouldn't hurt to drop half a sachet of s05 (or another apropriate) yeast into the partly fermented wort and get it running again.
How big are the batches now?
(one of these days my autocorrection will get me a ban here)

 

[terrym]

You probably have a stuck fermentation if the SG hasn't moved from 1.015.
Read this for more
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/...s-for-dealing-with-stuck-fermentations.74910/

 

[TL4244]

Thanks for the advice, the total batch size is now probably around 20l given the losses to take SG readings etc.

I will try adding some more yeast and see if anything happens, failing that I will try bottling and see how it comes out

 

[homebrewdev]

Hey, what's the update? Did it work?

Cheers

 

[TL4244]

It is bubbling away again, so hopefully it will finish fermenting. As suggested I added some more yeast, I am away next week so Wilkos was the only local source, I red-hydrated it, started it on some sugar and yeast nutrients for a couple of hours and then added it to the part fermented mix and it seems to be working.

Thanks for the advice, it will now get a week untouched and hopefully after this will be ready for bottling.