St Peter's Cream Stout

[jayk34]

Only my 7th kit brew but definitely takes the new record. Started it on Thursday at 4pm with a SG of 1.046 and hit 1.010 about an hour ago and think it has a bit to go yet !!! Has to be the fastest ferment yet.

My previous kit was also a St Peter's (honey Porter) but was the total opposite and took nearly 4 weeks to ferment.

 

[MrRook]

I've had similar fast finishes on below 1.050 batches.

 

[obscure]

Primary fermentation I find can be incredibly fast, I bought a Tilt a while back and it surprised me how often batches of beer would ferment out in two to three days, especially lower gravity English ales. The four weeks for the St Peter’s Homey Porter I would say is the exception rather than the Cream Stout.

I would still personally suggest leaving it a little longer to a) check the gravity doesn't fall a couple more points, and b) to give the beer some time to clear.

 

[jayk34]

Primary fermentation I find can be incredibly fast, I bought a Tilt a while back and it surprised me how often batches of beer would ferment out in two to three days, especially lower gravity English ales. The four weeks for the St Peter’s Homey Porter I would say is the exception rather than the Cream Stout.

I would still personally suggest leaving it a little longer to a) check the gravity doesn't fall a couple more points, and b) to give the beer some time to clear.

Yes will leave it for a while once it has settled down a bit. It's still bubbling away and currently hit 1.007.

 

[jayk34]

The fermentation had now reached 1.003 this morning and I'm wondering if it is some sort of infection causing the low gravity. The instructions on the kit state it's finished when it reaches a gravity of 1.014 !

Is there anyway to determine if it's infected in the fv ?

 

[moto748]

Is there anyway to determine if it's infected in the fv ?

Try tasting it?

 

[jayk34]

Try tasting it?

I haven't opened the lid yet, so unable to taste. Ithink I might leave it until the bubble activity has stopped before opening the lid. It's still pretty active with bubbles every 20-30 seconds and has hit 1.002 according to the ispindle.

From reading a few posts on the forums it sounds like it's an infection making it go that low. Another possibility is a dodgy reading from the ispindle even though it has been bang on for every brew since it was calibrated. Hope it's the latter when I come to crack open the lid.

The only other variable this time from previous times is that this was first time using star San and may not have sanitised correctly and introduced an infection. I did dilute to the lower of the recommended dilution instructions.

 

[obscure]

One possibility is that the spindle has got some crud on it which is affecting the reading, you may want to try a manual reading.

 

[jayk34]

One possibility is that the spindle has got some crud on it which is affecting the reading, you may want to try a manual reading.

Yes entirely possible and hoping that is the case. Will leave it until I think it's done before taking a manual reading.

 

[harrisbrew]

I've just finished one and it started off like a rocket then sat around 1012 for around two weeks but was still bubbling away. As the hydrometer readings were stable and I had a free barrel, it's now been barrelled for a about 3 weeks. It's a nice brew, I know it'll get better the longer it's left but I'm having issues staying away from it!

 

[Bernie]

I've just finished one and it started off like a rocket then sat around 1012 for around two weeks but was still bubbling away. As the hydrometer readings were stable and I had a free barrel, it's now been barrelled for a about 3 weeks. It's a nice brew, I know it'll get better the longer it's left but I'm having issues staying away from it!

Very similar experience with a St Peters Cream Stout I'm fermenting now. It kept on bubbling even when the temperature had dropped down to 15 °C.
I seem to get a more vigorous ferment with all my stout kits.