Alcohol not showing up on alcometer but beer tastes alcoholey.

[Rfox]

Hi Guys,
So this is my first brew ever. Voss kveik yeast.
Sposed to be a fast brew. Mind you, I dont have temp control. it just sits in the garage in the pressure fermenter. South QLD weather.
The yeast was pumping for 2 days. Then it settled.
I was under the assumption alcohol creation would be complete after the yeast stops eating.

Anyway, its been 5 days since the yeast stopped eating. I sampled the beer today. It tastes flavorful and pretty good for my first shot. It tastes alcoholey. but the beer is mostly flat now so its hard to tell.

I put a sample in the tube thing and put the alcohol meter in. Ive attached a photo, the meter floats well below the 0 mark, its not stuck to the side, thats just where it sits.

I thought I would be able to see around 6% as the recipe suggests a finished product of 6% alcohol.

I must be doing something wrong.

Thanks in avdance for your advice

 

[golfandbrew]

You need a hydrometer. Alcometer is for distilling.

 

[Hangover68]

You need a hydrometer. Alcometer is for distilling.

looks like a hyrdrometer to me.

 

[Rfox]

You need a hydrometer. Alcometer is for distilling.

Ive got one of those, it floats at the 20 mark just below the 1,000
If that makes sense. What does that mean?

 

[Rfox]

 

[shmick]

Hydrometer before and after fermenting.
Easy to use. Let it de-gas if pressure fermenting and adjust for temperature.

 

[Rfox]

Hydrometer before and after fermenting.
Easy to use. Let it de-gas if pressure fermenting and adjust for temperature.

Thanks for video

 

[Rfox]

Couldnt watch video well, in a loud area.
So I didnt take a reading before fermentation. Does that mean this method wont work Because I dont have the prefermentation reading?

 

[shmick]

Without a pre-ferment reading you'd have to guess based on ingredients.
Don't sweat it. Voss is pretty reliable (if not a bit tangy).
If it's been steady for several days, just keg/bottle it and see how it turns out.
That's the most important 'reading'.

 

[golfandbrew]

If you were expecting a 6% beer the 1.018ish reading seems a bit high. Only used Kveik once and it finished closer to 1.010 if I remember correctly.

Best to take a couple readings over the next few days to see if it's still fermenting or not.

Also, have a browse through the forum and have a read of threads for beginners. Gain a good understanding of the process and equipment before your next batch.

Also, watch more Northern Brewer videos they are a good resource, but in an environment where you can listen and learn.

If you don't give the hobby the attention it deserves you will have more stuff ups and likely not enjoy it.

 

[jeroen79]

If it is at 1018 now, i would just let it sit in the basement for like 3 more weeks and the bottle it!, more measuring only gives more chance of infection.

 

[golfandbrew]

Sanitization is a necessary for good brewing and so is measuring your gravities. Neither should be sacrificed for the other. Let the beer tell you when it's done. Don't set arbitrary timelines to tell the beer when it is done.

Also taking gravity samples with a pressure fermenter is easy. Get quickie tap from Keg King or put a picnic tap on a small piece of tubing and a disconnect. Just make sure you clear the line of older wort before you take your next sample.

 

[Ditchnbeer]

smick is right. kveik without temp control will be a beast and smash it out fast. If no activity or change in reading for a few days its done. package it

 

[Rfox]

thank, also, lets say I dont have any kegs available for 2-3 weeks. is it fine just to leave it in the pressure fermenter in the garage? what will happen?

 

[Ditchnbeer]

its fine. it will sit there and maybe carb up if pressure is applied. for next time, once the beer is done (remains stable gravity for a few days and no activity) package it, to get it off the yeast. was this fermented under pressure?

 

[Naboo]

Couldnt watch video well, in a loud area.
So I didnt take a reading before fermentation. Does that mean this method wont work Because I dont have the prefermentation reading?

What was the recipe you made? We can help you figure out the starting gravity if you let us know the ingredients.

Did you de-gas the sample? I'd imagine it would be done after 5 days if it kept warm enough.

How much pressure do you have it under?