Asahi Stopped Fermenting ?

[TTXPC]

Hi guys
A newbie here, well I've done maybe 1/2 a dozen kit brews in the past but that was nearly 10 years and many bottleshop beers later...
I recently got myself a new coopers kit and a brewcraft asahi kit which I have in the fermenter at the moment. SG at the start was around 1050, but I think it was more syrupy as I mixed in the fermenter and what has got into the tap obviously hadnt mixed in with the rest, anywho now after a week and a half or so of approx 20deg fermenting, it appears to have stopped with a substantil looking yeast cake on the bottom, a nice tasting and carbonated brew (from the test tube) which has stopped around 1020.
the crux of the matter, should I bottle or wait it out another week of so
Thanks
Tim

 

[manticle]

I'd wait. Give the fermenter a swirl. What FG would you expect from the ingredients?

 

[TTXPC]

I'd wait. Give the fermenter a swirl. What FG would you expect from the ingredients?

Thats the problem, I'm not really sure where it should end up at, in the past I had a tendency to bottle a little too soon and get gassy bottles...

I will give a stir and see what happens by the weekend

Thanks
Tim

 

[superdave]

I've done up one of these kits previously. I'll check my notes when I get home, but from me memory my OG was high also.

 

[TTXPC]

I've done up one of these kits previously. I'll check my notes when I get home, but from me memory my OG was high also.

Much obliged
Thanks
Tim

 

[superdave]

My first attempt was;
OG 1.063
FG 1.009

And second attempt was;
OG 1.045
FG 1.006

All readings are temperature corrected, but done off of the sticker on the fermenter; so might explain why the OG was so different. I now use a infra-red temp gun on the actual sample so I can apply the correction to what's being tested.

 

[TTXPC]

My first attempt was;
OG 1.063
FG 1.009

And second attempt was;
OG 1.045
FG 1.006

All readings are temperature corrected, but done off of the sticker on the fermenter; so might explain why the OG was so different. I now use a infra-red temp gun on the actual sample so I can apply the correction to what's being tested.

Thanks for the info, well I did antother SG reading last night, and as it's been fairly warm here the last couple days the fermenter got up to 24-25 deg even with a wet towel on it and it appears to have woken up and got going again as it was 1012, I think I'll wait the sunday to bottle it

Thanks
Tim

 

[RdeVjun]

Tim, I wouldn't be picking a particular day to bottle that batch, rather just keep measuring a sample with the hydrometer every few days. Specific gravity stability is what you're wanting- three consecutive measurements with the same low result and you're right to bottle, so long as it hasn't got a stuck ferment and a higher than expected SG. I don't think yours is stuck although it is slightly higher than others' so just keep an eye on it, perhaps it will get lower.

Bottle beer before fermentation is complete and you'll quite likely end up with a heap of bottle bombs- by the sounds of it, you're probably just lucky you haven't had any before now. There's no need to rush though, I've found that just leaving it in the fermenter is time well spent and almost as good as conditioning in the bottle, which you'll have to wait for anyway. But if you're itching to use the fermenter again, then just go get another fermenter! The big green shed has 25 L water drums with a red lid, they make an excellent fermenter for just 16 clams.

In most circumstances, keeping the temperature lower (17-20C) and perhaps more importantly stable are the keys to pleasing kit beers. :icon_cheers:

 

[TTXPC]

Tim, I wouldn't be picking a particular day to bottle that batch, rather just keep measuring a sample with the hydrometer every few days. Specific gravity stability is what you're wanting- three consecutive measurements with the same low result and you're right to bottle, so long as it hasn't got a stuck ferment and a higher than expected SG. I don't think yours is stuck although it is slightly higher than others' so just keep an eye on it, perhaps it will get lower.

Bottle beer before fermentation is complete and you'll quite likely end up with a heap of bottle bombs- by the sounds of it, you're probably just lucky you haven't had any before now. There's no need to rush though, I've found that just leaving it in the fermenter is time well spent and almost as good as conditioning in the bottle, which you'll have to wait for anyway. But if you're itching to use the fermenter again, then just go get another fermenter! The big green shed has 25 L water drums with a red lid, they make an excellent fermenter for just 16 clams.

In most circumstances, keeping the temperature lower (17-20C) and perhaps more importantly stable are the keys to pleasing kit beers. :icon_cheers:

Thanks
I think it will be fermented out in the next day or two and then by Sunday it may have cleared a little, if not it will have to wait until the following weekend to bottle.
I am a little anxious as I want to do another brew straight away
Waiting for the brews to come good will take a few weeks I know, so another slab or 2 from the bottl'o will have to do, Currently I am finding the James Squire Sundown lagers to be quite tasty
Off to the homebrew shop on saturday to have a look around, want/need something much better to clean bottles than a dodgy hopelessly soft bristled bottle brush and patience (not so bad if having a beer at the same time though)
Thanks
Tim

 

[seemax]

Patience does pay off... and once you have a decent stock pile you wont be in such a rush.

I leave my ales for 2 weeks on primary.

As for bottles, if you rinse them straight after use with hot water and drip dry you can just use a quick hit of no-rinse (idophor or starsan). No brush needed.

 

[TTXPC]

Patience does pay off... and once you have a decent stock pile you wont be in such a rush.

I leave my ales for 2 weeks on primary.

As for bottles, if you rinse them straight after use with hot water and drip dry you can just use a quick hit of no-rinse (idophor or starsan). No brush needed.

I agree clean straight after use works the best, but for some reason after consuming a few bottles it doesnt seem as important to clean them then , the next day cleaning bottles is in the too hard basket, so they get left for a few days....

 

[TTXPC]

FYI she stopped at 1010, left for a couple more days then bottled, quick clean of the fermenter and a coopers lager kit with some bre enhancer for no2
Cheers
Tim