Fermentation Stalled Or Finished ?

[rob2009]

First Time poster here,

I have a Coopers Draught Kit (with Morgan's Ale Yeast, Coopers Brew Enhancer 1) that has been in the fermenter for 13 days. OG was 1038 and the SG is and has been 1018 for a week. The temp was around 20 for the first week but has since wavered between 16 and 18. I would like to bottle tomorrow but I'm concerned that I could be making bottle bombs. The beer smells good, no action through airlock, no froth on the surface and I checked the hydrometer against tap water and it was okay. Should i bottle now or go and get a heat pad/belt, raise the temp to 20+ and see if the SG drops over a few days?

Thanks

Rob

 

[JaffaMan]

If you've had a reading of 1.018 for a week it should be okay to be bottled, maybe shake the fermenter slightly and wait a day, see if gravity reading changes.

 

[flattop]

Gyrate a little (the fermenter not you) and consider raising the temp a couple of degrees, wouldn't go to 21* though. If you are not heating i assume the temp is dropping overnight.
If that doesn't work then bottle....

 

[Scruffy]

You've made beer!

Watch and take care of the bottles, taste the odd one a week or so in, the week aft... oh you've finished them... ahh...

 

[The Big Burper]

Rob,



1018 sounds a tad high, considering the fermentables you mention.

I would definately raise the temp to at least 22 and give it a few more

days, and certainly rouse the yeast.

This should finish at around 1010 to 1012. I would not bottle it yet.
Another week won't hurt.



BB

 

[buttersd70]

1018 sounds a tad high, considering the fermentables you mention.

I would definately raise the temp to at least 22 and give it a few more

days, and certainly rouse the yeast.

This should finish at around 1010 to 1012. I would not bottle it yet.
Another week won't hurt.

I tend to agree....way back when, when I was doing similar brews, BE1 + coopers draught to 23L would give consistant 1012 FG. Regular as clockwork....the only difference here is the yeast; but I wouldn't think the attenuation of the Morgans would be that different to the coopers. Not 6 points worth, anyway.

So, fwiw, follow burpers advice...or go one step extra, and rack the beer to another vessel before raising the temp. That will do 2 things; rouse the yeast, and knock some of the co2 out of solution (which inhibits the yeast).

 

[manticle]

Agreed with big burper. If you had a lot of unfermentable sugar or were making a big beer 1018 would be fine but I'm inclined to think it should be between 1008 and 1012.

One thing you can do is prime two bottles, fill them and cap them, wrap them tightly in glad wrap and pop them in a plastic bag. Keep them somewhere not too cold where mess is not a massive problem. If in one or two weeks they have not exploded and are not massively overgassed the beer is finished at 1018.

However you probably don't want to wait that long which is understandable. If you're not ready to do that at least try waiting another 2 or 3 days with the beer at slightly higher temp (after gentle swirl as suggested). If the points drop, even slightly, then let it finish fermenting.

 

[loikar]

No way it's ready
Your yeast has probably gone to sleep.

As mentioned above.

Swirl the brew a little without splashing
Rack it to another fermenter if you have one, if not, skip this step.
Slowly bring the temp up to 20

Your brew should be getting down to 1010 - 1012

If it were mine, and after all that it still didn't drop, I would probably pitch some more yeast.
If after that, it still didn't move, then I would probably bottle.

my 2c

BF

 

[rob2009]

Quick follow up to my original post. I raised the temperature on Sunday to 20-21 and gave the mix a gentle swirl and tested the SG daily. After 4 days at this temperature there was no change in SG. I decided against pitching another yeast (possibly a bit of impatience after 17 days), so i bottled it this afternoon in some new PET's i got as a precaution.

Another beer is in the fermenter now so if that last brew doesnt perform i'll just put it down to experience and be happy that i've now got the temperature control sorted out.

Thanks to everyone for your assistance!

Rob