Fermentation Time - Help!

[JohnH]

I had a crack at kit home brewing for a few years about 10-15 yrs ago and have just gotten back into it;
This time round I've been using the safale 11.5 gm yeasts instead of those that come with the cans.
I put a brew down last Tues- 24/11 - and now, 8 days later it's still bubbling along; i don't think I've had one go for more than 5 days before.
Should I be worried??????????????

The brew contains a can and about 1.3kg of convertible powders plus some corn syrup & hops and is about 20 litres.
I expected it to be finished days ago, especially as it started bubbling almost immediately.......................

any comments?

 

[Flash_DG]

have you taken any hydrometer readings yet?

 

[Supra-Jim]

The hydrometer is your friend. Bubbles are not. Trust the hydrometer and do not trust bubbles!!!!

IF you have one, take a reading and see if the brew is finished (FG= 1014 or less depending on recipe), if you don't have one, go out a get one.

Cheers SJ

edit: i type too slow!

 

[Flash_DG]

edit: i type too slow!

You just got more to say is all

can't spell

 

[brenjak]

jug,

Is the fermenter in a fridge or at whatever the room temp is?
That aside, Flash DG and Supra jim gave the best advice. Get a hydrometer and take readings. When doing kits i stopped taking the readings as i always racked to a secondary for at least two weeks. Really should have taken the readings anyway for reference and ABV.

 

[happy benno]

I had a crack at kit home brewing for a few years about 10-15 yrs ago and have just gotten back into it;
This time round I've been using the safale 11.5 gm yeasts instead of those that come with the cans.
I put a brew down last Tues- 24/11 - and now, 8 days later it's still bubbling along; i don't think I've had one go for more than 5 days before.
Should I be worried??????????????

The brew contains a can and about 1.3kg of convertible powders plus some corn syrup & hops and is about 20 litres.
I expected it to be finished days ago, especially as it started bubbling almost immediately.......................

any comments?

Don't worry about it taking to 8 days, mine ferments at about 20 deg for 8 to 10 days and i do hydro reading on the 8th and then on the 10th day and readings should be the same (e.g 1010) which is my routine and works fine for me, so follow the advice of the other guys and get a hydrometer it will tell you when your brew is ready.

 

[JohnH]

The hydrometer is your friend. Bubbles are not. Trust the hydrometer and do not trust bubbles!!!!

IF you have one, take a reading and see if the brew is finished (FG= 1014 or less depending on recipe), if you don't have one, go out a get one.

Cheers SJ

edit: i type too slow!

thanks- yeah, I have a hydrometer- but assumed because still bubbling out airlock is still fermenting??
i did reading this arvo and is at 1020; I'm expecting it won't get down to 1014 because there 300g corn syrup in it .........and another 1.3 kg of dextrose & malt powder;
spose I'll just take another reading tomorrow and see what says;
mind you, the firkin hydrometer is very approximate peice of equipment- brew i bottled last week went UP by 2-4 overnight, if hycrometer is accurate......................

 

[JohnH]

jug,

Is the fermenter in a fridge or at whatever the room temp is?
That aside, Flash DG and Supra jim gave the best advice. Get a hydrometer and take readings. When doing kits i stopped taking the readings as i always racked to a secondary for at least two weeks. Really should have taken the readings anyway for reference and ABV.

thanks; it's room temp- or 'shed' temp- which in melbounre this time of years can vary greatly..............but not in the last several days; brew temp has been around low 20s- high teens
most of that time; i'l see what hydrometer reads tomorrow;
i only asked the question because previous 3 brews I've done with the 11.5 gm yeast and similar ingredients didn't go anywhere near this long.........at this rate I'll be bottling it on day 12!

cheers

 

[bullfrog]

Jug,

Day 12 isn't bad at all, I'd even call that too short. I've taken to not even starting my hydro tests until day 14. I leave it in primary for so long mainly for clarity of my brew, but don't be worried about leaving your brew in primary for a number of weeks. It will keep well, uninfected, for quite a time, due to the CO2 layer that forms on top during fermentation.

Of course, if you don't care about clarity and just want to drink your brew ASAP, then bottle as soon as you hit a stable SG over 3 consecutive readings.

What kit are you using, btw?