First brew Bootmaker

[HitmanAU]

Increase of yeast won't change the likelihood of bottle bombs. If you do add extra yeast just open the lid and throw it in there, no need to stir it or anything. Use all of it. However, it may be better to let it go for a bit first and see if it ferments out properly. If it stalls you can throw more yeast at it if needed, but if it doesn't then you can save that yeast for another brew. B)

How would I know if it ferments out properly? Should the foam on the top be thick? Or does it not really matter.
The guy at Coopers seems to thinking could be okay even though the yeast is lazy.

He said smell and taste it before bottling, if either is bad then toss it but if not then bottle it up.

 

[sp0rk]

Via reading your gravity
A good practice is to leave it to it's own devices for 2 weeks, then check your gravity over 3 consecutive days
If it is sitting at the same gravity over those 3 days (most ales will usually sit in the range of 1.013-1.009) it should be good to bottle
Also just relax and let it run it's course, if it's a dud batch bottle her up anyway and see if the bugs that (possibly) got in make a decent sour beer

 

[HitmanAU]

So the care package Coopers sent me arrived today.
It has a new Bootmakers can in it, 2 boxes of dry pale malt extract, 4 sachets of Brewers yeast and a pack of carb drops!
I was not expecting all of that! Was just thinking he sent me the yeast. Totally stoked.
At least if this first brew goes balls up I have a replacement.

I'm thinking I won't add the extra yeast. Thoughts?

 

[HitmanAU]

Bottling day is Sunday
I took a FG tonight and it's at 1018
Smells like beer, tastes like beer.
It's dropped to 16-18 fermenter temp last 2 days so should I bring it inside? Shouldn't the FG be lower than that?
I'll make sure it's stable the next 24 hours.

 

[HitmanAU]

Any advice? I didn't think I should be bottling higher that 1015

 

[TOF]

Hitman, Do not bottle yet as it hasn't finished fermenting, get the temperature of your FV up to 20 degrees and your final gravity should finish around 1.010 to 1.012.
Gravity is the best guide to when you bottle not what day of the week that you can fit it in. See if you can find "Siborg", he lives at Doreen and a talk to him will help you sort out when to bottle, Cheers, Ken.

 

[HitmanAU]

Okay, I've bought it inside from the fridge I think it's maybe stalled, sitting at about 16 degrees. I gave it a small swirl as well. I was just planning to bottle tomorrow as its been fermenting for 2 weeks. Not fussed when I do it as have all next week off work.

FV now in the laundry to heat up, it's a rather nice 22 in my house so should be good.

 

[HitmanAU]

Warming it up slowly. This should help it from getting cold overnight

Yes the fermenter is in there.

 

[TOF]

Great Hitman AU, now open the insulation during the warm periods in that room and close it during the night, don't be afraid to give it a good stir to equalize the temperature through out the whole FV. I have a heat pad inside my fermenting fridge and a fan to circulate the air plus a thermocouple in a well in the FV ,which gives very stable temperature control plus you can raise and lower the temp. to suit conditions as they change, low temp puts yeast to sleep so a stir as it warms up will help, keep on reading and all the answers are here just ask, Cheers, Ken.

 

[HitmanAU]

Nice!!! Well. At 18 already, I managed to convince the wife that it needed to sit in the hallway so it's not going to get as cold overnight now. I block one side just to keep the daylight out of it.

By stir you mean just swish it around with FV still closed yeah? There's no longer any foam on top.

Also I did another hydro test today, it's down to 1016 so getting there. It tastes fine too, not sour or anything.

 

[Grott]

IMO I wouldn't be stirring or swirling anything. Sometimes you just have to let things do their own thing and be patient. 16 18 20 degrees your not going to have any real trouble - sit back and relax.
Cheers

 

[TOF]

As above, the beasts are awake and starting to clean up the remaining sugars, give it a week and take a gravity, if it is down to final reading put it back into the fridge and start lowering the temp. This will allow it to drop clear, you are back in charge, Cheers, Ken.

 

[HitmanAU]

So what final reading should I be at? 1010 or 1012?

 

[Grott]

I would say that if it sat on 1012 for a couple of readings (day apart) you would be good to bottle.

 

[HitmanAU]

Thanks grott

 

[HitmanAU]

Tested just now and I'm at 1014 so it is dropping.
Still smells and tastes good.
Also it's cleared up a heap.

 

[HitmanAU]

Still at 1014. Does this mean she's good to go now?

 

[peekaboo_jones]

Should be very close. With your hydrometer sample, push it to the bottom and mix up the sample wort then see it balance out again, sometimes this helps get a better reading.
Are you bottling into plastic or glass?

 

[HitmanAU]

Yeah I did that and also let it sit for 10 minutes and knocked all bubbles off.
I'm bottling into glass crown seals

 

[HitmanAU]

I'll check again this arvo and if it's all the same I might clean and sanitise the bottles