First Brew Bottled

[Sydneybrewer]

gday homebrewers,

i bottled my first homebrew today after getting a reading of 1020 for 3 days, and i just have a couple concerns,
1. is 1020 a normal reading? i did a coopers 2 can lager with half kilo dex. fermented for 8 days at around 18-20 degrees.
2. after i bottled there was a bit left, so as you do i poored myself a glass before i cleaned out the fermenter, and i really hope the end product is very different, it was very thick and a little sweet which makes me wonder if the fermentation stalled... and i just bottled 30 bottle bombs.

 

[Mcstretch]

Hi,

Did you happen to record your start gravity?

I'd say 1020 isn't an overally normal reading but then it depends on the amount of fermentables you put in to start with.

How much yeast did you put in as well?

did you do a yeast starter?

How well was the wort aerated?

cheers,

 

[wambesi]

Doing some quick calcs and assuming you had 23L in the fermenter I came up with an estimated OG of 1.058 and FG of 1.013, does the first sound right or did you have bigger/smaller brew?

Next time (if you didn't already) you could try to warm it up a little, maybe rouse the yeast with some gentle rocking or even rack it to try and get it started again - depends on what your comfortable with.

That aside it does sound a little high and you may have a stalled fermentation, however you may not have also. I have had some brews finish that high before.
What did you bottle in PET or glass?
If glass maybe put them in a plastic tub or something "just in case" if PET then you shouldn't have too much of a problem if they overcarb except when you open or drop them.

 

[Sydneybrewer]

i just used the coopers kit yeast and it took off like a house on fire 2 days of foam through the airlock and no i didnt take a start reading as i am a newb and didnt even realise i needed too until i read this site lol, i also stirred it twice once on day 2 which seemed to cause the foam through airlock for 2 days then again on day 6 after i took my first reading which didnt create foam at all.

 

[wambesi]

i just used the coopers kit yeast and it took off like a house on fire 2 days of foam through the airlock and no i didnt take a start reading as i am a newb and didnt even realise i needed too until i read this site lol, i also stirred it twice once on day 2 which seemed to cause the foam through airlock for 2 days then again on day 6 after i took my first reading which didnt create foam at all.

Put it down to experience see how it goes and move on with some more knowledge as well.
I wouldn't advise stirring it once fermentation has started, once you seal that lid you really should leave it until you are ready to rack/bottle or dry hop.
No need to stir the little yeasties will swim around and have a field day with the sugars therein.
When you open it up you lose the protective CO2 blanket on top and can possibly cause an infection if not careful.

It is good to take a reading just before you pitch the yeast, and then once fermentation has stopped (a week or two down the track) take a reading over a few days to make sure it remains the same and bottle.

All my brews stay in my fermenter for at least 3-4 weeks sometimes longer, once fermentation has completed I then chill it down to about 2deg for a week or so (depending on how lazy I am could be longer) for it to clear more then I keg or bottle.