First Brew

[mrtona]

Hi

I live in Canberra and the temp has been all over the place.
Today is currently 20C with a minimum of 8C last night, 2 days ago it was 36C with a minimum of 22C.
I started my first brew (lager) 2 weeks ago with the Morgan's kit I got I got for Christmas.
It was going well for 2 days sitting on 22C and bubbling away nicely.
Then we had an overnight low and in the morning the temp on the brew was 14C, and no bubbling.
It then, in the next couple of days got up to 28C.

I put the brew in an old esky to try and slow the temp fluctuations and the guy at the local supply shop suggested adding more yeast, which I did.
5 days later there has been no bubbling and the brew is still cloudy.
It is also reading high (105) on the hydrometer.

Is the brew a lost cause?

Any suggestions are more than welcome.

Thanks
Tony

 

[Blind Dog]

If it's reading 1.050 now, what was the original reading? Do you have a stick on thermometer on the fermenteor or just reporting Canberra temps? Also, I'm assuming you put the fermentor in an old esky rather than poured the partly fermented brew in there?

 

[mrtona]

Original reading was 162 which seemed high from what I've been reading.
It's a stick on thermometer on the side of the fermenter.
I put the fermenter into the esky (a fair question).

Thanks

 

[BrosysBrews]

It sounds like you might be reading the wrong scale on your hydrometer?

 

[Blind Dog]

It sounds like you might be reading the wrong scale on your hydrometer?

Agree - you might be reading the 'approximate sugar per litre' scale? Take a pic and post it

Mind you, It's still high even if you are. What yeast(s) did you use?

 

[mrtona]

There is only the one scale on the hydrometer.
I should have said 1062 at the beginning
Currently reading 1050.

I'll get a photo tomorrow of the hydrometer.

The yeast was included with the Morgan's Lager

Thanks for your help.

 

[BrosysBrews]

Ah that makes more sense! For that higher gravity kit yeast would be a huge under pitch that may of stalled when the temp dropped! Have you added more yeast? What temp now? What yeast did you add? Also what else did you put in at the start and what volume made to? Honestly the more details the better, the knowledge on this forum is awesome but you need clay to make bricks!

 

[Matplat]

Whatever happens, don't be put off if this beer doesn't taste perfect. You didn't learn to ride a bike the first time you got on one!

 

[mrtona]

Thanks for the advice.
I'll bin this brew and start again when the weather settles down.

 

[indica86]

WOAH there.
Details of what you put in before the statement of HUGE UNDERPITCH can be held as the truth.
Kit brews can often give abnormally high readings if not mixed very well. The first draw from the tap can include a large amount of undissolved sugars leading to the hig gravity reading.

Kit brews are often around the 1040 to 1045 range within which the yeast pitch would have been enough.

 

[Matplat]

Yeah for real, it's your first brew doesn't matter what happens, its gonna be fuckin awsome, cos you made it bro! Bottle that shit and get it in ya! I apologise for appearing as a complete bogan i may have drank more than 5 tallies