High hydrometer reading

[slats69]

I've just used a white labs liquid for the first time , followed the procedure as close as possible and kept the temperature on what I thought was 18 deg(I have a feeling my thermometer might be playing up). It's quite possible it was a few deg lower. I've been told by my local brew shop to ferment my brews for 2 weeks to which since then all of my beers have turned out quite good. But when I took the hydrometer reading after 2 weeks it was 1042. Is this because the temperature was too low? If so is there any way to rectify it it? The brew did have a nice flavour & arroma to it so it would be a shame to throw it out.

 

[Pickaxe]

**** that's high. What was your original gravity? Something's wrong. How does it smell and look? Sounds like the yeast didn't get going. Did you make a starter? Did you get a krausen?

pickaxe

 

[slats69]

It was the same. No starter , was told told to get the yeast out of the fridge a few hrs prior to batching , shake , add to the brew & stir in well. It does taste good & has the banana arroma like the brew shop said .

 

[slats69]

What is a krausen?

 

[JDW81]

Depends how low the temperature actually was. Most ale yeast will still tick away at 15 degrees, albeit slowly.

What size batch did you brew, and did you pitch 1 vial? Also, do you know much about the condition of the yeast, namely, when it was packaged, as this can affect the yeast's vitality.

What is a krausen?

The foamy stuff on top of a beer as it ferments.

 

[Parks]

I haven't used the vials for a while but they were really really slow if not using a starter.

 

[slats69]

There is a definite scum around the top of the brew & it did sweat up but the air trap never bubbled. I brewed 21 ltrs & the bloke @ the shop said to get it out of the fridge a few hrs prior to use , give it a good shake & stir in well @ 22 deg(mine was around 26 deg). As I said earlier , it had a good arroma to it & tasted fine. I'm thinking that it
might have been it too cold

 

[slats69]

Oh & I used 1 vile