Is It Finished?

[glenos]

I have a Coopers Bav Lager down with 1kg of brew enhancer 1 and 0.5kg LDME plus about 50ml worth of chopped dried citrus peel, just to give it some zing. Made upto 21.5L

It has been down since 9/12 OG 1050 and fermenting at 18C consintently

My SG is now about 1016 and all bubbling has stopped, since yesterday.

1016 seems too high to me, what are your thoughts?

 

[Adamt]

Probably is a few points too high.

Perhaps raise the fermentation temperature to 22C, to help the yeast finish off the last of the food. As only a small amount of food is available left to convert, you don't need to worry about the taste effects of the higher fermentation temperature.

If nothing happens after a day at 22C, give the fermenter a gentle rousing by rolling it slowly on the bottom edge. Do this very gently and avoid any splashing (this will oxidise the beer and permanently damage it). By rousing you knock yeast back into suspension if it has settled at the bottom.

If after this, SG is still 1.016, chances are it will be fine!

 

[phonos]

As Adamt said, it is probably a couple of points too high, but not much more, considering the extra 0.5kg of malt and the lower volume. If you get the same hydrometer reading in a couple of days then then you will be fine.

 

[Paleman]

If you rack it, that will finish off any fermentation needed.

 

[pint of lager]

The airlock is a poor guide to the status of fermenetation.

Use your hydrometer, a stable reading over 3 days means it has finished. (Unless you have been suffering temperature fluctuations below 16, fed it with too much sugar or killed the yeast)

As long as your thermometer is accurate, 18 deg C is good.

As others have already said, raise the temperature a few degrees and a gentle rock/swirl. There is no risk of oxidisation at this stage as the headspace has been purged of oxygen (unless you have been removing the lid.)

 

[glenos]

Temp was taken using a thermocouple on a digital multimeter taped to the side of the barrel. So it is pretty accurate, within 1C

Talked to a guy at work, probably only a few points to go, so it might be OK, I will rise it up to 21C and see how it goes.