Is It Ready?

[kario]

Fellow brewers,

I have a batch of Tooheys Dry Lager kit that has been going for 10 days. Kit can says fermentation should be finished in 4-7 days.
Mixed with 1kg of Tooheys liquid brewing sugar (recommended) to 23L.
Has been at a steady 20degC the whole time.
It is still bubling ve-e-e-ry slowly through the air lock.
OG - 1034 (If I read it right)
Current SG - 1012 (has not changed in last 4 days, inc a couple of swirls of the fermenter)
When I take a sample to measure, there is a fair bit of carbonation bubbles throughout the test tube and all around the hydrometer, the more I shake them off, the more form. Is this right? Is it a sign that it is still fermenting away and too early to bottle? Is there supposed to be little/no bubble activity in my test tube when I take a sample?

With my current SG readings, ABV will be around 3% (???)

Advice appreciated.

 

[Mr Flibbles]

Ignore the airlock. You don't need one. The beer is done once SG is the same over 2 days. The abv is low because you didn't put many fermentables in and put in a lot of water. GIve it 4 days more, then it will be ready to bottle. At this stage, the yeast will be cleaning up after itself.

 

[kario]

Ignore the airlock. You don't need one. The beer is done once SG is the same over 2 days. The abv is low because you didn't put many fermentables in and put in a lot of water. GIve it 4 days more, then it will be ready to bottle. At this stage, the yeast will be cleaning up after itself.

Thanks, makes perect sense.....what about the ongoing high level (seemingly) of carbonation though? That's what's been throwing me off...I have been taking it to mean there is still fermentation going on.

 

[kelbygreen]

you should be right to bottle if you got the same reading over 4 days. The OG may of been off if you didnt mix it in very well. As said to get a stronger beer mix more fermentables with it, 70% LDME and 30% dex works well. I never really liked the mixed packets as they all contain stuff I didnt want to use so I found it better to mix my own. If you dont want to put more fermentables in then you can drop the volume to say 20lts will do the same as adding more sugar in.

carbonation in the test tube is normal just spin the hydrometer and push it down a little and the bubbles should come off it but you need to read it quick before they all stick back onto it and make it rise a bit.

 

[kario]

you should be right to bottle if you got the same reading over 4 days. The OG may of been off if you didnt mix it in very well. As said to get a stronger beer mix more fermentables with it, 70% LDME and 30% dex works well. I never really liked the mixed packets as they all contain stuff I didnt want to use so I found it better to mix my own. If you dont want to put more fermentables in then you can drop the volume to say 20lts will do the same as adding more sugar in.

carbonation in the test tube is normal just spin the hydrometer and push it down a little and the bubbles should come off it but you need to read it quick before they all stick back onto it and make it rise a bit.

Thanks Kelbygreen, the penny's dropped....it's all "coming with experience" for me...being my second brew, I expect that when I follow the recipe on the kit, that I would make a regular alcohol beer....seems the Tooheys kits may need more than just their suggested one Kg of "Tooheys Liquid Brewing Sugar".

:blink:

Thanks to all for their infalible input and support to the cause! This Forum ROCKS!

 

[pcmfisher]

Does Tooheys dry lager kit have the dry enzyme in it?

If it does, I would be expecting the fg to be quite a bit lower, like maybe 1.004.

Don't bottle too early.

 

[kario]

Thanks for the input guys.... so, moving on......what about my Ginger Beer?......

Coopers Kit with 1kg raw sugar (as per kit instructions)
13 days in the fermenter @ 22degC
SG constant over the last two days 1010

My concern is over the muck still floating on the top....I'm used to seeing the beers, all clear by this time.

Smells and tastes fine....

 

[kario]

bump....after opinions

 

[BrissieBrewer25]

bump....after opinions

For what it is worth, my Ginger Beer also has a frothy head on it after 8 days @ 26degC but mine looks like a beer foam, whereas your looks like a meringue! As long as it smells okay, it should be fine, otherwise I would be worrying about an infection.

What was your OG for your GB ?
I started at 1024 and now at about 1000 and I am going to bottle this afternoon.
I bottled (successfully) a lager and a blonde at 1010 but they did start at 1045+

I am no expert, just on brew #6 now, but since you are looking for opinions, I guess one is better than none

Cheers, and good luck !

 

[J Grimmer]

FWIW, the few Ginger beers i have done they have all been different, one the yeast did not take off and did not start fernenting until 3-4 days into it and 4 sachets of yeast, others have had krausen like you would not believe and others have had vertually none. the only common point is they all got down to 1.004-1.006 before they were bottled. if it smells and tastes ok you will more than likely be fine.

 

[kario]

Yeah, thanks guys....it did start out at 1040.
I bottled it last night at 1010.
It smelt and tasted fine (just a little too sweet for my liking...assume it's lactose contained in the Coopers kit to keep it sweet).
That goop on the top had a very interesting consistency.....mossy & rubbery...needed to break it up by hand to get it to go down the sink...the vege sprayer onto it directly wouldn't break it up.

:blink:

 

[kario]

What was your OG for your GB ?

Cheers, and good luck !

I have stuffed the OG reading on my first few batches. I only just realised that, with the sediment reducer installed, some of your KIT Goo sits in there in the initial stages of mixing and doesn't seem to get mixed in too well due to the nature of the sediment reducer. SOOO, the first squirt out of the tap is concentrated!!!!
Yes, sounds very basic in hindsight, but I was getting OG readings of 1050 to 1070, which I didn't give a second thought to.....until I put the readings into a calculator......and tasted my beer which calculated out to 7%+ but tasted more like 3-4%

We brew and learn!

 

[J Grimmer]

just keep an eye on it the last thing you want are ticking time bombs.

 

[kario]

Thanks for the input guys.... so, moving on......what about my Ginger Beer?......

Coopers Kit with 1kg raw sugar (as per kit instructions)
13 days in the fermenter @ 22degC
SG constant over the last two days 1010

My concern is over the muck still floating on the top....I'm used to seeing the beers, all clear by this time.

Smells and tastes fine....

I bottled this by bulk prime on the 27th Dec 2011.
Today, almost 3 weeks later, cracked a bottle, and tasted it...disappointingly, VERY little carbonation and VERY sweet.....almost like ginger flavoured cordial ('somewhat' alcoholic).
Temp was a constant 22-23degC....Did my yeast die off or something?