Kit Has Stopped Fermenting Early?

[neb]

Hi,

Hoping I can get some advice here, this is my second time homebrewing and I'm a bit worried that something has gone wrong with fermentation.

I'm brewing a Morgans Golden Saaz Pilsener kit, which I added additional hops to by boiling 20g of saaz hops in 1litre of water and then adding another 20g of hops to soak in the hot water. I then added the liquid into the fermenter by pouring it through a strainer.

I started fermentation on 13/02/2010 (7 days nows) at 23degrees celsius. Temp has remained unchanged during the 7 days. Start hydrometer reading was 1042. The airlock was bubbling nicely for the first few days, but then slowed down quite quickly and stopped 2-3 days ago.

The morgan's kit instructions says it should take 3-4 days to ferment and not to bottle until SG is below 1005.

I have taken a hydrometer reading each day for the last 3 days, and have gotten the same reading of 1018 each day.

So I'm not sure if I should give it more time? Or if the SG is higher from the additional hops added? Or if something has gone wrong and it hasn't fermented properly?

 

[Nevalicious]

Hi there. 1042 for a kit + extras is about right, should ferment out to approx 1010 though <_<

AFAIK hops do not add to higher OG readings. I wouldn't worry too much. Just give the fermenter a swirl to rouse the yeast (careful not to splash). I usually wait 2 weeks with most brews until I bottle, however I try to keep the temps down a little lower than 23 degrees. After about 7 days my ales are pretty much fermented out, just leave them a little longer (another week) to clear out.

The kit instructions are dubious in my opinion... Brew at 21 to 27 deg for 4-7 days, bottle and drink after two weeks??? No.... Brew at 18-20 deg if possible, leave for 2 weeks in primary, bottle and condition for ATLEAST a month... Then enjoy

I personally wouldn't bottle until its around the 1010 mark

2c only

 

[kelbygreen]

well from memory my first kit reached 1014 and the second reached 1016 but the second I think i bottled to early no bottle bombs but was over carbonated. I would rouse the yeast a little and give a few more days. I should also add my second brew took 3 days to ferment it was 3 days of 38-40 deg weather though and all I had was a wet towel man that beer was hard to drink haha the fermenter only peaked at about 32 though but way to hot none the less. I brew in a fridge now with temps set to 18.7deg lol I find thats the sweet spot for me to keep it between 19.5 and 18.5 deg

 

[neb]

Thanks for the advice, I gave the fermenter a stir last night and the airlock has been bubbling slowly about every half hour since then. So that seems like it might of worked. I'll leave it for a couple more days and take another hydrometer measurement then

 

[goomboogo]

Neb, other than the kit, what other (and quantity) fermentables did you use? Did you make it up to 23 litres?

 

[neb]

I added additional hops, but other than that it's just the kit and water, made up to 23 litres. There doesn't seem to be anything happening again now. I took another measurement today and got a reading of 1016

 

[Nevalicious]

Kit and water shouldn't make the OG hit the 1042 mark... I think what Goomboogo was asking, did you add the kit and dextrose (or brewing sugar or LDME) and the boil of hops???

1016 sounds like its continuing to ferment though, so like I said earlier, dont worry too much, it should be fine!!

BTW, did you use the supplied yeast??

 

[neb]

Ah sorry yes I used the kit and 1kg of dextrose, and the boil of the hops, and then filled it to the 23 litre mark with water. One thing I didn't mention is that when I first mixed it all together the temperature was around 30degrees. I left it for approximately 4-5 hours with icebricks surrounding the fermenter until it cooled down to 23 degrees, and then I added the yeast (yeast supplied with the morgans kit)

 

[kelbygreen]

yep you done it right you need to mix the fermentables in warm or hot water as they dissolve better then cool the wort to the temp you will ferment at and pitch. well pitching anywhere in the low 20's is fine even if your still cooling it well ideal is to pitch it at the same temp the yeast is at to not shock it but within 5 deg i dont see it doing any harm.