My Brew Has Done Nothing

[mark.farrell1]

Hi all

I put down a brew last week and it has done nothing at all it is not bubbling away like it should be. and yes i double checked and i did put the yeast in.

Help me

Cheers

 

[Gavo]

Have you checked the SG? and what was the OG?

Gavo.

 

[mark.farrell1]

Have you checked the SG? and what was the OG?

Gavo.

Sorry mate i have not brewed in a long time so sg and og mean nothing to me and smashed the gravity measuring sugar thingy.

Cheers

 

[arogers]

Sorry mate i have not brewed in a long time so sg and og mean nothing to me and smashed the gravity measuring sugar thingy.

Cheers

best buy a new one then!

what yeast and how old was it? havent left it out in the sun or anything that might kill the yeast?

if it was me i would check the beer still looks ok and just shake it up a bit and re pitch some fresh yeast in there.

 

[Nick JD]

Try these things:

1.) Squeeze your fermenter a little and hold it steady there - does the airlock water slink back (ie. the fermenter isn't sealed)?

2.) Open the lid (but don't take it off) and look at the surface of the brew (don't breathe into it!). Are there fine bubbles rising? Is there a ring of brown scum on the edge?

3.) Put your ear against the fermenter (best to wait until night when it's very quiet). Can you hear the brew fermenting? (It's pretty loud, all that bubbling).

4). Pour a bit out the tap into a glass. Taste it. Is it sickly sweet? Or is it starting to taste like beer.

5.) Spend $10 on a hydrometer if you haven't done these preliminary tests. Great beer can be made without a hydrometer - only once you are comfortable reading the rather obvious signs of yeast eating carbs.

If you are a hydrometer smasher (like me) for twice the amount ($30) get yourself a cheap refractometer instead.

 

[Gavo]

Hard to tell what it has done without a hydrometer to read the OG (Original Gravity) and the SG (Specific Gravity) and FG (Final Gravity). Using the airlock is far from reliable for checking the progess of fermentation. You can look for other signs though, was there any Krausen forming? (foam on top of the beer) was there any condensation inside of the lid? is there any sediment in the bottom of the fermenter?

Gavo.

 

[marlow_coates]

Hey Mark,

The gravity measuring sugar thingy, is the Hydrometer.

Grab one from your LHBS or Coles, and take a measure of the Specific Gravity (SG).
Check again the next day. Should have dropped some points.
If it hasn't and the gravity is the same, then the yeast probably isn't working (or is working slowly).

In that case pitch another satchel of yeast (read the 'articles' section on this site to learn how to 'proof' your yeast).

Also, any other info, from what recipe you used, to the temperature of the brew, to how long it has been etc... will all help the crew here help solve your problem.

Good luck

Edit: Beaten to it. Enthusiastic bunch of helpers on here!

Mrlow

 

[Nick JD]

Above all - throwing dead yeast into a fermenter is possibly the number one reason for problem brews. Those "On Special" cans at supermarkets are often on special because the yeast is OLD and the malt is darkening. If you are buying cans from supermarkets ... either put your yeast in a cup with a teaspoon of sugar and some cooled (20C) boiled water and wait an hour for a foamy mess (alive and healthy yeast), or buy some good yeast from a reputable (keeps it in the fridge) shop.

 

[mark.farrell1]

Hi All

I went down to the brew shop today and bought a new hydro thingy. Took a gravity reading and it is at 1200. So i racked it and chucked in finings and will wait till Friday/Saturday to check the gravity reading again. So cheers for the help i suppose it was just a really slow yeast.

Also I am using my old chest freezer now with temp controller fitted at 17-19 deg c. Does any else get a bit of mould build up in the bottom of the freezer. I am afraid it may somehow infect one of my brews. (maybe i could clean it). Its not bad at all but if anyone has ideas on how to stop/slow the mould, give us a bell.

What do you guys use to clean out your beer lines. The reason i ask is my brew equipment/kegmate has sat there for the last 6 months unused (to bloody busy with work) and i think there was some old beer in the lines still is there nice little beer line scrubbers or do i have to replace my beer lines.

Cheers guys it has been a while since i have brewed so i may be back here more than i was when i started asking crazy crazy questions.

Cheers

Mark

 

[The Big Burper]

To inhibit mould, get a spray bottle and fill with 1 part ordinary bleach and
3 parts water. Spray and wipe off.

This is also good for your stirring spoons, airlocks, bungs, siphon hoses etc
Spray and rinse these items just before use.

cheers
BB

 

[marlow_coates]

Mark,

1200 on the hydro sounds like a mistake.

Either you have some serious build up of sugars on the bottom near the tap and have drawn off a high gravity sample, or you have read 1.020 as 1.200.
Likely the latter.

If the reading is actually 1.020, then the brew is about halfway to 2/3rds through (although depending on recipe this may be as low as it gets).

Racking and leaving for another week is a good idea.
Recheck the gravity around then, and again the following day, and if they are the same, then it is bottle time.

Hope it turns out well,

Marlow