Strong Lager Problem

[mynameisrodney]

hi guys.
I am making an cheap lager using
1 coopers lager kit
1kg coopers BE2
750g dextrose
350g Honey

the OG reading that i took was 1.050. It has now sat at 1.020 for 4 days (10 days total in fermenter). To me it seems that either i screwed up the first reading or fermentation hasn't finished. or both.
do you think it's done and i should bottle it? or pitch another yeast?

Cheers,
Chris

 

[tazman1967]

Did You use the kit yeast ? Or a Lager yeast ? eg. Safale S-23.

 

[mynameisrodney]

just the supplied yeast.

 

[matti]

You want to rouse the yeast.
Final gravity ought be arounf 1.015

 

[staggalee]

It`s finished-bottle away,me hearty.

staggalee.

 

[buttersd70]

Firstly, I think the OG is off, but you didn't say the batch size. I make it as 1057. The OG seems a little high, and assuming that the yeast was the packet yeast and assuming 70%AA, it should end somewhere in the 1014 region. But, having said this, there are a lot of factors that change that.

My advice would be to rack the beer to another container, (fermenter or cube) and give it 72 hours and take a reading. This is imho one of the best ways to rouse the yeast. If its still stable at 1020, bottle. (or chill and cold condition, whatever flicks your switch.) If it starts to move, wait for it to be stable again for 2-3 readings on consectutive days.

 

[Boozy the clown]

Be wary of your ferment temps. Cold southern weather may have just stalled your yeast, you don't want it to wake up (too much) in the bottle.

What temp has it been at and was it constant? (or have I just missed that detail?)

 

[brettprevans]

its probably just about done. but then again as bbozy said it depends on what temp you've been fermenting at. cold temps take longer
but its going to a bit sweet i recon. needs a little more hops.

 

[mynameisrodney]

sorry i should have updated this. i had a taste of it and it was extremely sour and tasted horrible so i figured it was infected and chucked it . up until that point i had just been using sodium met to sanitize but after reading more on here about how crap it is i have switched to a phosphoric acid sanitizer.

Chris