Unexpected High Fg - Stopped Short?

[lucas]

I have a brew down consisting of

1 can coopers real ale
1kg dried light malt
~300g dextrose
yeast from coopers sparkling
23L total volume

this handy doodad tells me i should have had an OG 1047 and FG 1012.

My OG was actually ~1042. I've been keeping the temp between 15-18 degrees since last sunday when i put it down. last night the temp rose to 20-21 and no amount of fan + wet towel seemed to help cool it. I expected the yeast would probably go crazy and it would be finished today. yesterdays SG 1020; todays SG 1020. bubbling has slowed right down, supporting the "nearly finished" vibe, but that seems a very high FG (and also a very weak beer).

does this sound a little strange to anyone else? I'm thinking about going and buying some tube so i can try my hand at racking; would now be the time to do it or should i give it more time and see if it drops any more? the forecast for today/friday/saturday is 31/31/29 so my chances of keeping the temp down the next few days arent so good

 

[KoNG]

So its only been in primary for approx 4 days...?
i wouldnt be racking or anything yet... give it time to finish up.
maybe a light swirl of the fermenter to rouse the yeast, then check it again on on sunday-monday.

the temperature rise is probably due to the heat generated within during fermentation. The closer to 18*C the better, but 20*C shouldnt be a major concern.

 

[mika]

Hye Lucas I've got a similar problem, hope you don't mind me posting it along with yours. Maybe someone can help the both of us.

I've just done an SNPA from a brewshop, where I had to steep the grains and boil the hops and that kinda thing.
Basically, all went well and thing bubbled like mad for the first 24hrs or more and then suddenly stopped and won't go anywhere. I've given it a shake and nothing more's happened. It has got a scum ring, but when I check the hydrometer reading it's still at 1020. SG was only 1035 (bit low, maybe my temperature when steeping the grains wasn't quite right).
It was damn warm, like ~30C but I wrapped some towels around it and poured water over it to try and keep it cool. But may have only achieved a couple of degrees. <_<
This is my first brew for the keg, so I wanted it to be a good one and I'd let it sit for a few more days if there was some kinda surface activity but theres nothing, zip, nada :excl:
This is the brews 3rd day, but I've got nothing out of the airlock even. It's pushing the water, but not bubbling anymore.
HELP !!


Regards,
Mika

 

[Screwtop]

Seems there have been a number of similar threads lately, all using extract. Would be interested to see if this has only been a problem for extract brewers of late as it seems this is the case for me. Probably the last 4 of 5 extract or partials that I have done have all finished high. Different yeasts, so not the problem. Did leave a couple in the secondary vessel longer than normal and found that they did continue, but very slowly, and did get down to 1010 - 1013.

 

[Ross]

This is the brews 3rd day, but I've got nothing out of the airlock even. It's pushing the water, but not bubbling anymore.
HELP !!


Regards,
Mika

[post="109037"][/post]​

Mika,

PATIENCE - I don't even take a reading for 7 days, some wait 14 days...
you will not always see heaps of activity - if it's dropped to 1020 that quickly, then you have heaps of munching going on... PATIENCE

cheers Ross

 

[lucas]

for the record, mine is just a kit. extracts involve actual grain, no?

also, my krausen is all gone and the bubbling has stopped. I've tried rocking the fermenter but the yeast doesnt seem to want to come off the bottom. should i make another starter and pitch that? I'm sure this cant be done already

 

[Aaron]

for the record, mine is just a kit. extracts involve actual grain, no?

[post="109106"][/post]​

No, extract is the liquid or powdered malt. Your kits is extract with hops in it.

As Ross said just be patient. Give it a week at the very least and probably more like two before you start to worry. Actually there are three other things you can do:



1 Be patient
2 Be patient
3 Be patient

 

[jor8]

Hi fellas,
i did a coopers stout kit....

started it on the 14.2.06 bubbled for 2 days then nuthing it was those 30c days ... it basically acted dead.. (Sg was 1.020)
asked in the mirc channel and the lads there told me to stick it in the fridge and test again this sunday....

but they did persist that i have to be patient....
as they assured me ithe FG will come down..

regs john

 

[lucas]

heh... wish i had a fridge. temps have risen to 24 today so ive filled the top of the lid with ice and water and have the towel soaking it up with a fan blowing over it all. stupid good for nothing hot weather

 

[jor8]

Hi lucas..
the best place to pick up a 2nd/3rd fridge is a garage sale...
picked mine up for 40$

and for brewing beer in summer it is a necessity...

i find the water trick with frozen ice and towle drops maybe 2c or 3c... but thats its

regs john

 

[tangent]

you can iron out the highs and lows of your fermenter temps by putting the fermenter in a fishbin (Bunnings etc) full of water. The extra thermal inertia means it takes longer to cool down but also longer to heat up. Start with cold water to begin with and you're on the right track. Then throw in a frozen 2L plastic bottle of water every morning and evening and you can keep everything under 24C. Under 20C if you've only got 30+C days. If you're constantly in the 40s, good luck
My setup is currently running on 4 frozen bottles (rotation) and it's sitting between 18C and 22C.

 

[Keifer]

i find the water trick with frozen ice and towle drops maybe 2c or 3c... but thats it

Not true mate, i've got a in/out thermometer which reads outside temp 29.9c and inside at the top 20.9c. Got a cooler which looks like an upside down lamp shade which the fermentor sits in and filled it with cold icy water plus fan and wet towles, not alot of effort either.

Have to agree with the others about the FG, just leave it for a while