US-05. Is my beer done?

Australia & New Zealand Homebrewing Forum

Help Support Australia & New Zealand Homebrewing Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

mrkitewhitey

Active Member
Joined
22/3/11
Messages
44
Reaction score
1
Hi there,

I've had a batch fermenting for 2 weeks now using US05 and wheat extract and canadian blonde tin. Theres no real activity but there's a layer of what looks like krausen on the top of the batch. I've not seen this before. I've sample it, and there's no infection or anything but I'm just wondering if it is done fermenting. I don't want bottle bombs. ha. Its sat between 20 and 24 deg most of the time..... thoughts?

Cheers

Tony
 
Have you taken hydrometer readings over three days and, if so, is the gravity stable? With the temperature around 20-24C I wouldn't think it would be inactive, particularly after two weeks. I'd believe the magic of the hydrometer.

And what info do you have on estimated finishing gravity? If it's close to what you have, you may be ready to bottle.

And then there's more waiting. So much waiting.
 
If you used the Canadian Blonde and wheat extract tin, your FG would be expected to come in around 1011 or so from memory.

US05 always hangs around for me until crash chilling, which knocks any stubborn krausen to the bottom.
 
If you dont, and I cant see anything in your content to suggest you do, use a Hydrometer to see what your SG (Specific Gravity) is, you should always know what your target FG (Finishing Gravity) is 'expected' to be so that you will know if you have trouble, as in, for some reason it stops 10 points high and you create bottle bombs by adding priming sugar before it's complete.

Taking Gravity readings throughout the fermentation is not a waste of beer (as many people think) it aids in training your senses as to how things 'should' be tasting along the way and as your experience grows, so does the accuracy of your perceptions.

Cheers

ed: niceties
 
Yob, thanks for making me feel better about tastings on the way through. My first run I went crazy, the second I was sparing, the third is an evil stout so thick (Thwocky Thwocky Thwocky Stout) I could stomach too much.

With a James Squire Golden Ale clone in the fermenter now (my first hops experience!) in more than willing to take your advice. Thank you.
 
Thanks guys,

Sorry, I didn't mention the hydro.... stable over the last few days, so should be sweet as..:)

Looking forward to it!

Cheers

Tony
 
Stable at what reading?
 
US05 krausen can be persistent even when the batch is finished.

As mentioned though - stable over a few days BUT within an expected range. So - is yours within an expected range?

Try and get the next one under 22 as your max temp (and closer to 20 if you can) - your beer will taste better. 24 is too high for 05.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top