Beer stopped fermenting too soon

[Ukulele Kris]

Hi all, my beer stopped fermenting, and when I checked the gravity, the calculator gave it an alcohol content of 2.9%

Rob Walker (and the instructions) suggested stirring to re-suspend the yeast, I did this yesterday, and I've just had a quick peek, and nothing is happening, there's no foam on the top to show that anything is happening...

What should I do now?

 

[jonnymorris]

Be patient. It may not look like anything is happening but, if you have it at the right temp, it may well be fermenting away. Give it a day or two and re-check the SG to confirm.

 

[Ukulele Kris]

Yesterday was 14 days in, though.

 

[calumscott]

What temperature is it sitting at, Kris?

 

[Ukulele Kris]

17 degrees C

 

[LeedsBrewer]

you might be better trying to raise the temp a couple of degrees. Wrap an old blanket around your FV. It might encourage the fermentation process along a little.

 

[Ukulele Kris]

Righto, I've wrapped an old duvet around it, and really tucked it into the corner, where it should be at a good steady temperature.

 

[calumscott]

Yup, you might even want to temporarily raise the temp a little, 20-21 ish to get the little blighters going then back to your 17/18 degree spot tucked up nicely.

 

[Ukulele Kris]

Followed all the advice, and it's not changed at all.

Have I lost it now? Should I just pour it away, and get a new kit and try again?

 

[fbsf]

Nearly 3% isn't that bad, and certainly not worth pouring away. A lot of bitters in the 70s/80s were around that strength!

You can either pitch some more yeast and see if that re-starts it, or bottle/barrel/keg it as-is.

What SG is it coming out at? Much below 1.016 and it may not be worth re-pitching as there won't be enough sugar to make it worthwhile.

Have you tasted it? If it isn't too bad, I'd just get it bottled and use it as a session beer...

 

[Ukulele Kris]

It's at 0.018

hmmph.

Think I may have to invest in a heating belt for my next brew

 

[LeedsBrewer]

Never poor beer away. :nono: bottle it, leave it for a few months and give it a try. I'll bet you'll be pleasantly surprised. It might not be the strongest or best beer in the world, but it'll be beer that you made and as such you'll be proud of it. :thumb:

 

[calumscott]

I'd say, if you haven't already, go and get another packet of yeast and pitch that.

Get a Nottingham or an S-04. :thumb:

 

[fbsf]

An S-04 might do it at 1.018. Warm the beer to about 20 degrees and pitch straight in and stir. Most of my S-04 brews have gone down to at least 1.006ish, so there's a good chance it'll be ok. Worth a go for a couple of quid.

 

[Ukulele Kris]

Possibly would have been worth a go, but my nearest home brew shop doesn't have any.

 

[Ukulele Kris]

My general gut feeling is that it's been sat there too long now, and will taste like ****.

I'd rather throw it away, if it's going to be ****, and try again, than be sentimental about it and drink it because it's my first beer, despite it being ****.

edit : Today is it's 17th day in the FV

and I can't bottle it and forget about it for two months, because I only have one King Keg, and I want to get a stout in that in time for Christmas

 

[BigYin]

I once had a kit stop at 1.020 - nothing I did would shift it - so I bottled it with slightly less sugar than normal, and it worked out really well :thumb:

So don't despair, don't bin it, bottle it and in a month's time you could be enjoying a lovely beer :mrgreen:

 

[calumscott]

I once had a kit stop at 1.020 - nothing I did would shift it - so I bottled it with slightly less sugar than normal, and it worked out really well :thumb:

So don't despair, don't bin it, bottle it and in a month's time you could be enjoying a lovely beer :mrgreen:

Yup. What BigYin said. I've had a couple that stopped in the high teens too, turned out fine in the end.

EDIT: Oh, and if you don't know it's ****, then you must always assume that it's not. Lets face it, you bottle it, leave for a month or so and it turns out to actually be **** you've lost nothing but an hour or so of time. If you sling it and it wasn't **** then you've lost the time you've put in, the money you spent plus the money you'll have to spend on beer when you would have been drinking this one...

...bottle it and get another on the go quick smart!

 

[puravida]

I don't even look at my beer for 14 days. The beer I am drinking right now sat in the fermenter for 6 weeks before I moved it off the yeast and it tastes great!!

I skim read the posts but what is the beer you have made? Is it a kit or all grain?

 

[Ukulele Kris]

It's a kit.

I don't really have the option of leaving it for over a month to mature, because I need it drank and the barrel empty for a stout to be in it, in time for Christmas