Better brew Czech pilsner kit help!

[Tutoke84]

Hi, I'm a complete newbie. I've done a a stout kit previously and it was great and no problems. I've just started this better brew pilsner kit. I followed the instructions and once it was in my fermentation bucket it bubbled like mad. Then 2 days later nothing, not even any micro bubbles. Is that right? Shouldn't it be bubbling for longer?

 

[Tanglefoot]

I'm guessing you didn't take a gravity reading? But don't worry !
It could have finished but most likely still
fermenting, the airlock isn't a reliable way to tell as the fv will often not be completely airtight. Hopefully you should see a foamy krausen on top which shows fermentation is under way.
Best advice is to leave it be for a couple of weeks and let the yeast do its thing.
Yours is a very common question and in most cases lack of airlock activity is not something to worry about.
Getting yourself a hydrometer is a good idea for future brews, to check gravity at
start and finish.

 

[evil.soup]

Just to confirm the above and set your mind at ease a little, i am new to this too and I am only maybe 20 days into my first coopers lager kit, mine seemed furious at first, but soon dropped off, but left it 16 days and saw a consistent drop off of gravity and maybe the odd bubble from time to time.

I have been told a few times I need to have patience so take that advice, it's easier said than done mind you lol!

 

[Tutoke84]

Haha I'll try and be patient. Thanks for the advice! Really appreciated.

 

[Tutoke84]

 

[Tutoke84]

So it's been 16 days. Would should I do now

 

[abeamer]

Don't panic.

Is the gravity reading what you are expecting from the instructions?

If yes, leave until tomorrow and check it again & if its the same you're good to package.

If not give it a couple of more days and then recheck

 

[Tutoke84]

I thought maybe it had stop fermenting? So I'll just check in a few days and if it's the same do I have a problem? Thanks for helping

 

[evil.soup]

Is that reading 1018 or there abouts?

A couple of other things to consider, its been kind of warm, what yeast was it? If a genuine lager yeast, it tends to ferment at a lower temp and if it gets too warm it can stall. I used novalager ueast in mine as it will ferment at room temp and I don't have temp control, it was at 17°C for mine. What temp is your brew currently?

If its an ale yeast, as many lager kits will be, it should still be fine and doing its thing.

Pretty sure you can get it started again if it has just stalled though.

 

[jeremy Hall]

I tend to smear vaseline around the airlock as it makes it more airtight. But probably late for this brew. 16 days is a long time. My last brew was 9 days (bitter) and that was with 1.2 kg sugar. Lagers can be slower, but even so. If you are bottling it in glass do you have a safe place to put it? I did have a hand grenade brew in my younger days and it's not pleasant. Bottling in plastic should be ok. You can always give it a taste test too.

 

[Tutoke84]

Thanks for all the help, I have a plastic baliihoo keg or glass bottles? Would it be crazy to put it in the keg with some sugar and just keep releasing pressure? The instructions say for the final phase put 150g in a keg and wait two weeks.

 

[evil.soup]

Thanks for all the help, I have a plastic baliihoo keg or glass bottles? Would it be crazy to put it in the keg with some sugar and just keep releasing pressure? The instructions say for the final phase put 150g in a keg and wait two weeks.

I guess it is important to make sure the fermentation has actually ended and not just stalled, and to work that out, you would need to identify a few things as said above.

What yeast have you used and what temp is it at? 1018 would suggest it either hasn't finished or has stalled, for a lager it should be closer to 1010 really, mine finished on 1006.

 

[Tutoke84]

The problem is I can't tell you what type of yeast as the kit doesn't say. And it's just in my kitchen so no set temperature. I guess that's the problem

 

[evil.soup]

Ah lol, well that could well be something that's affected it!

If it helps, just poured my coopers lager and it's actually OK after all, not too hoppy either

 

[Tutoke84]

Ok well I'll test again today and if not I'll try and get it restarted. All a learning curve! I just don't want to have to chuck it

 

[jeremy Hall]

If worst comes to worst, it'll still work brilliantly in slug traps. I always use the bottom sludge in slug traps, and they go absolutely crazy for it. Kills them by the hundreds.

 

[Tutoke84]

Haha good idea! Thanks

 

[Tutoke84]

So I have repitched it, bought some yeast put it in some warm water and waited for it to foam. I then added it to my bucket. Gave it a stir. It's been two days and still no bubbles? Is my beer now only good for killing slugs