Concerned beginner

[Spacedhopper]

Ok so Saturday afternoon. My first go at brewing went in a St peters golden ale,

It's been siting in my cupboard about 20c possibly dropping a degree over night!

Sunday the bucket lid was bulging up a bit and a lot of new froth around the top of the liquid on the side of the bucket.

The airlock has done something at some point as the levels on each side were slightly out but now level, when I push on the lid the airlock doesn't bubble but the water moves!

I haven't opened the lid yet so I'm a bit concerned it's not doing much!

What should I do next????

How long do I leave it before taking a reading, sg was 1040

Hopefully you guys can advise me

Cheers

 

[Noah]

It won't have finished fermenting so quickly, I'd say the lid isn't sealing properly. Does the beer look lifeless or is there signs of fermentation on the surface? If there's no life there's something wrong. If there is smear Vaseline around the lid and see if it makes a proper seal.

 

[Hopping_Mad]

It sounds fine, it's just the lid isn't airtight.

I don't have an airtight lid on any of my FVs and can't be arsed vase lining the lid! If it's bulging, it's working!

Forget it for a week then try a gravity reading. I think you will find its well on its way gravity wise. I always leave mine another week after that then take readings on Friday/Saturday in the basis that if they are the same and near the target final gravity, I get bottling Saturday morning, the brew again Sunday.

This way I always cab leave ale to condition as I have loads of 'stock' !!!

Patience and leave it to do its stuff - just keep an eye on the temperature.

 

[Shanej]

Don't worry to much, I've recently started home brewing. I've learnt pretty quick that fermenting beer doesn't give off as much c02 as you think. Your airlock doesn't have to be bubbling like mad to show the yeast is doing it's job. Give it a few weeks and test it

 

[Spacedhopper]

Great stuff thanks!!

The lid isn't buldging anymore but there's scum and froth on the top of the beer so something has happened or is happening, fingers crossed!

It's in a cupboard under the stairs and I've been measuring the min and max temps and min is 19.5 max is 21.5 but this was over a 48hr period

I'm going to give it a week or so then take a reading!!

Thanks again

 

[Ashley]

If the lid is bulging then you have fermentation. If the airlick isnt bubbling then is there a blockage in it? If you have had a lot of frith mabe it's bunged up the airlick... has the froth touched the lid by any chance? This happened to me once with a turbo cider and i had to change the airlock...

 

[Spacedhopper]

Right the lid isn't bulging anymore and the froth has died down, I've not opened the lid, the temperature on the sticky thermometer reads 20c is this ok or too cold , would this explain why there's not much action ???

 

[Hopping_Mad]

Right the lid isn't bulging anymore and the froth has died down, I've not opened the lid, the temperature on the sticky thermometer reads 20c is this ok or too cold , would this explain why there's not much action ???

All sounds part of the usual process to me. Just take a gravity reading after a week to ensure it moving towards the target gravity, then leave another week!

No peeking!:nono:

 

[Cwrw666]

When you put a brew on you get an initial crazy fermentation with loads of froth on top of the beer that often goes right up to the lid of your fermenting bin. After 3 or 4 days this dies down, but the beer is still fermenting.
Sounds like your beer is doing fine, but don't muck it about and keep looking in there. Just leave it alone ! I always leave mine for a good 2 weeks by which time the beer should have stopped fermenting and will have cleared a good deal as well.
So then you'll be ready to bottle / pressure barrel it. Then's the time to check the gravity to make sure it really has finished, because if you bottle too soon you'll regret it as bottles will burst / squirt beer everywhere when you open them. Gravity should be about 1010 for a 1 can kit, maybe a bit higher for a 2 can kit. The latter can also take a lot longer to ferment as well - I've just done a Muntons Conkerwood and it took a month!

By the way, airlocks on fermenting bins are a bit of a waste of time as the lids don't completely seal, and in fact all my bins came without airlocks and I've never missed having one.

 

[Spacedhopper]

Ok so took a reading today and it was from 1040 to 1020 still some little yeasty patche's and small bubbles on top a lot of gunk stuck to the sides but quite clear, was planning on leaving it a couple more days or shall I just sit it out till next weekend??????

The new fear is I have read on the net that St Peter's golden ale often gets stuck around 1020 which is my reading!!! Any tips??????

The temp is a steady 20c

 

[Shanej]

Have a read throught this mate, this will give you a few tips on what to do if fermentation stops. I find just stiring all the sediment up from the bottom normally wakes things up a little but remember sterilise anything and everything you dipping in your brew and don't splash around and introduce to much oxygen 😉

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=11561

 

[Spacedhopper]

Hello again

I took another reading today and it seemed higher that yesterday 1021 I've moved it from in the cupboard to in the dinning room and it seems to have become a bit more bubbly on top! Going to give it another week!! Then if it's not changed will have to take steps!!

Fingers crossed

 

[Spacedhopper]

So today I bottled it was around 1014 or 1015 so decided to go for it!!! The stir done it the world of good

 

[Shanej]

See how you get on but don't be afraid to leave it for a little longer next time. I bottled my 2nd batch on Friday night, it had been sitting in the airing cupboard fermenting for 37 days and had a reading of 1005.

 

[Spacedhopper]

Blimey 37 days!!! Just put in a bulldog four fingered Jack going to give this a while!

I wanted to get the St Peter's bottled so it would be ready for xmas!!!

Question will the alcohol content rise as it conditions???

 

[Shanej]

Yes it will rise but it will be so small it's hardly worth worrying about