couple of newb questions

[Robd]

Hi guys, my first post but guess im gonna be in here quite often now.

Im on my first brew atm. Went to my local brew shop and bought the Festival Premium Ales Father Hooks kit. Im doing everything as instructed but have a question.

I put the hops in as instructed after 5 days and a further 5 days has now passed so according to the instructions its now ready to keg. However the temperature its been fermenting at has been below the recommended 20-25 c The first 5 days before the hops it was a steady 19c but then after the hops it dropped to 18c. The starting gravity was 1.040 and today 10 days after it started fermenting, the gravity is 1.018 Im thinking i need to leave it fermenting a bit longer? Its still bubbling in the air lock but not much. I still need to put the supplied packet of priming sugar in and obviously i know its no where near ready to drink but i had a cheeky taste and although tasted a bit tangy it was very drinkable.

I lagged the fermenting bin and also have an old duvet wrapped around but cant get the temp up to 20-25c Admittedly our house isnt steaming hot but i have put it in a bedroom where the temp is pretty much constant.

I will leave it longer if need be would i really appreciate your thoughts.
Cheers Rob.

 

[Robd]

forgot to ask what you think the finished alcohol strength might be?
Ta..

 

[MattN]

Final gravity should be 1.009. I would leave it until then. ABV will be 4.6%.

Matt

 

[JonnyD]

1018 is a little high what does it say end final gravity should be? Should be around 1010 is usually round a bout right. ID leave it another 5 days anyway then rack it (transfer to another vessle) and just leave it another week to condition and clear. Then it's bottle or keg it. I've left my beer in the third vessle (racked twice and added finings due to missing Irish moss out in the boil) for 3 weeks to condition. Will be bottling this weekend.

 

[nobyipa]

at te mo your ABV is aT 2.9%
if you go to calculators at the top of this page you can work it out there

so leave it looks like it hasn't fully fermmented yet