Gentlemens. I started brewing John Bull on May 20th and the instruction said it should take between 4 and 8 days. Once the final gravity is maintained for two day I can finish it. However it has been 22 days and it is still bubbling. It has been sitting on a heat mat. Is this normal?
Fermentation taking too long?
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Yes.
Kit instructions are a bit enthusiastic...you need to check with a hydrometer ideally.
Kit instructions are a bit enthusiastic...you need to check with a hydrometer ideally.
Leave a couple of days and see how it is..
Well the brew is still bubbling away (It’s been nearly a month) however I’ve taken a reading and it’s a smidge below the .10. The original gravity was .38 and I’m now wondering if it’ll get any lower or why it’s still bubbling. Any ideas? Perhaps I’ve ruined it somehow what with this being my first attempt at beer brewing. A taste test revealed it’s a bit ‘watery’ but adequately carbonated for my own taste. It looks very cloudy. Bearing in mind that this is before I’ve even started bottling. If I’m happy with the level of fizz can I bottle without adding more sugar or will it go flat.
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If it's still bubbling and cloudy, that's because it's still fermenting. When the fermenting stops it will begin to clear because all the yeast drops out of suspension. Depending on the yeast this may be in the range of a couple of days or several weeks. Don't worry about it being murky right now, it will clear given time.
At 1010 it's almost done. What temperature is the FV sitting in (or on)? If you have it in a cold room or on a cold floor fermentation may take longer than you'd expect at 20degC. 4 weeks seems a long time for a low gravity beer like yours. Which kit is it?
The fizz you're tasting from the sample is dissolved CO2 because it's still fermenting. This is not the same as being carbonated in bottles or a pressure barrel or keg. When you package your beer you will add more sugar to bottles or a PB and that will build the fizz levels more. Don't worry about carbonation until after fermentation has finished.
At 1010 it's almost done. What temperature is the FV sitting in (or on)? If you have it in a cold room or on a cold floor fermentation may take longer than you'd expect at 20degC. 4 weeks seems a long time for a low gravity beer like yours. Which kit is it?
The fizz you're tasting from the sample is dissolved CO2 because it's still fermenting. This is not the same as being carbonated in bottles or a pressure barrel or keg. When you package your beer you will add more sugar to bottles or a PB and that will build the fizz levels more. Don't worry about carbonation until after fermentation has finished.
It’s a John Bull Kit sitting on a heat mat at about 21c. It’s been like that for almost a month. It’s supposed to be an 8 day brew. But as was mentioned earlier, manufacturers like to underestimate the brew time. I was hoping to be on my second batch now. I have the extra kit to start another (different) kit but just wanted to make sure I got this right first. Ho Hum. I must be more patient.
It looks like your conditions are ok, you'll just need to be patient for a little longer with this one.
It may be worth buying a decent pack of yeast for the next kit, one that is known to ferment reliably in a shorter time frame. Dried yeasts from Safale, Lallemand and Mangrove Jacks are really good. Wilco sell the Gervin yeast which is supposed to be the same as Lallemand Nottingham and is pretty reliable.
It may be worth buying a decent pack of yeast for the next kit, one that is known to ferment reliably in a shorter time frame. Dried yeasts from Safale, Lallemand and Mangrove Jacks are really good. Wilco sell the Gervin yeast which is supposed to be the same as Lallemand Nottingham and is pretty reliable.
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Make sure you get the co2 out of the sample before taking a reading.
Apologies for not getting back to the thread.
I’ve turned the heat mat off. It was reaching around 25-26c and bubbling nicely. It’s now around the 20c mark and appears to have stopped bubbling. I shall try a gravity reading later today.
I’ve turned the heat mat off. It was reaching around 25-26c and bubbling nicely. It’s now around the 20c mark and appears to have stopped bubbling. I shall try a gravity reading later today.
I’ve just checked the beer and although being at 22c it appears to have stopped bubbling. Final reading is just below 1.06. The wine has also stopped now that I’ve turned those mats off aswell. Yay. Tomorrow may see me spending a day bottling various refreshments
you mean 1.006. That's ready!
Drunkula
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In the future if the beer does look clear, is at the gravity you expect it to finish at but still giving off a bubble now and again that can just be down the temperature swings in the room. As it warms it won't be able to hold onto the same amount of co2 as when it's cold so it'll have a little trumpette.
I've done that kit a few times and it was my fave of the John Bull kits. The yeast you get with it is Fermentis s-33 which is ok but doesn't stick to the bottom of the bottle as well as some but that's fine if you're careful with your pour. Let us know how it turns out.
I've done that kit a few times and it was my fave of the John Bull kits. The yeast you get with it is Fermentis s-33 which is ok but doesn't stick to the bottom of the bottle as well as some but that's fine if you're careful with your pour. Let us know how it turns out.
Don't apologise! We all struggled with hydrometers at first.
Wherrypuzzled
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Ha ha - still do. I have 2 different ones and they are hard to read
I spin them in test jar to degas the beer and usually decide "yes 1.006 or yes 1.010" or whatever the target it
Would love a definitive answer with an in situ hydrometer but cost prohibitive I guess - because it seems counter intuitive to me to keep testing as the Kit instructions seem to say "once the SG has reached ..... or below for 3 consecutive days" so do people really measure as often as that ?
In last 6 or 7 weeks I have done and polished off with socially distance friends 2 KKs of Wherry 1 KK of Admirals Reserve and all three were ok by me and them and I just do the SG once when I think it must be at target
Also barrelled 1 KK Ad Res as well and cracking that today - a further Wherry - and FV holding Nelson Revenge so I am still interested in what others do as a "benchmark". Read and learn thats me !
Also one Wilko Dark Fruit Cider in a Wilko budget barrel just done
I spin them in test jar to degas the beer and usually decide "yes 1.006 or yes 1.010" or whatever the target it
Would love a definitive answer with an in situ hydrometer but cost prohibitive I guess - because it seems counter intuitive to me to keep testing as the Kit instructions seem to say "once the SG has reached ..... or below for 3 consecutive days" so do people really measure as often as that ?
In last 6 or 7 weeks I have done and polished off with socially distance friends 2 KKs of Wherry 1 KK of Admirals Reserve and all three were ok by me and them and I just do the SG once when I think it must be at target
Also barrelled 1 KK Ad Res as well and cracking that today - a further Wherry - and FV holding Nelson Revenge so I am still interested in what others do as a "benchmark". Read and learn thats me !
Also one Wilko Dark Fruit Cider in a Wilko budget barrel just done
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