First time brewer looking for advice

[Jono_Leeds]

Hi guys,

I was hoping some of you might be nice enough to share some of your wisdom and shed some light on my current situation. I currently have a Gone With The Wheat Bitter in my FV, it's been in there for 10 days now so I decided to take a hydrometer reading. After 10 days its only dropped from 1040 to 1030 and the kit advises that the FG should be 1010. Does this sound like a healthy fermentation or should I be worried. I know I need to be more patient just don't want to fail on my first brew :pray:

Cheers Jono

 

[rangeroverman]

Is it still giving off co2?, tempreture can slow thinks down as well

 

[Hopping_Mad]

Is that a wheat beer? If so, I haven't done one of those, so I'm no expert!!!

1) Test hydrometer for accuracy (although your starting gravity seemed about right). It should read 1000 in plain old water! If it doesn't it isn't calibrated properly so won't take accurate readings.
2) Get you fermenter to the optimum temperature for the kit yeast. Then keep it there! Duvets, builders trugs with water (with ice cubes or hot water), wet towels etc. have all been used by this brewer.
3) Sanitise your stirring spoon and, without making splashes which can introduce airborne bacteria, stir your beer gently right at the bottom, thus getting the settled yeast back into suspension in the liquid ready to have a go at the sugars in more favourable conditions.

You need to give this a couple of days then take another reading, which is hopefully heading downwards again if you maintain the conditions.

Even then all is not lost. We can move onto yeast enzyme which helps the yeast get going. You can try replacement yeast if it's had it. And beer can survive in fermenters for a whole lot longer than two weeks sometimes where sanitation has been good, and it's not been exposed to hd air more often than is necessary.

Don't press the panic button yet!!!! :thumb:

 

[Jono_Leeds]

Cheers for the swift replies guys :-) Its still giving off co2, still plenty of airlock activity, that said it initially took 2 to 3 days to show any signs of fermentation.

The instructions advise a temp of 17-24 and say fermentation should take 4-6 days. Its been sat between 18 and 20 wrapped in towels, blankets and insulation foam for 10 days. Although I know instructions should be taken with a pinch of salt I thought it would have made further progress by now.

Taking on board your advice, I'll check my hydrometer and give it a gentle stir tomorrow before taking another reading on Sunday. In all fairness I kind of expected it to be a slow mover as it all looks very still in comparison to the Youngs APA sat next to it.

Thanks again, Jono

 

[Jono_Leeds]

P.s Hopping Mad it's an English Bitter.. not fond of the old wheat beer myself! Should probably add that I supped the tester and it tasted better than expected, seems it'd be a promising tipple once further abv has be gained.

 

[Hopping_Mad]

Those kits just go at different rates - different yeast strains, different malts.

As for the kit instructions and the expected fermentation rates !!!! :whistle:

 

[Jono_Leeds]

Tell me about it! Wish I hadn't followed them in the first place and brewed both kits shorts to 20l. Ah well.. suppose it'll give me a better idea of the improvements these adjustments make in future.