First wherry brew

[Purtchiarn]

Hi All,

Just finishing my first woodforfes wherry homebrew. Just waiting on the temperature to drop down to a temp I can pitch the yeast. Just took a hydrometer reading and it was in between 120 to 140 can anyone tell me if if this reading is bad I note a lot of people's readings are in the late 140s.

 

[mcphail]

What's that scale on your hydrometer? It isn't the usual specific gravity scale I would be expecting to see.

 

[Purtchiarn]

It's a muntons wine and beer hydrometer. Triple scale

 

[sdt7618]

Daft question, but are you reading the right scale.

Did you check it in water first? Also you need to adjust for temp if the wort is warm.

Another reason for short readings might be the malt isn't ptoperly mixed in? If that's the case don't worry the yeast will soon sort it out.

 

[terrym]

Hi All,

Just finishing my first woodforfes wherry homebrew. Just waiting on the temperature to drop down to a temp I can pitch the yeast. Just took a hydrometer reading and it was in between 120 to 140 can anyone tell me if if this reading is bad I note a lot of people's readings are in the late 140s.

Try this
How to measure Specific Gravity using a Homebrew Hydrometer - The HomeBrew Forum
If you have made up your Wherry to 23 litres using both kit cans and no extras it should give an OG of about 1.038 if properly mixed, and if the yeast works as it should it will finish at about 1.010. That said if you only used the kit yeast, it is notorious for sticking at about 1.020 (i.e the yeast goes to sleep before it has finished) so I suggest you check the SG at about day 5 to see if it has stuck or not. If it's stuck at about 1.020 readings on consecutive days will not change. In the meantime get yourself some more yeast (say Wilko or CML) as a back up.

 

[Purtchiarn]

Thanks very much for your feedback. I will see what happens over next few days. I used a mangrove jacks m42 yeast after someone else's suggestion.

I've not got high hopes for my first effort. I stupidly put the lid and airlock on the fermenter and moved it to a separate room. And I'm not sure in the motion of lifting the fermenter up some sanitised fluid from the airlock.

 

[terrym]

Thanks very much for your feedback. I will see what happens over next few days. I used a mangrove jacks m42 yeast after someone else's suggestion.

I've not got high hopes for my first effort. I stupidly put the lid and airlock on the fermenter and moved it to a separate room. And I'm not sure in the motion of lifting the fermenter up some sanitised fluid from the airlock.

I wouldn't worry about the loss of a little water from your airlock if it was sanitised.
Using the M42 yeast should give a better attenuation than the kit yeast so you might get down to 1.008 so your beer may be a bit drier, which for me is better cos the Wherries I did were on the sweet side.
And just make sure your brew stays in warmish place whilst the fermentation takes place, 19*-20*C is fine.
Finally don't be in a hurry to package it when it's done. I recommend over two weeks in the sealed FV, which should give you nearly clear beer but with enough yeast to carb up, it just takes a bit longer thats all.

 

[Purtchiarn]

Yeah the sanitised water doesn't seem to have stopped fermentation at all it's bubbling away so hope this carries on. I'll just leave this for two weeks then.

 

[Purtchiarn]

I've just finished two full weeks of fermentation took a reading seems to be about 1.20 which isn't great but I've had a taste and I'm really impressed. My original reading was a **** reading as the temp was to high and I'd attempted to brew short which I later changed to the full 23 litres.

Given the fact it's fermented for a full 14 days and I like the taste. Would I be safe to start bottling tomorrow?

 

[AdeDunn]

I'd add another zero after the decimal point, 1.20 is pretty unlikely even for un-fermented wort, far more likely to be 1.020, which is usually indicative of a stalled Woodfordes kit if it stays at that for a few days.

Possibly time to add a different yeast, not a good idea to bottle whilst it's that high.

 

[Purtchiarn]

It did taste as if it was slightly carbonated. But tasted brilliant. I didn't use kit yeast I used mango jacks yeast. Is a stuck fermentation in a wherry not down to the yeast used?

 

[Purtchiarn]

I might take a picture of a sample and fermenter because I'm not sure how reliable my hydrometer is.

 

[terrym]

Try this
How to measure Specific Gravity using a Homebrew Hydrometer - The HomeBrew Forum
If you are unsure whether your hydrometer is reading correctly, dunk it in water at the calibration temperature (often 20*C) and it should read 1.000.
I would not yet bottle at 1.020. There is a danger of it restarting and you end up with bottle bombs.
Better gently swirl the FV to disturb the yeast and move into a warmer place say 21/22*C to see if it will restart.

 

[mcphail]

I really think you need to get a new hydrometer with a proper gravity scale. I've no idea what your figures mean. If your brew is at 1.020 (which is doubtful), it isn't ready to bottle.

 

[Nicks90]

I've seen those hydrometers and basically they just miss out a zero on the scale.
So starting gravity might be 1.043, but on your gauge it'll show 1.43
At the end of the day it doesn't make much difference, as it'll still tell you when it's "done".
If it's reading 1.20 I'd say it needs more time.
Be brave and give it a gentle stir to mix up the yeasts in the bottom, then stick it somewhere a couple of degrees warmer for a full day and watch it start up again.
Leave it another week to finish and settle and then get it bottled!

 

[Purtchiarn]

So I'm at 1018 I reckon. I've checked the hydrometer and I believe nicks90 is right.

So now I need to decide do I stir or leave alone for 5 days!?

 

[terrym]

@Purtchiarn
The SG is still going down, albeit slowly, which is good. However whether it goes down much further only time will tell.
So first have you moved it to a warmer place? That may help.
And yes it won't do any harm to disturb the yeast now and again.
If you can swirl the FV contents with the lid on to disturb the yeast it's less effective than stirring, but does not carry any risk of getting bugs in your brew. The choice is yours.
Some forumites suggest adding sugar to get the yeast re-activated. You might try this, although I haven't done it. Suggest 100g sugar dissolved in boiled water and then added to the brew when cool.
I would not be thinking of packaging yet.