Has fermentation finished or even began?

[eblis]

Been brewing a coopers pilsner since last saturday at 18c, the water in the airlock did rise but there hasnt been one single bubble go through the airlock.

There are no leaks as when I press on the lid the water stays in the airlock and does come back down till I release the lid.

I took a reading when I began and it was 1038 and took a reading yesterday and it was 1018, so I am guessing something has happened.

Do you I should wait till Sunday to add the finings and then bottle on Tuesday?

 

[mattybabsy]

hi there

I just bottled a coopers pilsner last night. I let it ferment at slightly lower temps for 3 weeks as I was told it used a real lager yeast.

my og was 1.4 and my fg was 1.08

I think (but am not sure at all) that it is a bottom fermenting yeast. I'm not even sure what that means, but someone will let us know shortly I'm sure. It might mean that you don't see a lot of action on top (I can't comment there cos I didn't really check it much as it was in an unplugged fridge the whole time and out of sight, out of mind)

so all in all, I'd def wait till it gets much lower than ur current grav

 

[Moley]

Do you I should wait till Sunday to add the finings and then bottle on Tuesday?

Yes - but not this Sunday, maybe the Sunday after.

 

[klaus]

hi there



I think (but am not sure at all) that it is a bottom fermenting yeast. I'm not even sure what that means, but someone will let us know shortly I'm sure. It might mean that you don't see a lot of action on top (I can't comment there cos I didn't really check it much as it was in an unplugged fridge the whole time and out of sight, out of mind)

so all in all, I'd def wait till it gets much lower than ur current grav

Lage Yeasts are bottom fermenters, so you should see a steady stream of bubbles rising up (easy as lager is light coloured). Ale yeast is top fermenting, so you will set a lot of froth on the top, as in this picture:
http://flic.kr/s/aHsjvQ5WkA
This is two days on the go - I will leave it for at least 10 days.
good luck!

 

[eblis]

Do you I should wait till Sunday to add the finings and then bottle on Tuesday?

Yes - but not this Sunday, maybe the Sunday after.

The instructions on the tin said leave it for 6 days so you reckon it will be ok to leave for an extra 7 days or so?

 

[guyb]

Do you I should wait till Sunday to add the finings and then bottle on Tuesday?

Yes - but not this Sunday, maybe the Sunday after.

The instructions on the tin said leave it for 6 days so you reckon it will be ok to leave for an extra 7 days or so?

Deffo, it will be fine - leave it two weeks in the primary fv, give the yeast a good chance to do it's job

 

[eblis]

But the wait is killing me!!!!!!

My bottles are all prepared and ready to be filled with lovely pilsner.

 

[Darcey]

But the wait is killing me!!!!!!

My bottles are all prepared and ready to be filled with lovely pilsner.

Best waiting to bottle a 'lovely' pilsner than bottle an explosive non ready one! The trick is to brew something else to get it out of your system. Brew MORE than you can drink to start off with that way you will always have 1. something to do and 2. lots of READY beer to drink.

most importantly

3. love every part of the experiance!

Bottom fermenting (Lager yeast) may take abit longer. As long as your fermentation bucket is clean you can leave it there for some time! (I moved a Belgian kit in to a secondary and left it for 3 weeks while I traveled India.. its totaly fine and prob better off for the time to clean up after itself!!).

D

D

 

[unclepumble]

With a lager yeast you will still get krausen (froth) on the top of the beer.

2 weeks in primary, make sure you have a nice tight fitting lid.

the initial fermentation will be done and dusted around day 4, the extended wait is just so the yeast can clean up a little and lower the VDK levels (an off flavour) if it were me I would ferment cool 13-15 deg C, for 4-5 days then transfer to a keg (cheap youngs one) with an airlock fitted tight in the lid, let it raise to 18-20 deg C for another 5 days.

Fine it, then transfer to another keg (cornie) or bottle it.

UP

 

[klaus]

Just a general comment - over the years I have done a few brews, from kits and own creations. Certainly at the beginning I was very impatient and found drinking the bottled product too early disappointing so with some brews I waited a couple of months and the result was much better than at the beginning.
So as suggested, perhaps have a couple of brews on the go.
BTW the other day I unearthed three bottles of "Pineapple Lager" which I brewed in about 2005 (!!) and it was extremely drinkable and refreshing with loads of fizz. It was just a cheap lager kit with a straining bag of pineapple chunks.
Also whilst it's reasonable to follow instructions they are not scientific theory - so if you don't have time to bottle just now a few more days extra in the FV doesn't normally make a difference.
Brewing is a natural process, after all. I think the brewing industry sometimes tries to suggest that it needs an army of industrial chemists to produce a good beer. We know differently of course.

 

[eblis]

OK I've now decided to take everyones advice and leave it till next week and thank you for those who took time give it :

What this space!!!!!