Help! 2nd ever brew...

[AndyPi]

Hello all,

I've been lurking in the forums for some time now, and have already learnt a great deal...and managed to get my first ever brew (a Coopers English Bitter kit) just right.

My second brew is another Coopers kit - the Canadian Blonde, with Brew Enhancer 1, which I started on 21st November. It seemed to go roaring off, with lots of bubbles through the airlock and a good foamy crust on top.

I planned to bottle it a week later (i.e. on he Sunday just gone), but the hydrometer gave me a reading on 1015, which I thought was a bit high? So I decided to give it another day or two, and have just got a reading of 1013.

Is this too high a reading to consider bottling? If I wait much longer, will the beer spoil?

Your thoughts gratefully received!

Andy

 

[simco999]

No worries - the general rule of thumb is a constant hydrometer reading for 3 days. I don't think its stuck - others may know better. It'll be ok for two weeks in the FV - some people leave it in for 4 weeks!!!!

As long as the lids on - any bubbles in the airlock?

 

[Mark1964]

If it stays the same for a couple of days just bottle it. It will be fine

 

[Cussword]

I've done the Canadian blonde a few times & it usually goes down to 1002. Give it a little more time :thumb:
Is it somewhere cold, that will slow it down a little?

 

[AndyPi]

Wow - super quick responses - thanks ever so much. The lid is on good & tight, but no bubbles. By the sounds of things, no need to panic yet, so I'll give it a few more days. :

 

[AndyPi]

Hello again,

Another 3 days on, and it seems static at around 1012 - is this too high to bottle? Don't want to have exploding bottles!

With thanks for your help so far...

 

[abeyptfc]

ive left my coopers kits in the fv for up to 3 weeks and they are fine, i cant remember what coopers kit it was but I was bottling one of them and didnt bother taking a hydrometer reading for the 2 weeks it was in the fv, when it came to bottling i had everything sanitised and ready to bottle and the beer was still at 1015, I just bottled it and it was fine, couldnt be arsed clearing everything away and giving it another 3 days. dont worry. be happy. :

 

[craigite]

different brew give different fg readings.
different hydrometers give diffetent readings (my hydrometer reads 2 points too much)

I suggest that if your brew is between 18 & 22degC and you have the same hydrometer reading that is around 1010 then is will done. normally at this temp fermentation will be done and the brew will settle clear by about 10-14 days. if that's where you are then bottle. luckily it is a bit cold just now so I would be happy to wait till day 14 easy.

sorry, but there are so many variables. :pray:

Good luck and I am sure it will taste great :thumb:

 

[Wendy1971]

Hope your beer turns out ok. We did 2 kits before going over to AG cant say our coopers lager was any good though in fact it was terrible

 

[aneray]

Coopers, if made right, are a great middle of the road kit.

Kit beers are there to be adapted and played around with, especially with Coopers. 99.9% of the kits I have used have been them, and out of the many that I have brewed, only one was not to my taste.

If your fermentables were something other than normal sugar, you should expect the final gravity to be slightly higher.