Homebrew has defeated me :(

[AnimatedGIF]

Are you local to any other member? I am sure someone wouldn't mind a personal chat over a beer to discuss your issues.

Don't give up

Sounds like you could use a mentor. Check about the forum to find a member in your area. Invite him/her over on a scheduled brew day and see if your "normal" way of doing things aligns with "normal'. A second set of eyes can do wonders in ironing out problems.

These are good suggestions!

 

[Clint]

As for wind ups...I'm the wind up merchant round here.

 

[MashBag]

My apologies for asking for help.

Please don't apologise, I am sure you can understand this has happened before. No offence meant.

 

[An Ankoù]

Yes, the instructions said add pure liquid malt extract or sugar and I went for the extract.

Could you tell us where you got your malt extract from and whether it was a "brand name" extract.

I made a pure extract brew using a major HB supplier's "light malt extract". OG 1046, FG 1018 using MJ-M54.
I use M54 all the time and the 10L batch of beer went onto a partial yeast cake from another brew (gen 1). I consistently get it out an FG of 1006 using this yeast.
The extract is awful.
It's dark and the beer tastes strongly of 1980s kits. Luckily it was only a brew to test some hops. I'll keep the rest of the sachet for culturing yeast.

 

[An Ankoù]

My apologies for asking for help.

No need to apologise, but we're not mind readers. The photo of the box, above, is very helpful even though the instructions are not particularly so. Remember, a lot of us here haven't used extract kits for quite a while.
So. Let's assume that the kit manufacturer wants you to be successful and buy his kits again (and M J is a reputable company) and that the instructions are as uncomplicated as possible so that complete beginners can make decent beer, following the instructions to the letter should give you good beer. And it will.
But look at the second photo where it tells you to add 1.2 kg of extract or 1kg of dextrose. At the top of the photo it tells you to expect an FG of 1006 using dextrose, but you didn't, you used extract. Dextrose ferments completely and thins the beer, but extract does not. I'd be expecting an FG around 1012 (a guess) using extract. See my comment in my earlier post about my experience with extract.
So if your beer's FG is stable for a few days then prime and bottle it. Use a PET bottle for one sample, so you can judge how the pressure is building up in the others.

Do you see, now, how precise and detailed information can get better answers.
I certainly didn't mean to upset you.

 

[Bitter_Dave]

Finishing at 1020 is still a bit on the high side, even for extract. I would expect the yeast to take it lower than that.

 

[Larse]

Finishing at 1020 is still a bit on the high side, even for extract. I would expect the yeast to take it lower than that.

Brewers Friend stops it at 1013 with medium attenuation yeast, starting with 3.2kg (1.7+1.5) of LME.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

But this is why it is beginning to sounds like a windup.

Paying to support the forum would be taking windups to a whole new level

 

[MashBag]

Paying to support the forum would be taking windups to a whole new level

Bugger. That is dedication

Oops, didn't see that

 

[Dark Arts]

My apologies for asking for help.

Shaun-p, you've got a bunch of people on this thread trying to help and as many have pointed out you're being very vague with the information you've provided so we're all pretty much guessing why you've got a stuck fermentation, you could make this so much easier for the people to help you navigate this hurdle in your home-brewing journey if you provided the information that was asked?

Not all homebrew kits are the same
The fermentables in the kits vary, the fermentables you add very, the kit yeast isn't always the best and temp has a big impact on how the yeast works

So maybe lets start again?

A, What kit you brewing?
B, what fermentables did you add
C, what's your set up?
D, what temp you brewing at ie room temp approx 20°

 

[Larse]

Shaun-p, you've got a bunch of people on this thread trying to help and as many have pointed out you're being very vague with the information you've provided so we're all pretty much guessing why you've got a stuck fermentation, you could make this so much easier for the people to help you navigate this hurdle in your home-brewing journey if you provided the information that was asked?

Not all homebrew kits are the same
The fermentables in the kits vary, the fermentables you add very, the kit yeast isn't always the best and temp has a big impact on how the yeast works

So maybe lets start again?

A, What kit you brewing?
B, what fermentables did you add
C, what's your set up?
D, what temp you brewing at ie room temp approx 20°

To be fair, he's given most of this information.
A. MJ Brewers Series Pale Ale 40 pint kit
B. 1.5Kg LME in addition to the kit 1.7Kg LME
C. Fermentation vessel sitting on a heat mat with the probe on the side.
D. Brewing or fermenting? See above.

There are two threads on this, maybe you missed the other one. I have asked for them to be combined.

 

[Dark Arts]

To be fair, he's given most of this information.
A. MJ Brewers Series Pale Ale 40 pint kit
B. 1.5Kg LME in addition to the kit 1.7Kg LME
C. Fermentation vessel sitting on a heat mat with the probe on the side.
D. Brewing or fermenting? See above.

There are two threads on this, maybe you missed the other one. I have asked for them to be combined.

No I've not seen the other thread and suspect a couple of people haven't hence some of the comments?

Last time I did a MJ kit I used 1.2kg LME and the kit yeast, finished at 1.012 think the instructions where to add hops when the gravity got down to around 1.020? Which I thought was strange and not just "add hops on day 5"???

 

[Clint]

On the face of it we're seeing a situation we've all been in and while now most of us are "experts" and would nonchalantly wave our mash paddles in the face of a stuck fermentation (that's providing we ACTUALLY got one that is!) The OP is not familiar with this and the whole thing is more fraught than waiting for the birth of your first child.
So...another question...
Have you since checked the gravity? Some kits "creep" to their final point.

 

[Dark Arts]

I have Camras book of problem solver and in chapter 44 "fermentation ended earlier than expected" it basically says not enough yeast was pitched for the SG...basic yeast has done what it can and gone to bed

 

[MashBag]

I am not sure yeast works like that.

 

[Larse]

I am not sure yeast works like that.

It does if it's unionised.

 

[An Ankoù]

As for wind ups...I'm the wind up merchant round here.

certainly put the wind up me!