Is it stuck?

[CheshireCBR]

So I am doing my first larger kit, have done a few wines in the past but this is my first attempt at any thing like this, got a Geordi larger kit from my LHBS and started it 14 days ago, did a OG of 1.038 and the instructions say to bottle once down to 1.005, so have been doing hydrometer readings for the last week and it has been at 1.008/9 for the last 5 days, when I take samples there is still a lot of Co2 in it so I have been de gassing it by swapping the sample between two glasses so I get a still sample to test, one other bit of info, the room where it is being fermented is at a constant 17-18 degrees.

So my question is, is it stuck or dose it just need more time?

Thanks in advance for any advice on this one

 

[Pakman]

I suspect that if it's got CO2 in it in the FV then it's still working - be patient :

Graham

 

[joe1002]

But if the hydrometer readings have been constant for a week that would suggest its finished :wha:
I would give it a few more days and see what's going on then :thumb:

 

[CRoark]

lager fermentations do tend to take much longer than ales but it looks like your fermentation temp is a little high for a lager yeast (usually you want to keep them below 13 degrees) so you may be having attenuation problems. I'm sure you will be fine if you leave it for a while longer but you may not end up with as clean of a lager flavor at that temp.

 

[joe1002]

I'm sure the Geordie lager kits came with ale yeast, therefore fermentation temp looks ok to me :thumb:

 

[CRoark]

yeah I'm not familiar with them. then it could be that the temp is on the low side and perhaps slowing the fermentation? either way just give it a bit and check it again would be my advise

 

[jonnymorris]

I'd say it's probably finished.

 

[CheshireCBR]

Cheers for the advice, I will give it another week and see how it goes it was just the fact that the gravity was staying the same but still seemed to be fizzy that was confusing me as I throught that the fizz would have gone if it had finished

 

[rpt]

The fizziness isn't necessarily due to ongoing fermentation but just dissolved CO2. As the gravity is constant I would say it has finished. In my experience the gravity never gets as low as the instructions say.

 

[CheshireCBR]

Will check it in a few days and see where it is, if its still the same how will the dissolved Co2 affect the clearing and what would I do when priming bottles?

 

[ScottM]

Anytime I've brewed lager it goes as flat as a pancake once it's finished, no bubbles at all.

I always leave it in the primary for 10 days though before even looking. If you want to be sure, racking to secondary would be a good idea. That way you can get it off the trub and see if there is any action. Good idea to cool it off in the secondary too, if you can, to aid with clearing etc. Can't beat a nice bright lager :)

 

[CheshireCBR]

Might try that tomorrow, can stick it in the shed which is cool enough at the mo :lol: the only secondary that I have spare at the mo dosnt have a sealed lid but saying that the FV thats its in at the mo there is a problem with the seal on it as the air trap hasnt worked all the way through the fermentation