Is my beer ok?

[Grabers]

This is my first brew. Its 12 days old and the airlock activity has stopped but I still have a large head on the bear. Its a very light beer and that is what I think I can see through the foam but is this ok?

http://postimg.org/image/is3lx0dcn/

 

[matth]

The only way to check is by having a quick taste - Its unusual for it still to that much yeast activity on the top after 12 days. But just looking at it from a photo would be hard to say.

I'm assuming everything was sterilised properly.

To me it looks like it is still fermenting (high krausen), but you say airlock activity has finished?

It could be an infection - the only real way to tell is to taste, but remember it will still taste odd if it hasn't finished fermenting and is not conditioned. If it tastes like vinegar then you almost certainly have an infection (but all is not lost - just make vinegar instead, admittedly you'll probably have enough for a lifetime).

A lot depends on the strength of the beer you are brewing, the strain of yeast and the temperature you are fermenting at.

I would check the seals on the airlock, and around the lid and also if you remove the lid often to look at it it will take a little while to build up gas again.

Have you tried a hydrometer reading? somewhere between 1.012 and 1.010 would indicate that it has finished - but again make sure the reading stays stable for a few days.

The other thing you could do is rack it off using a syphon in to another bucket leaving behind all the **** and seeing what happens then after a few days (obv still need an airlock etc).

Hope that helps

 

[Grabers]

The only way to check is by having a quick taste - Its unusual for it still to that much yeast activity on the top after 12 days. But just looking at it from a photo would be hard to say.

I'm assuming everything was sterilised properly.

To me it looks like it is still fermenting (high krausen), but you say airlock activity has finished?

It could be an infection - the only real way to tell is to taste, but remember it will still taste odd if it hasn't finished fermenting and is not conditioned. If it tastes like vinegar then you almost certainly have an infection (but all is not lost - just make vinegar instead, admittedly you'll probably have enough for a lifetime).

A lot depends on the strength of the beer you are brewing, the strain of yeast and the temperature you are fermenting at.

I would check the seals on the airlock, and around the lid and also if you remove the lid often to look at it it will take a little while to build up gas again.

Have you tried a hydrometer reading? somewhere between 1.012 and 1.010 would indicate that it has finished - but again make sure the reading stays stable for a few days.

The other thing you could do is rack it off using a syphon in to another bucket leaving behind all the **** and seeing what happens then after a few days (obv still need an airlock etc).

Hope that helps

Thanks for the reply. Everything was very well sterilised or at least I hope it was.
Spending some time looking at it, I get the odd bubble in the airlock, once every 3-5 mins or so. So I guess perhaps it is still doing something. Hydrometer reading at the weekend was 1018 and the instructions mention it should be 1009 or less. I am yet to check it again though.

Its not a strong beer, final result expected to be 4.3%

 

[matth]

To me it sounds fine, i think you should just leave it for a while, never any harm in just waiting - you'll always run into trouble rushing.

Generally speaking for a standard strength ale i primary ferment for 7 days at 18 degrees (by which time airlock the foam and airlock activity has gone), then i rack to a secondary fermenter for another 7 days somewhere cooler - this helps it clear, ensures it finishes fermenting and gets it of all the dead yeast and other **** at the bottom of the fermenter.

Kits can be slower (im assuming this is a kit we are talking about) and the yeast in these isn't usually specified so its hard to know what characteristics to expect.

I have only ever done 1 kit - which was my first foray in to brewing and it took forever to finish (i think in total i left it in the fermenter for about 3 weeks) but i couldn't get it below 1.014 - it stayed at that for a week, in the end i just bottled it but was conservative with the priming sugar.

Happy brewing

 

[buzzharvey22]

Take a hydrometer reading, check it in 2-3 days again and see if the figure is the same.

If it has changed then your beer is still fermenting.

The airlock will sometimes be deceiving as it goes crazy at first but slows down to where there may only be a bubble every 3-5 minutes, there may even be no bubbles at all but it is still fermenting!

Beers can certainly take 2+ weeks to ferment and dont be a in a huge hurry to to do everything, patience is key. Aslong as your fermenting bucket is kept at a pretty consistant temperature and is sealed well your beer will be fine left in there for a good few weeks.

 

[Rivvo]

It's unusual to still have a krausen on it after 12 days, what temperature did you start fermenting at? Did you raise it at all? When did the krausen first form? What does it smell like? Have you tasted it yet, if so what's it like?

 

[Grabers]

Hi, it took about 2 days to really get going. Seemed to start very slowly. Started of at around 22oC and has been left in a room of 20oC ever since.

Smells fine (from what I can tell), Krausen formed after about 2-3 days I think. Not tasted yet, will do so when I test with hydrometer later today.

There in definitely still activity in the air lock.

 

[Grabers]

OK so it tastes pretty good actually! Hydrometer is reading at 1009 which is spot on what the instructions say. But there is still airlock movement and the Krausen is still there. Will leave it until sat and see where it is then.

 

[Rivvo]

Then although that photo had me worried it sounds like it's ok, good news and good luck!

 

[Grabers]

It actually looks much much better now too. Krausen has dropped massively. Will post anther pic at the weekend to show the difference