Knackered batch?

[thermalhound]

Hey everyone, I'm after a bit of advice ...

Just got back from holiday and before I went I put a Woodfordes Sundew in the fermenter. I've done quite a few brews now so think I know what I'm doing, and this one was as per the instructions (with the exception of adding a hop tea) so straight forward. I took I hydrometer reading before pitching the yeast and it came out at 1014! When I pulled my hydrometer out of the trail jar though I noticed it was hissing and found it had cracked so threw it away and assumed a spurious reading. I kept the sample (sealed) to one side so I could retest when I had brought another hydrometer. A day later and the airlock showed a little activity (later and slower than I expected but not worryingly so) so I went on holiday thinking all would be fine.

Now I'm back (only went for 6 days) the airlock has finished and even a swirl of the fermenter hasn't restarted it. I've brought a new hydrometer today and re-tested the initial sample ... 1014.

Just sterilising trial jar to take a sample but it doesn't look good does it? Any ideas what might have gone wrong?? :hmm:

 

[PD]

whats the readings of your main brew now.

 

[thermalhound]

The reading is now 1012 so it would appear it hasn't gone far ... however it tastes ok (relief) and is definitely not sweet like an unfermented wort. Wondering now if the sample I drew was just dodgy, or has become so after being left to stand for over a week (although it did get a good shake up before testing)

Think I am just going to get it into a PB and see what happens

 

[dennisking]

I would be very surprised if a kit came out at 1014.

 

[bobsbeer]

It may have been the mixing of the extract. Your sample may have been an unmixed bit, hence the low reading.

 

[PD]

no kit would come out at that reading, you took a bad sample or didn't mix it thoroughly.

If your reading of 1012 now is correct and remains that for a couple of days, get it bottled or kegged

 

[jonnymorris]

It may have been the mixing of the extract. Your sample may have been an unmixed bit, hence the low reading.

What I was thinking.