Not quite panicing yet...

[Smuff]

Started my very first homebrewed beer (Kit) on Sunday last and things appeared to be progressing well with a reasonable frothy yeast head throughout the week. The OG was 1.04 and I checked again during the week giving 1.03. So far so good.
I was reading a homebrew book (dangerous i know) and it recomended stirring daily to mix the sugary stuff at the bottom and aerate the brew. After stirring this morning the SG has gone up to 1.05. and the yeast head has gone a bit thin and sparse. The initial fermentation was supposed to last 4-6 days and I managed to maintain a reasonable temp throughout.

Have I killed my beer?
Did the stirring and mixing temporarily raise the SG?
Am I worrying too much?
Should I panic and drink the whole batch tonight? :sick:

 

[Moley]

First off, hi Smuff, and welcome to the forum.

Two things strike me as odd from the start, there shouldn't be any sugary stuff at the bottom and you don't know how to read a hydrometer yet.

What was the kit, how did you mix it and what sugar did you use?

Normal policy is to beat your wort to a good froth and get plenty of oxygen into it before pitching the yeast, then leave it alone.

Hydrometer readings are always quoted to three decimal places, so do you mean it started at 1.040 ?

Unless you've added more sugar it can't possibly have gone up, so could it now be 1.005 and finished?

 

[Smuff]

Hi Moley, thanks for responding.
As you can guess I'm new to this and haven't got used to the jargon yet.
The kit is an EDME lager kit - stop laughing it was the cheapest and easiest one I could find

The 'sugary stuff' (bad choice of words) is the contents of the tin mixed with brewing sugar according to the kit instructions. Thanks for the tip re: beating the wort, I'll remember that next time.
As for the hydrometer I popped it into the brew 10 mins ago and got a reading of 1.020 - down from OG 1.040. Brilliant.

I then lifted the hydrometer out slightly to make sure of the reading, let it go and it then 'floated' up to the higher reading of 1.050. :hmm: I suspect that CO2 bubbles are adsorbing on to the surface of the hydrometer causing it to ride up slightly.

In any case all systems still seem to be go. Thanks again

 

[Moley]

Nothing wrong with EDME kits, I'm not a lager drinker myself but their Bitter is good and their Stout is regarded as one of the best on the market.

When you're dropping a hydrometer into a brew, spin it between your fingers and thumb to shake the bubbles off.

Sounds like your brew is heading in the right direction, but quit stirring it now and leave it alone for a couple of days, it should probably get down to 1.008-ish

 

[Smuff]

:thumb:
Ok, I'll leave it alone for a few days and keep checking with the hydrometer.
One of the reasons for choosing EDME was my Dad used the kits in the 70s; if it was good enough for him etc etc.
I hadn't appreciated that the stout was so well thought of. I can see where my next project lies.

 

[jonewer]

....it recomended stirring daily to mix the sugary stuff at the bottom and aerate the brew.

You should definitely not do that!

After the inital aeration you should disturb it as little as possible.

I only take a quick peek into my FV once the morning after I have pitched the yeast, just to check for signs of life. After that I leave for 7-10 days and then only to take a gravity reading to see if fermentation is complete enough to keg.

Every time you fiddle with it, you increase the chances of contamination and a ruined brew.

Its hard to play the waiting game particulalry with your first brew but have patience and trust in your yeast. :thumb:

 

[Smuff]

Hi Jonewer,
you've hit the nail on the head - I'm naturally quite impatient and being nosy to boot doesn't help. I'll be a bit more disciplined and patient next time. :