Possible Disaster

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beerfountain

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Feb 18, 2018
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Dorset UK
Hello All

I've just barrelled and bottled (only 8 bottles the rest went in my pressure barrel) a kit beer. It was Muntons Old Conkerwood Ale. I had left it in the fermenting bucket for three weeks, it looked like it the yeast had worked and I assumed all was fine.

Only thing is, I saved some beer to do my hydrometer reading, which, stupidly, I didn't actually look at until I had barreled and bottled everything, and the reading was 1.018. My original gravity which I took when I put the wort in the fermenter three weeks ago was 1.048. The beer itself is meant to be 5.0 abv so it obviously wasn't ready to bottle.
I'm a bit worried that the bottles and or barrel are going to explode or something, do you think it is safe to leave them and wait?
 
If it hasn't finished after three weeks it probably stuck and I've never had one spontaneously revive itself - quite the opposite. I had a spell of bottling 1.020 Geordie beer kits and there were no bottle bombs or gushers. If you're scared then keep a blanket over the bottles and when you open each one you'll get an idea of if they're super gassed up.
 
Hi Drunkula (good name)

Thanks. That makes me feel a bit better.
I've got some goggles, maybe I will wear them as well lol.

I really wasn't expecting it to get stuck. I did a kit about a year ago (St Peters Ruby Red) which was fine. I also did my own all-grain, I used S-04, and that was also fine. I didn't really see this coming and thought that it must be ok as it's been in the fermenting bucket for three weeks.

I have seen a thread where it was mentioned that in the Muntons kits you only get a small sachet of yeast and that it's not enough. Maybe that is what it is.
Although, when it was fermenting (there was froth so it had started working) I accidentally let the temperature go up to 24 C. I had put a heat pad under it thinking it wasn't warm enough and then it went too high. I read that it might give off flavours but perhaps that has affected the yeast and stopped it from working, but on the other hand, surely 24 C is not high enough to destroy the yeast?

I am thinking maybe next time I do a kit I should buy a full packet of yeast, maybe S-04, and use that instead of the kit yeast. And be more careful with the temperature.
 
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well known for sticking usually at 1.020 is that kit. I think you will be alright it will be about 4% and may taste sweeter than you expect but that suits some palates. go with the flow and if you are worried place the bottle in a crate with a old towel over them and keep them cool so less chance of any fermentation starting
 
Thanks the baron.
That sounds ok, I had been wondering whether it would still taste alright. 4% sounds ok, if it comes out at that I would be happy enough.
Ok yeah I will keep them in a cooler part of the house.
Do you think it was because of the yeast that came with it?
 

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