Too many fermentables?

[graysalchemy]

Sometimes it will take 24 -48 hrs. What temp did it say to keep it at?

 

[Markdon]

It says its a lager strain, low end of temperature range so 21c, but as low as 13c. Ive turned the radiator in the utility room, but i doubt i can get it below 16c.

 

[graysalchemy]

that should be fine just give it some time. :thumb:

 

[phillsky]

My main concern about the yeast is i pitched it as per instructions at 7pm yesterday, its now 1130am and its not doing anything. Checked the lid, tight, bung and airlock are in tight.

Thanks for explaing everything so far guys, its starting to make more sense.

Any foam on the top in the fermenter?
What was your pitching temperature?

My last lager took two days until i saw any sign of fermentation going on. I had to brew that at 20C, I could not get it any lover
than that.

 

[Markdon]

No foam, very dark in colour, can see the individual yeast bits on the top with a tiny circle of white around each one.

 

[phillsky]

How long ago did you pitch your yeast? It can take 24 to 48 hours before you start to see any
sign of fermentation.

 

[Markdon]

7pm yesterday. Glad to hear it can take a while, the other kits ive done have kicked off 30mins to 1hr later.

 

[phillsky]

7pm yesterday. Glad to hear it can take a while, the other kits ive done have kicked off 30mins to 1hr later.

They will, if you have pitched your yeast at a higher temp. I had a batch start within an hour or two once, but i pitched a bit to warm, just over 27C and had stirred it quite well so I had a lot of oxygen in the wort.

Just relax and have a beer :)

 

[Markdon]

Got home from my works crimbo do and it was bubbling very slowly. See what its like tomorrow.

 

[Jeltz]

It might well not bubble too fast; brewing buckets are rarely that air tight, I don't bother with an airlock on the 25L ones as the CO2 comes out easily enough.

 

[Markdon]

Im confident mine is prett much air tight, i use PTFE thread tape on the threads, bung is in tight and bubbler has some thread tape around it then pushed into bung.

Its picked up its pace a bit, must just be a slow starter.

 

[graysalchemy]

Is it developing foam on its surface?

 

[Markdon]

Yes, looks to be about 0.5cm, getting a steady stream of bubbles every 7 seconds.

Thanks for all the help, going to leave it til its steady for a week, dry hop with Saaz for 5 days, rack into another bin and leave to clear for another week then bottle.

Im thinking about 40g of Saaz, but with 1kg of extra light spray malt, and 1kg brew enhancer, will this be too bitter? Or should i add more hops? Or hop tea instead of dry hop?

 

[jonnymorris]

Your hops won't add any bitterness at this stage. If you like hoppy beer 40g sounds pretty hoppy.

 

[GavH]

Coopers Euro comes with a proper Lager yeast. As such, it wont produce the same kind of krausen you'll have experienced with ale yeasts. I'd also suggest lowering the temp as 20c is right at the upper end of the spectrum for that yeast. The key 'tell' that it's going will be a strong sulphur smell.

 

[Markdon]

Been at 18c for 6 days, gone from 1.056 to 1.014, still bubbling, bit slower now though, every 12secs. Trail jar looked like cloudy lager, and tastes like flat lager, but interesting flavour. Hopes have increased a notch.

Going to leave it a week, check gravity again. If its stopped im going to put 50g of saaz hops in, some in a bag weighed down and some loose.