Very slow fermentation

[Adam0909]

Hi

Brew a beer at last Sunday OG 1060. Volume in fermenter is 17 litres. Pitched 1 pack of us 05 @ 20c. Been in fridge at 18c for 8 days now. Have had no real co2 activity (but could be lid leaking). Checked today huge fluffy yeast crustacean on top. Thought it'd be further on? Is it just a case of leaving alone and wait and see at Day 14?

 

[Martybhoy]

What's the gravity at now?

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[Adam0909]

Couldn't really tell it's that frothy. I reckon it's gone down a little though

 

[Martybhoy]

The only way to tell if it is fermenting or not is to take a sample and test the gravity.

If u have a tap on your FV use that. Otherwise, use a sanitised jug/cup/whatever, pop the lid and dip for a sample. Don't worry about upsetting the krausen.

Don't pour the sample back in!

Try that and get back to us with the current gravity.

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[Adam0909]

I don't have a sample jar usually just put hydrometer into bucket. I know it doesn't help but it's 1027 on refractometer. So I believe it's moving. I'll pick a trail jar up from brew shop tomorrow and do a proper reading. Cheers so far

 

[Martybhoy]

1.027 on the refractometer, on mines equals 7 brix. Same with yours? If so, your down to 1.008 (ish), so your definitely fermenting. Almost finished actually.

Refractometers can be read as-is once fermentation has started. You need to adjust the readings. I use Beersmith, but there'll be loads of other calculators on line. You'll need the OG, and current brix.

I always use the refractometer as you only need a tiny drop, rather than a trial jars worth.

One of my best ever brews had no airlock activity (probably a leaky lid). So you'll probably be fine.

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[ericmark]

I found temperature can be a little off putting, I started with a stick on temperature strip, at 16°C no activity but at 18°C it was going fine, however as time went on it seemed to stop before it was complete, as I moved to using a thermostat with digital read out I realised that the strip is showing a figure some where between ambient and the brew, where the sensor held onto the side of the fermenter was showing closer to real brew temperature, so at start the stick on strip shows under the read temperature, but as the fermenting starts to slack off, the two become closer in what they say.

This showed me the error of reading the air temperature, you really need to measure the fermenter temperature. At 18°C with the kits I use your just on the edge, I set at 19°C +/- 0.5°C and if your sensor is not measuring the actual fermenter temperature it could be it's just a little too cool. I hold it at 19°C for around 7 ~ 10 days, then the next 7 ~ 10 days I lift the temperature to 22°C it lifted as I have read it needs to be a little warmer to finish off, and also if it has not completed then you can end up with too much pressure in the bottles.

I still use plastic bottles just in case, I can test pressure without opening, plus release a little if needed.

I have experimented with a electronic thermometer, both comparing with the thermostat and checking the difference measuring at different points. Under a sponge pressed hard against the fermenter compared with in the centre of the brew there was just 0.5°C between them, however measuring air in the freezer compared with side of fermenter I recorded 8°C in air and 19°C on fermenter side, however against what I expected the brew did not even dip 0.5°C below set temperature, I had started it around 2°C too warm. Maybe because I am using a frost free freezer which has as with all frost free a circulating fan.

On heat then it was a different thing altogether, on heating one has to be very careful not to use a heater which is too big, I found 8W was ample, above that easy to get a hysteresis temperature wave as it over heats due to either the heater being too big or having too much bulk.

Once I have done a kit a few times I find the times are quite steady if it takes 15 days one time as a set temperature it will also take 15 days next time, however until you have worked out the time, it is down to using the hydrometer, I still do a final check with hydrometer, but don't bother until the end now.

So I would question where the temperature sensor is, and if your not just a little too cool.

 

[Martybhoy]

Typo - I meant to say refractometers CAN'T be read as-is once fermentation has started

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[Adam0909]

The sensor is under kitchen roll under gaffer tape on the side of the bucket, which is then attached to stc-1000. I have raised it up to 19c now so will leave it for few days and do a couple of samples. If it's finished I do a 4 day dry hop and see what it turns out like

 

[BeerisGOD]

remember after a few days you can ramp uo the temp to no undesirable effects. if my beer is sluggish I have no problem on the fourth day of getting to temp up a few degrees and giving the wort a slow stir to get the yeast back into suspension. you sometimes need to wake beer up.
in oyur case, going by martyb id say ur beer is ready. I only use a hydro but it sounds like ur already safe to dry hop.

what I would recommend is a a turkey baster so if u have got high krausen, you can get a quick sample - and accurate

 

[wfr42]

I've found us05 to be slower than so4 and that it holds it krausen for a long time.

Iirc I normally dry hop around day 10 of 14 the krausen has mostly dropped.

 

[Adam0909]

Did hydrometer reading its at 1012 to 1011. So is fermenting or close to being done. I'll leave it another day then dry hop for 4-5 days. This is the first time that I've still had a huge fluffy Krausen at this stage it's usually disappeared?

 

[The Idiot]

Leave it be and stop messing with it. If there's still Krausen just ignore it for another 5 days or so. It's not worth ending up with an inferior beer for the sake of another week. I never even look at fermenting beers for a minimum of three weeks, sometimes four. Remember that the process doesn't end when the sugar's have been fermented. The yeast need time to have a bit of a clean-up; they're messy buggers and you don't want all their waste in your beer.