Witbier stopped fermentation??

[RobinB]

Just finished my first Witbier , but after only a couple of days its stopped fermenting ?? Is this normal .. it dont taste too bad , not sweet ... os should I try with a new yeast again ?? I used all the correct things to make it ...

 

[Ajhutch]

Please share your recipe, mash profile, yeast and current gravity. This will help.

 

[RobinB]

Wheat malt 5lb.. pale malt 5lb.. for the mash .. saaz 1 oz, curacao orange peel , coriander seeds crushed 1 oz.. for the boil............Jacks M21 belgium whit yeast......Ca=50, Mg=10, Na=16, Cl=70, S04=70

 

[RobinB]

Jacks M21 belgium whit yeast......Ca=50, Mg=10, Na=16, Cl=70, S04=70

 

[Davvy]

If you take a hydrometer reading - you can then see whether it is just a "fast" fermenting yeast, or it really is stuck.....

 

[RobinB]

Yes Ill have a go ... my book says 12.6 original and 3.0 at finish..or should I just go onto the secondary ferment ??

 

[Davvy]

If you are looking at a hydrometer, your reading when you make your beer should for example be around 1.050 (this is just an example not what it should be..) and when you finish fermenting it may be around (for example) 1.010 to 1.005..... i.e, the sugar has been converted to alcohol so there is a change.

I assume you have a hydrometer to start with ?

 

[RobinB]

OK .... I ve just taken reading and it is 1.010... so that must be it then ???... barrel here we come ??

 

[RobinB]

It was a very short fermenting

 

[Davvy]

Yes - pretty much that is it - bottle or barrel now.

I have not done a Witbier, so 1.010 probably be typical (other members could contribute based on their experience...) The nearest to this I have done is a hefeweizen, where the final gravity was around 1.008 to 1.010.

All the best,
David.

 

[Ajhutch]

Sounds like it is done. Personally I’d give it a few more days in the FV to clean up after itself before kegging

 

[Sandimas]

Crikey that finished quick, I used M21 in a recent brew and it was the slowest-fermenting yeast I've ever used, bottled after 3 weeks and that was too early ended up with excess CO2. Spoke to others who found the same. What temperature did you ferment at? That might have speeded it up. It does sound like it's done though.

 

[Harbey]

I'd leave it a week or so - it certainly won't harm it and the gravity could well drop another point or two yet. Better that than a load of bottle fountains.

 

[Slid]

+1 on leaving it for a week or so before barrelling. You only need just enough yeast in the barrel to carbonate the brew and the yeast will continue the fermentation cycle much faster and better in primary.

 

[RobinB]

It is now with a little sugar in the barrel ... this was yesterday and now 24 hours later it has carbonated ... looks good to me ... I fermented it at 24 c ..