Hydrometer Readings

Anyone

This is my first time making homebrew and it was from a kit. While I understand how gravity readings occur and what they mean, I'm wondering if due to the slow rate of change, my batch might be done:

5/5/13-OG 1.040
7/5/13- 1.024
11/5/13- 1.017
12/5/13- 1.017
16/5/13- 1.016
18/5/13- 1.015

I know its "done" when the gravity remains the same, but my readings might be off. One thing though, my temp has changed from 20-22, to 18-20 due to the weather change, would that reduce the rate of change?

BeerNut

That looks totally normal: a big quick burst, then a slow decline. You might get another point or two off.

It'll slow down with the temperature change, but not enough to be a concern.

Don't rush to bottle, by the way, even when the gravity has levelled out.

Anyone

Ok thanks BeerNut,

I'll leave it another bit then. The alcohol level is going to be pretty low, maybe only around 3.5% when I use the priming drops.

deadman1972

Not knowing what style of beer this is but my two cents, i agree with beernut, especially when bottling i would leave it 3 weeks primary or 2 primary 2 secondary, but thats just me:cool:

Anyone

deadman1972 wrote: »

Not knowing what style of beer this is but my two cents, i agree with beernut, especially when bottling i would leave it 3 weeks primary or 2 primary 2 secondary, but thats just me:cool:

Its an Australian Lager. Its the basic kit that comes with the Coopers Home Brew kit.

deadman1972

I reckon leave it at least another 10 days. At 1015 that only gives you 3.3% abv so unless it stalled it is not done fermenting yet

Devi

How do you know if a brew has definitely stalled or not? I’ve a finlanda apple/pear Kit on that appears to have stalled, had airlock activity for a couple of days then stopped. Took a hydrometer reading and it has barely moved from the OG. How many more reading should I take before its considered stalled?

deadman1972

Devi would need more info m8. Quantity of brew, temp yeast was pitched at, type of yeast used etc. In order to try to determine cause. One thing what temperature are you maintaining this brew atduring fermentation? Thats probably the cause if it is stuck.

Devi

20lt, Yeast was pitched quite high (which probably did it), 25c. It’s in a room that is usually at 18c-21c with a towel wrapped around it.

deadman1972

Best i can suggest as a beginner myself is leave it a couple of days and check gravity again. If it still has not dropped add another packet of something like Nottingham or US-05 yeast which are both fairly tolerant to temperature fluctuations. The temperature needs to remain fairly constant during the entire primary fermentation. If its at 20c now tahst good butit needs to be kept at that and not change up and down.

Devi

Yea ive never used finlanda before, probably the yeast that came with it. Have an extract ale brew on in the same room and it's fyling.