Stuck Fermentation? « Brew UK Forum

Stuck Fermentation?

6 months ago | Jim (Member)

Hi - help please!

Started a brew (from kit) a week ago last Sunday. Having treated myself to some glass swingtop bottles I thought I'd better check the SG before bottling and so got me a hydrometer. Got ready to bottle it last Sunday, and to my horror saw that it was barely down to 1.021. I gave it a good whisk to get some oxygen into it, and made sure the temperature was high enough (have kept around 21/22 degrees). Having checked it daily since then, the SG is dropping very slowly (down to about 1.017 tonight, after 4 days). Am concerned that it doesn't seem to be producing much CO2 and so there may be a risk of infection(?) More importantly, my beer stocks are running low!

So - Can I bottle it in the glass swingtops? Should I use PET bottles instead (have used these successfully so far)? Can I leave it a few more days and wait for the SG to drop further? Am I panicking unnecessarily?

Any advice appreciated,
Jim

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Responses

greg:

Posted 6 months ago by Key Master

Hi Jim, have you got the beer under airlock? If so then don't panic as it will be fine for a couple of weeks.

I would keep checking the gravity and bottle once its remained constant for 2 days. 1.017 is okay, little high but nothing to worry about.

Welcome to the forum by the way!

Regards

Greg

Planning: IPA of some kind + another bitter + Xmas Beer
Fermenting: FFF Moondance
Conditioning: I can't remember (Porter)
Drinking:Turbo Cider, Ringwood 49Er Clone, Summer Lightning, Elderflower Champagne

Jim:

Posted 6 months ago by Member

Cheers Greg,

Not using an airlock, just a bucket with a lid and a blanket over for warmth. Will keep checking the gravity, and bottle when it stays constant (hopefully this weekend...)

Nath:

Posted 6 months ago by Moderator

Most of the kits I done (especially 2 can kits) never get down to the fg mentioned in the instructuions. Like greg said just make sure its constant for a couple a days and you should be good to go. If your worried use your pet bottles, Ive never used swing tops but im sure either way will be fine.

What kit is it?

Conditioning/Driking - Tony's Twibute
Fermenting - GW's 49er
Planning - An IPA
Planning - Some type of lager
Planning - A hoppy full bodied ale of sorts!

Jim:

Posted 6 months ago by Member

Thanks for the help fellas! SG is still only down to 1.016 - instructions say 1.010 (or 1.015 and constant) so have given it one last stir and will bottle on Sunday. Might just cover the glass ones in case they decide to shower my attic with beer.

Kit is Brupaks Pride of Yorkshire Birkby Bitter - pretty cool, came with a hop "tea bag"!

I have a Wherry kit ready to roll as soon as the FV is free as I have resolved to never let my stocks run this low again. Had to buy a few bottles this evening...

greg:

Posted 6 months ago by Key Master

I've heard very good things about the Brupaks Kits so I think you'll be onto a winner. Let us know how it tastes.

1.016 should be okay. The important bit now is to make sure its not dropping further and if its still the same by tomorrow then I would bottle it.

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