Am I done fermenting?

FlipperThePriest

I'm fermenting an oz lager from a can. It fermented very happily for 3/4 days and after 4 days there seems to be nothing happening. No bubbles, and more significantly the bulge in the lid has totally gone down which tells me there's not much co2 pressure left. So am I done? I used 2 cans of the kit (rather than dextrose) and a small jar of glucose for a bit of extra kick which gave me an o.g of 1.049...and according to my hydrometer a potential of 7.5%... if I remember. I also put in a pack and a half of yeast just to be sure. The current s.g. is 1.013 which only gives me 5.2% - a bit less than what I was expecting...I'll test again in a day or 2 but should I give a little stir to try and get the most out of any yeast that hasn't been used or is it pretty much done? It's been at a steady 21 C so 4 days is slightly quick to ferment out?!

Thanks

Degsy

Couldnt answer all your questions but for Gods sake..dont stir the brew..you'll only disturb the sediment and that could ruin it completely.

FlipperThePriest

True enough but the biggest danger would be reintroducing oxygen, by 'stir' I meant should I give the fermenter a swirl, I've heard of people doing this to re-suspend the yeast that isn't caked.

guildofevil

Don't fiddle with it; you'll get an infection

It's probably not finished fermenting. The initial rush of fermentation is done, but it might drop another couple of points as the yeast chomp away on the harder to digest, more complex sugars, now that they have eaten all the simple ones. Leave it alone and take another hydrometer sample on day 7 or 8.

rubadub

zippy84 wrote: »

It's been at a steady 21 C so 4 days is slightly quick to ferment out?!

Was this 21C in the brew or in the room? a fast fermenting brew generates its own heat and can be several degrees higher than the room it is in. I do not like opening brews to check though. Did you fully dissolve the glucose first? if not it could be slowly dissolving into the brew at this stage.

FlipperThePriest

rubadub wrote: »

Was this 21C in the brew or in the room? a fast fermenting brew generates its own heat and can be several degrees higher than the room it is in. I do not like opening brews to check though. Did you fully dissolve the glucose first? if not it could be slowly dissolving into the brew at this stage.

21C on the stick-on thermometer on the fermenting bucket. I did disolve the glucose, took about 15 or 20 mins too!

thelynchfella

leave it and give it another couple of days then take a reading again....I normally leave it for about 7/10 days before going near it at all. You could give it a little swirl if you think the fermention is stuff, shouldnt do any harm i'd imagine

oblivious

1.013 on a kit, its done. Give it two weeks in the primary an it will allow the yeast to clean up some of their by products and also settle out

Degsy

oblivious wrote: »

1.013 on a kit, its done. Give it two weeks in the primary an it will allow the yeast to clean up some of their by products and also settle out

Does that mean leave it intact in the fermenter for two weeks?
I heard somewhere that beer'll go off if you leave it with the yeast for too long.

FlipperThePriest

Think I'll prob just leave it for a few more days, 10 days max, as long as the s.g. stays the same and then let it clear out in the bottles for 2 or 3 weeks...worked a treat last time.

oblivious

Degsy wrote: »

Does that mean leave it intact in the fermenter for two weeks?

yep

Degsy wrote: »

I heard somewhere that beer'll go off if you leave it with the yeast for too long.

That just home brewing miss information, two weeks is just right. You can easily go three with no problems. That been said if it starts to get very warm out it would be best to move it to some where cooler