Airlock

[eviled86']

Hello all.

 

I'm now in the process of brewing my second batch. I have a few questions though.

 

Firstly, my Coopers Real Ale brew has now been in the FV for 9 days at a steady 18 degrees. But I've noticed that when I take an SG reading there is tiny white bits in the sample. Should this happen? The sample smells and tastes like it should.

 

The brew was mixed this way: Coopers Real Ale tin contents, Coopers 7g yeast, Coopers Brew Enhancer 2. The OG was 1042 and the current SG is 1010. Could the white bits be the unfermentables in the enhancer?

 

Secondly, the SG readings have been stable for the last 3 days but the airlock still occasionally bubbles, does that mean the fermentation still hasn't finished?

[Potatoes]

Hello all.

 

I'm now in the process of brewing my second batch. I have a few questions though.

 

Firstly' date=' my Coopers Real Ale brew has now been in the FV for 9 days at a steady 18 degrees. But I've noticed that when I take an SG reading there is tiny white bits in the sample. Should this happen? The sample smells and tastes like it should.

 

The brew was mixed this way: Coopers Real Ale tin contents, Coopers 7g yeast, Coopers Brew Enhancer 2. The OG was 1042 and the current SG is 1010. Could the white bits be the unfermentables in the enhancer?

 

Secondly, the SG readings have been stable for the last 3 days but the airlock still occasionally bubbles, does that mean the fermentation still hasn't finished?[/quote']

 

1) I wouldn’t worry about the white bits, probably just yeast or stuff. Will clean out in the bottle/keg when it’s in your fridge.

 

Also sg of 1010 looks pretty close to done.

 

2) ignore the airlock, trust your readings. The Airlock could be anything, like c02 in your beer or heating and cooling of the wort.

 

3) enjoy your brew. It sounds like a goodie.

[eviled86']

Thanks for the encouragement! I'm actually brewing this batch for a camping trip in 4 weeks time as our stupid government is introducing a minimum price per unit of alcohol from the 1st of May! Think I'll just start brewing my own, that way I can learn how to improve and sample my efforts :D

[Marvin]

Thanks for the encouragement! I'm actually brewing this batch for a camping trip in 4 weeks time as our stupid government is introducing a minimum price per unit of alcohol from the 1st of May!

 

Is that Scotland?

We already get taxed heavily for beer, wine casks are cheap and there's those that want more tax on those. Beer has (aprox') $2.50 a litre excise plus 10% GST (VAT). I think this is an example of tax creating an opening for a home brew industry which actually exports. It's an ill wind...

[eviled86']

Yeah I'm in Scotland. It's just mainly the cheaper stuff that will go up in price, like the cheap packs of lager, some cheap whiskeys and vodkas which prices will be a minimum of £14 per 75cl bottle.

 

 

On to to the original topic, the ale has now been bottled. Still smelled and tasted good before bottling. I didn't see much of the small white bits though so must have been bits of Krausen that had sunk to the bottom. Can't wait to try it!

[Otto Von Blotto]

The white bits would most likely be yeast. Unfermentables from the brew enhancer are dissolved in the wort/beer so you can't see them.

 

Yes, ignore the airlock. In terms of a guide to fermentation activity, they're unreliable pieces of rubbish.

[Gag Halfrunt]

I love my airlock.

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

(But I trust my hydrometer)

[eviled86']

The white bits would most likely be yeast. Unfermentables from the brew enhancer are dissolved in the wort/beer so you can't see them.

 

Yes' date=' ignore the airlock. In terms of a guide to fermentation activity, they're unreliable pieces of rubbish. [/quote']

 

Cheers Otto! I only use the airlock because I have the lid on the FV to stop stuff getting in

 

But I'm the same as Gag, I trust my hydrometer!

[Otto Von Blotto]

They're great for preventing stuff getting into the FV while allowing CO2 to vent, but that's their sole purpose. Unfortunately a lot of blokes use them as a fermentation guide as well and for that they are useless because there are other reasons for them to bubble.

 

I used to use one on my current fermenter as well, until the grommet perished. It never bubbled. I couldn't be bothered buying a new grommet so I just stuck gaffer tape over the hole in the lid and backed it off half a turn to allow gas to escape. It's worked fine, and allowed me to put a shelf in above the FV in my brew fridge which has come in very handy.