Fermentation

[Brew Junkie]

Wondering what mistake I made when putting down a lager recently. Used the Brew Enhancer 2 and the lager can .. temp at the higher end (26*C) when yeast pitched (as supplied) .. two weeks later gravity was 1.024 - 1.026 ... one week later gravity was 1.036 ... starting gravity was 1.038 .. temp at same all the way through .. just put into fridge .. 

[Lab Cat]

Something wrong with your reading of the hydrometer, or the hydrometer. Gravities can't go back up again.

[Brew Junkie]

Thanks Lab Rat ... would the beer have CO2 in it from the fermenter with the above gravity 

[Otto Von Blotto]

The beer always has residual CO2 in it once fermentation begins and after it ends. It's possible that bubbles are pushing the hydrometer up, giving a false reading. Either that or there wasn't enough beer in the tube to allow it to float, or the hydrometer is stuffed. 

The OG reading sounds right though, so not really sure what the issue is other than gas pushing it up. 

[Marty_G]

7 hours ago, Brew Junkie said:

Wondering what mistake I made when putting down a lager recently. Used the Brew Enhancer 2 and the lager can .. temp at the higher end (26*C) when yeast pitched (as supplied) .. two weeks later gravity was 1.024 - 1.026 ... one week later gravity was 1.036 ... starting gravity was 1.038 .. temp at same all the way through .. just put into fridge .. 

Not sure what is going on there at all. From reading your post are you saying the brew has been fermenting for at least 3 weeks. If so it would have reached final gravity long ago. Most ale yeasts like the one in the Coopers can kit usually are finished within 7 days when done at summer ambient temps.  Maybe it is the method, are you sure there was enough brew in the tube? The reading should be  around 1012 ish I think and 100% tthe reading cant go back up as there is no way sugar is un-fermented.  To make sure it is done right fill the tube to close to the top then add the hydrometer.  You may lose some brew but at least you know the reading is right.  

[MitchBastard]

Those coopers diy hydrometers are a bit hit n miss. I’ve got two that both give different readings, ones correct that I check against my glass one, the other is 6 points different. 
 

I think as Otto said, the residual CO2 might be pushing the hydro up....

I usually take a reading straight away and then let it sit for half hour and take another one and see if there’s any difference. 
 

Give the hydro a twizzle when you put it in too. Sometimes it gets stuck on the side of the tube. 

[Geoff S]

This happened to me as well with my first Lager, the guys got me onto the bubbles lifting the hyd., so now I twist, flick &/or tap the hyd when it goes into the test sample, turn around to scratch & it gives a false reading from bubbles.

[Otto Von Blotto]

I usually take a sample 3 days in and let it sit on the bar and ferment out. When the hydrometer stops dropping it's done, and it gives me an idea of what to expect the FG to be. I don't even bother trying to read it while it's foaming, but usually I can get a quick approximate reading before the foam builds up too much. 

I took a sample of a lager I have going currently (true lager yeast), two days ago. It was sitting at about 1.030 when I took it. A day later it had dropped to around 1.010 and all foaming had subsided. Never seen it happen that fast in the sample before, was quite surprised. However, I now know to expect the FG of the batch to be close to 1.010 when I do my proper tests.