Jevan Potgieter Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 Hi guys I am using the Coopers Lager with Brew Enhancer 2 my OG was 1036 but my PG after 6 days is 1027? What should I do I measured the gravity 2 days in a row now? The temp has been consistent between 25-28c. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 2 minutes ago, Jevan Potgieter said: Hi guys I am using the Coopers Lager with Brew Enhancer 2 my OG was 1036 but my PG after 6 days is 1027? What should I do I measured the gravity 2 days in a row now? The temp has been consistent between 25-28c. From the SS, your OG is low - those ingredients should have given around 1.043 - that could be because it wasn't well mixed when you took the SG. The FG should be around 1.007 so I think it's stalled. The temps are quite high - I'm not sure what the Lager can yeast IS but lagers are generally cold-ferment. From others on here I think the yeast on the can is an Ale yeast but above 25° is high even for an ale yeast. I'd drop the temps to below 22 at least and pitch some fresh yeast to kick it along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jevan Potgieter Posted April 12, 2020 Author Share Posted April 12, 2020 Thanks what yeast should I use this time round? Also not sure if I can get my fermenter that cold but will try. Thanks for the info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 (edited) 6 minutes ago, Jevan Potgieter said: Thanks what yeast should I use this time round? Also not sure if I can get my fermenter that cold but will try. Thanks for the info I like Nottingham yeast - broad range of temps, produces a nice clean brew and adds nothing extra to the taste of the beer. But common yeasts are also US-05 or other general ale yeasts. There's a good list here. https://www.beercraftr.com/beer-yeast-list/ Generally it's more important to have a consistent temp than any specific temp - until you get too high or too low. At either extreme, the yeast plays up, sometimes adding off or odd tastes and at low temps, stalling as the yeast takes a hibernation. Many of us have fridges with an Inkbird (or similar) temp controller that will switch cooling or h eating on as the temp rises and falls. Definitely worth the investment - fridges are usually cheap on gumtree and inkbirds around $50 or so. One way to reduce temps is to use a wet towel around the fermenter and point a fan at it. If you sit the towel end in a bucket or put the FV and towel in a large container of some kind, the towel will stay wet longer as the evaporation cools the FV. Edited April 12, 2020 by Journeyman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red devil 44 Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 I do my lagers at 12 degrees in my fermenting fridge, always best to brew lagers at low temps, plus gives a nice crispness to the lager. ‘Never use the can yeast, grab a low temp yeast from the LHBS, 9-15 degrees range. If you love lagers I suggest grab a 2nd hand fridge and an Inkbird & use temp control, you won’t regret it. cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red devil 44 Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 Oops, sorry JM, you beat me to it 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 Just now, Red devil 44 said: Oops, sorry JM, you beat me to it Yep... 10 minutes ago, Jevan Potgieter said: Thanks what yeast should I use this time round? Also not sure if I can get my fermenter that cold but will try. Thanks for the info For brewing a lager style, Red is correct, but the Coopers can doesn't have a lager yeast - Coopers want people to make a decent beer and not many novices will try or even be able to brew a true lager. Nottingham yeast can ferment down to lager temp territory - about 10° and up to (I think) 25° - I started using it for that reason before I got a fridge set up. If you have problems with high temps, get yourself a Kveik yeast - they LIKE to be up over 30° to ferment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lab Cat Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 (edited) 56 minutes ago, Journeyman said: From the SS, your OG is low - those ingredients should have given around 1.043 - that could be because it wasn't well mixed when you took the SG. The FG should be around 1.007 so I think it's stalled. The temps are quite high - I'm not sure what the Lager can yeast IS but lagers are generally cold-ferment. From others on here I think the yeast on the can is an Ale yeast but above 25° is high even for an ale yeast. I'd drop the temps to below 22 at least and pitch some fresh yeast to kick it along. His OG is not far off. Lager + Be2 will be around 1037, finishing at 1013. According to the Ianh sheet, which I haven't found to be wrong with a recipe yet. I've done over 40 kit beers and not one of them has dropped below 1009, no matter what Coopers recipes suggest they'll do. Some of their ABV for recipes are also way off. The Ianh sheet is accurate. At that temp it should have finished by now. The Lager does have ale yeast, so that temp would probably see it finish in 3-4 days max. Did you have enough sample in the hydrometer to float it properly? As the gravity drops the hydrometer sinks lower, so you may have had it sitting on the bottom if there's not enough sample. Also dunk and spin the hydrometer in case it's sticking to co2 bubbles. I'd also do the hydrometer check in water to get your calibration reading. It should be 1.000. Edited April 12, 2020 by Lab Rat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 (edited) 13 minutes ago, Lab Rat said: His OG is not far off. Lager + Be2 will be around 1037, finishing at 1013. According to the Ianh sheet, which I haven't found to be wrong with a recipe yet. I used the SS to get the 1.043. But forgot I saved it with my now-normal size of 20L in it. So 1.037 is correct for 23L. Even so it suggests 1.006 as the FG. Also I wonder if the temp was too high for possibly old yeast and it stalled. Edited April 12, 2020 by Journeyman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jevan Potgieter Posted April 12, 2020 Author Share Posted April 12, 2020 I have an electronic hydrometer so not sure if that makes a difference? The kit did say the OG with BE2 should be around 1037 so that was good it was doing good fermented wel up till now it was bubbling smells good and bubbling well just today it stopped 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 Just now, Jevan Potgieter said: I have an electronic hydrometer so not sure if that makes a difference? The kit did say the OG with BE2 should be around 1037 so that was good it was doing good fermented wel up till now it was bubbling smells good and bubbling well just today it stopped Do you still have the can so you can check the date on it? It's on the bottom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jevan Potgieter Posted April 12, 2020 Author Share Posted April 12, 2020 No i chucked the can but it was still well before BB date Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lab Cat Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 15 minutes ago, Journeyman said: I used the SS to get the 1.043. But forgot I saved it with my now-normal size of 20L in it. So 1.037 is correct for 23L. Even so it suggests 1.006 as the FG. Also I wonder if the temp was too high for possibly old yeast and it stalled. a kg of BE2 is 50% dex, 25% malt and maltdex. FG is 1.011 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lab Cat Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 17 minutes ago, Jevan Potgieter said: I have an electronic hydrometer so not sure if that makes a difference? The kit did say the OG with BE2 should be around 1037 so that was good it was doing good fermented wel up till now it was bubbling smells good and bubbling well just today it stopped Bubbling stopping is no reliable indication of how the ferment is going. It usually still. But after 6 days at those temps, it should be done. I'd be using a regular plunger hydrometer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 (edited) 7 minutes ago, Lab Rat said: a kg of BE2 is 50% dex, 25% malt and maltdex. FG is 1.011 We must have different SS's. Even changing the yeast to kit yeast gives 1.007 Edited April 12, 2020 by Journeyman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lab Cat Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 I'm going with my version. It's not been wrong yet, maybe a couple of brews out an point or so, but that's nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 Which one have you got? Mine is the v4.2 so maybe some of the calcs got changed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iBooz2 Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 (edited) 32 minutes ago, Lab Rat said: Bubbling stopping is no reliable indication of how the ferment is going. It usually still. But after 6 days at those temps, it should be done. I'd be using a regular plunger hydrometer. +1 Yep this one is done at those temps. I have never been able to get the kits down to what the Ian H SS says it will get to either, always a couple of points off and I am fastidious about landing my brews at FG. Time to cold crash this baby and move forward to drinking day I reckon. @Journeyman I see you have gone back to ver 4.1 too (showing in your snip). Yep that version 4.2 was as dodgy as and I gave it the flick. Cheers - AL Edited April 12, 2020 by iBooz2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lab Cat Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 (edited) 15 minutes ago, Journeyman said: Which one have you got? Mine is the v4.2 so maybe some of the calcs got changed? 4.1. I read some people questioned the IBU values of the Coopers tins, and someone might have updated it. I don't think it was necessary. All the recipes I put in are spot on for OGFG. Whenever I used the Coopers recipe page as my guide before the SS, they were usually wrong for FG. Some ABVs too. I've done the Abbey Blonde twice and even I suspected it's wouldn't get to Coopers figure of 6%. Finished at 5.1 each time, I don't think the 2 Belgian yeast ferment as low as Cooper calc them to do. The estery flavour would suggest this is so. Edited April 12, 2020 by Lab Rat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iBooz2 Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 1 hour ago, Lab Rat said: no matter what Coopers recipes suggest they'll do. Some of their ABV for recipes are also way off. + 1 again. I ignore Coopers recipe ABV estimates and always run them through Ian H SS but the spinners on the SS only increment in full rounded up number to 1 decimal, you have to enter the 0.75 (for example) in the cell and not use the spinners. It will still show rounded up number 0.8 in this example but if you look at the underlying data in that cell it will be 0.75. Maybe that's were a slight difference could come from - dunno. What version is everyone using? Cheers - AL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 18 minutes ago, Lab Rat said: 4.1. I read some people questioned the IBU values of the Coopers tins, and someone might have updated it. I don't think it was necessary. All the recipes I put in are spot on for OGFG I think maybe the update didn't alter that label. I went back to an earlier version (that also says 4.1 top right) and got the 1.011 FG but it said .039 for OG. Can't bloody win! So I went back to the very first brew I made back last Sept, (also says 41. TR) and get 1.044 and 1.010. Maybe LibreOffice messes with the formulae? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jevan Potgieter Posted April 12, 2020 Author Share Posted April 12, 2020 This is what it looks like if I pour out a glass still a bit merky but smells good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lab Cat Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 It will clear when it's bottled. Have you checked the gravity? If it is at 1027, it's not finished fermenting. Your bottles would be at risk of blowing, as they would continue to ferment with the extra sugar used for carbing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 3 hours ago, Jevan Potgieter said: I have an electronic hydrometer What's this? Can you share manufacturer and where you bought please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jevan Potgieter Posted April 12, 2020 Author Share Posted April 12, 2020 33 minutes ago, Titan said: What's this? Can you share manufacturer and where you bought please. Its actually a refractive meter but it does the same i guess https://www.brewshop.co.nz/refractometer.html?gclid=CjwKCAjw1cX0BRBmEiwAy9tKHjfCDQn9zVjB0HfIbI-jAJtOPFHmLbbB8hlnAg9LhpcNkyaCvMh7BRoCMGEQAvD_BwE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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