AJS83 Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 Hi all so my current beer (Mr beers Golden Ale), has been in the fermenter for 2 weeks. The advice I got from the brew shop was to leave it for at least 10 days. I also was advised to use a lager yeast (I live in Canberra where it is cold). Using the hydrometer today I am getting about 1.040. Not sure if that is good and would appreciate any advice. I am going away for a week on Friday, so not sure whether to bottle or leave it for another week. thank you in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naughty Corner Brewing Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 I wouldn’t’t be putting it in a bottle at 1.040. I’d expect that to get down to about 1.012 ish. What yeast did you use and at what average temperature was it at? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJS83 Posted August 5, 2020 Author Share Posted August 5, 2020 Hi thanks for the reply. I am not sure of the yeasts name (other than it was a lager yeast) it’s been sitting in the laundry and is showing 12c in the fermenter. I have now brought (this evening) it into the lounge where we have heating, so I am expecting the temp to gradually increase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naughty Corner Brewing Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 Cool. Hopefully warming it up will wake up the yeast again. 12 is getting a little cool for it. If it doesn’t kick off again (it should) you might need to give it a stir, or pitch another lot of yeast. I don’t brew lagers, so I’m not that familiar with the management of lager yeast, but some of the other guys on here definitely will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJS83 Posted August 5, 2020 Author Share Posted August 5, 2020 Thank you. Is it worth leaving it in a warmer areas of the house and testing it again in a week when I get home? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naughty Corner Brewing Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 Just now, AJS83 said: Thank you. Is it worth leaving it in a warmer areas of the house and testing it again in a week when I get home? Thanks I’d be careful leaving it a week, but if you don’t have a choice then you’ll just have to live with it. At that gravity it’ll be still possibly open to infection. Just out of curiosity, have you double checked your hydrometer in 20c water? It should read about 1.000 (0.998 in distilled water). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lab Cat Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 1 hour ago, AJS83 said: Using the hydrometer today I am getting about 1.040. I'd question this. That reading is not far off a starting reading - before any fermentation has happened. It should be finished after 10 days. Do a Hydrometer check. Crap advice from your HBS. The Golden ale isn't a lager. Yes, you can make one from it with lager yeast, but as a beginning brewer, lagers aren't the place to start. They need a methodical process, managed temp control and adjusting this through ferment stages and managing the cold storage. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Jones Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 You may have Saflager W-34/70 Dry Yeast. If so have look at information on the packet regarding brew temperatures and try to work with in this range. Lager yeast is not as forgiving as Ale yeast and generally requires a more steady temperature control. In my opinion SG 1.040 is to high to bottle. I would suggest that you leave the brew until you return and then bottle. For good lager and the important lagering period you would be best to work towards getting a fermenting fridge hooked up to a Inkbird temperature controller. I would also suggest as Newbrews said it may pay you to get some new ALE yeast and pitch that. Remember that Golden Ale is an Ale not a Lager. See Coopers recipes for Golden Ale. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJS83 Posted August 5, 2020 Author Share Posted August 5, 2020 Thank you for all of your advice. I still have the ale yeast that it originally came with, could I try adding that as well? If it’s a flop I am happy to start again. I have not had much luck lately haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Jones Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 Yes, I would add the Ale yeast that came with can. You should get some action then. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJS83 Posted August 5, 2020 Author Share Posted August 5, 2020 Will do thank you. I will also leave it in the lounger whilst I am away and test again next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naughty Corner Brewing Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 Just be aware that you will need to get the brew up to about 18 degrees for the ale yeast to kick off. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJS83 Posted August 5, 2020 Author Share Posted August 5, 2020 thank you. I have just added it and put a towel around the fermenter Without the heating on it’s about 12-14c in the lounge. I will also put it outside tomorrow and hope it takes off. I really hope I don’t have to ditch it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJS83 Posted August 21, 2020 Author Share Posted August 21, 2020 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJS83 Posted August 21, 2020 Author Share Posted August 21, 2020 (edited) So I decided to bottle the beer just over 2 weeks ago. Tonight I opened a bottle (left one in the fridge for a few days), and was very surprised. It tastes very nice, it has a bit of a sweet after taste, but I imagine this will become more subtle after leaving it to mature for a few more weeks. On my first brew (last year) I had an issue with head retention, so on this batch I have experimented and added 3 carbonation drops to half the batch and kept 2 in the the other half. Anyway thanks for the tips, I am starting to improve on each attempt at HB. Edited August 21, 2020 by AJS83 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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