PB2 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Okay, looks like you have an error of .002, at this stage. Once again, please test the hydro in water immediately after you take a SG reading of the brew tonight. I think this has been mentioned before - achieving FG is not so critical when kegging the brew. Even over pressured PET bottles can be easily de-gassed.[cool] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 Okay, looks like you have an error of .002, at this stage. Once again, please test the hydro in water immediately after you take a SG reading of the brew tonight. I think this has been mentioned before - achieving FG is not so critical when kegging the brew. Even over pressured PET bottles can be easily de-gassed.[cool] Although I agree that FG is not critical when kegging, I would really like to see what difference to my brew if I do a D-rest which obviously can't be done if the SG continues to drop :( I will post the reading tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 "D-rest"[sideways] Is this a Diacetyl rest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 Yes mate, let the little beggers clean up after themselves [joyful] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Have you detected diacetyl on your brews? It's like a buttery or sweet butterscotch aroma. There are many pathways for diacetyl to become detectable in a brew. I find the most common cause to be from lager fermentations down around the 13C mark or less. In this case, Diacetyl is mopped up by raising the brew temp toward the 16C to 18C mark for a day or so. This step is not required if the brew is secondary fermented in bottle or keg [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 No I haven't detected that. I heard it was like a caramel popcorn smell/taste. Which is similar to what you are saying. I was also informed that if I left it for a little while to clean up it would also be a bit clearer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty A Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Yep if you let it sit longer it will clear up and taste better but that isnt Diacetyl rest. I would give it ago anyway and just see where it ends up anyway with one of your brews. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LazyDave Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Sorry but I disagree and I really don't want to spend money on another hydrometer Personaly I would spend the $10 just to dismiss it, I think it's crazy not to because it's one of the few things you have the power to change - the rest is mystery and illogical. In my experience when illogical mystery happens, it's often something simple, and usualy something you automaticaly trust and therefore dismiss. Have you tried testing a sample, then keeping that sample and retesting it an hour later, once after cleaning your hydro, once without cleaning it - would you get the same readings or a wild reading? That may give you a clue - it could be how you are cleaning or storing it between uses for example. But surely if readings of the same sample become wild - it has to be the hydro. You said your first brew worked fine, and it's since then it has gone wrong - can you think of anything that could have happened to the hydro? This has to be a huge clue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 The hydrometer has always been cleaned, with tap water, and stayed in its tube sitting on the bookcase in the kitchen. It doesn't move from the bookcase until I need to use it. Even if it gives wild readings I could definitely taste like an alcohol spirit taste when it read below 1000 so it must have been in the ball park somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 I was going to do all this last night but unfortunately I fell asleep on the lounge [pinched] sorry but I will get it done tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty A Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Sorry Dave, I initially thought the hydrometer as well but this would give Wild readings on OGs as well as FGs. This doesn't mean that I wouldn't try a new hydrometer. I still think it sounds like something is eating more of the fermentables then the yeast can. This would explain perfectly why the reading keeps dropping but it sounds as if you sanitise very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 24, 2011 Author Share Posted March 24, 2011 Sorry Dave, I initially thought the hydrometer as well but this would give Wild readings on OGs as well as FGs. This doesn't mean that I wouldn't try a new hydrometer. I still think it sounds like something is eating more of the fermentables then the yeast can. This would explain perfectly why the reading keeps dropping but it sounds as if you sanitise very well. Well I think Matty A is very close to the money!!..... Here is my conclusion from kegging the latest brew last night: 2 Days ago I tested the SG and it was 1006 and when hydrometer went into 20C water straight after it read 998. When tested last night for FG it was 1006 and when hydrometer went into 20C water it again read 998. I now assume my first test on the hydrometer was incorrect when I thought it read 1000 and it appears the reading should be .002 below actual. This is easy to compensate for so no problems there. Having the same reading for 2 days indicates I have finally reached FG so what did I do differently is the question now??? Well 2 things were different: 1/ I used a Tooheys kit and 1kg Dex that was given to me for my birthday and am pretty certain this obviously wouldn't be the cause. BTW, the Tooheys samples didn't taste as good as Coopers but got it for nothing so obviously used it. [bandit] 2/ I sprayed the fermenter and tap with Starsan prior to using it and left most of the starsan in there when I added everything else. My conclusion, which could be wrong of course: "something is eating more of the fermentables then the yeast can" (what Matty A said) and I killed this off with the starsan left in the FV. I will test this theory out with the next one (Coopers) I put down in a day or 2 and hopefully it will be the same result and report back here the progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty A Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Looking good so far. Lets hope the Coopers kits treat you right and then that one is solved. I thought soaking in napisan, and boiling the water would surely kill off any bug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 24, 2011 Author Share Posted March 24, 2011 I did forget to mention that this time I also had the FV soaking in Nappysan for a week but I would think that for 24 hours should be enough. I have no doubt the Coopers kits will be fine. Apart from tasting better, there was nothing wrong with the very first one I did :) Maybe whatever bug is there is in the kitchen somewhere?... All my brews have fermented on the kitchen floor where the temp is stable. Although it is clean you just really don't know. I can check this out when I start using my fridge for fermenting. I just need to put a heat source in there before I start using it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LazyDave Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Glad you getting close to the answer. Only just the other day I realised that my can opener was yet another potential source of infection! It's never ending lol. It grips the side of the tin, and is obviously infected with cat food or whatever, and when I tip the can, those germs are diving in. I now dip it in boiling water before opening the can - by gee whiz, where do you stop? [crying] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 I now dip it in boiling water before opening the can - by gee whiz' date=' where do you stop? [crying'] Your hands are also an infection risk but I learnt the hard way that dipping them in boiling water isn't the best way to go [innocent] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty A Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Your hands are also an infection risk but I learnt the hard way that dipping them in boiling water isn't the best way to go [innocent] Thats what the misses is for aye Muddy [ninja] . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 I tried that Matty but I couldn't lift her to get her in the pot [innocent] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeonardC2 Posted March 26, 2011 Share Posted March 26, 2011 I have a can opener that Is only for my Cooper's cans. And I clean it with Five Star PBW,then sanitize right before using it. I need to get a 1G jug of distilled water,so I can dump in 1 1/4tsp of Star-San for sanitizing. The distilled water has no nasties in it,& lasts for months with a tight lid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty A Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 Instead of the distiller water, I boil the kettle. I have had some issues (burns) with this to but it's normally due to a few too many brews whle brewing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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