BarryS2 Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Hi! Two things:Started Cooper Ginger beer 2\xbd weeks ago. I wanted to up the alcohol content a little so used 1kg raw sugar and 500 g coopers brewing sugar. It has been at a constant 23 degrees. I have had no movement through the airlock but can see and continue to see many bubbles on top of the beer. There is a lot of condensation on the lid and with the bubbles on top of the beer I presume that there is some fermentation taking place. There doesnt seem to be to much waste at the bottom of the fermenter. Should I leave it until all bubble stop or should I bottle? Started a cider recently, mixed all ingredients in the fermenter. Then noticed that the cider yeast was missing. The providers are sending the yeast in the post but it will take 3 days. Will it still be ok by the time the yeast arrives. It is in a sealed fermenter with an airlock??? Would appreciate any help. Barry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Sounds like fermenation is healthy. The hydrometer should answer all your questions. Never botles unless your sure it has finished. Take a hydometer reading and let us know [cool] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryS2 Posted March 6, 2011 Author Share Posted March 6, 2011 Thank you so much for your swift response. Have bought a hydrometer but unfortunately not sure how to read it (instructions in german).There is a black area which reads 0-10 and then a white area 10, 20, 30......The reading is in the white area on around 3.Sorry to be vague but am a new starter. Any ideas on the cider? Should it be ok until I get the yeast tomorrow? Thanks again for your help and I look forward to hearing from you again soon. Barry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biermoasta Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 I would be a bit worried having to wait three days with the cider. Even though it is sealed properly, there will always be unwanted bacteria in there... and having no yeast to compete with means they would be having a field day. [crying] In saying that, the only thing you can do is wait for the yeast and pitch it, it may well turn out fantastic. No point in worrying. [lol] As for the hydrometer, it seems the reading is 1.003. Maybe if you could post a picture of the hydrometer we could give instructions on how to read it. [cool] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryS2 Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 Thank you for your response. Please find attached 2 pictures of the hydrometer. The reading of 1.003, does this mean it is ready for bottling? And can you tell the alcohol content through this reading? Thanks again, Barry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biermoasta Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 I'm not sure what gravity Ginger Beer is supposed to finish at, as I have never made it. So hopefully someone else can answer that. To calculate the alcohol content you will require the original gravity reading as well as the final gravity reading (1.003). I don't have the formula on me, but I think it is: ((OG-FG)/7.14) + 0.5 = Alc % ie. say your original gravity was 1.035 then we would enter: ((1035-1003)/7.14) + 0.5 = 4.98% Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Just out of curiosity I took a sample of my Ginger Beer which has been in the fermentor for 12 days and I got a reading of about 0.996 My "recipe" was: 1 x Coopers Ginger Beer 775g Dark Brown Sugar 1kg Raw Sugar 5 x 1.5L Home Brand Diet Lemonade (7.5L) 2 x Coopers Ale yeast Topped up to 19L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregT5 Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 That's an impressive looking hydrometer you have there...is it PLASTIC??? Bet that cost a fortune[biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biermoasta Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 That's an impressive looking hydrometer you have there...is it PLASTIC??? Bet that cost a fortune[biggrin] I second that! That is certainly one nice looking PLASTIC HYDROMETER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Yep it ia beautiful thing to have a PLASTIC HYDROMETER. They are bit hard to come by but I got mine on the Big W black market for a price that is prohibitive to most [biggrin] I must say the top of the tube looks a bit rough in the picture but I'm not one to complain [innocent] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryS2 Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 Thanks for the help. Unfortunately didnt take original gravity reading as I didnt have the hydrometer. Guess I will have to just take a chance and bottle it, Seems to have settled now. GOT MY YEAST TODAY Iappears that the cider mixture has stasrted to ferment without it. Anyway I put it in the cider mixture. It almost exploded, it was like sticking something in an acid bath. The airlock threw the water straight out. Settled down a bit after 10 mins to a mad rush. Has been going at that rate now for 5 hours. Do you think it is ok????? Thanks again, Barry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 The OG isn't important when it comes to bottling Barry - A stable FG is the one to take note of before bottling. Not sure what is going on with your cider. How long was it in the fermentor before you added the yeast. It sound like an infection to me - but I could be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Spontaneous fermentation is the most likely explanation - wild yeast and other bacteria have got a hold of the brew. [alien] The addition of dry yeast simply causes a lot of CO2 gas, already present in soltuion, to break out. As far as the final result goes - it may be this [sick] or if you are lucky, it may be this [love] Let it ferment to FG then smell and taste a sample prior to making the decision to bottle... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregm16 Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Hi Muddy thats an impressive ginger beer you have there, what do you expect the alcohol content to be.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 It is about 6.4% Greg. I usually add a lot of fresh ginger, some cinnamon and cloves, some chilli and maybe some malt but I've never been happy with my ginger beers and end up adding a slug of lemonade to make it taste better. So I thought I'd simplify it this time and add the diet lemonade as an experiment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryS2 Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 Muddy waters! I mixed up my ingredients and then realised there was no yeast supplies so I rang the suppliers who sent me the yeast, Mixed Thursday, yeast added Monday. Fingers crossed ah? Still bubbling away madly today after 24 hours. THANK AGAIN FOR THE HELP EVERYONE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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