DavidH45 Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Hi! Im currently attempting my first brew and (rather stupidly) chose a lager first, purely because I have only started drinking ales properly in the last year or so and thought I could judge a lager better. Anyway... The wort has been in the fermenter for 6 days now and I did a gravity test today and got a reading of 1018, compared to 1031 3 days ago... this seems to be super fast considering I read some peoples FG for lager was 1015. Could this be an issue of temperature? I constructed myself a spaceship looking cover for the fermenter consisting of an inner layer of tinfoil covered cardboard, a layer of screwed up newspaper then a second layer of tinfoil covered cardboard and am using ice packs to maintain a temp between 14 and 18 degrees, or so the stick on thermometer says...? But yeah anyway, is this fall in gravity test way too fast or should I leave it for a week and see what the test says then? (meaning the brew would have been in for 2 weeks) Thanks for any help! David. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrewingBenny Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 I've not done a lager yet either. I have one here and have been too scared to do it LOL. I am very Noob as well but consensus says to leave it as it gives the yeast time to mop up and it will clear the beer. Unsure if this changes for a lager or not. Interesting to find out as it will be my next project. What kit and yeast did you use, as i'm also lead to believe that ale yeasts are used in lager kits unless you bought a lager yeast. Someone correct if i'm wrong but that's how i'm seeing it. Good luck mate! [biggrin] [biggrin] [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Lager yeast will take longer but it will also ferment more thoroughly so will achieve a lower FG, or so I'm led to believe anyway. But if you are doing the lager kit that comes with the DIY kit?? Then it's actually an ale yeast and will probably be done in a week. Still I'd leave it for 2 weeks anyway, take two gravity readings 24 hours apart, if they are the same then it's finished. As Benny says, it gives the yeast time to clean up and your beer will be better for it![biggrin] Cheers, Kelsey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidH45 Posted August 9, 2012 Author Share Posted August 9, 2012 Yeah sorry I should have been mmore specific about my brew... Im using the European Lager Kit, going for the Green Neck Lager recipe. The method says to go for 15 degrees so im guessing its a lager yeast...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Ah yep, I've actually just done a Euro Lager myself. I just mixed mine with a tin of liquid malt though. That one is a lager yeast so it should theoretically take longer. Mine was done in two weeks but I left it for another few days before I bottled it just to be sure and also to let it clear up and such. I reckon wait until the 2 week mark, take two readings 24 (or even 48) hours apart, if they are steady then it has finished, obviously if they're different then it's not, but when it has finished leave it sit for another 4-7 days before bottling and you should end up with a pretty nice beer. I tasted mine from a sample before bottling, it was like something in between Stella and Heineken, albeit flat. [lol] Cheers, Kelsey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidH45 Posted August 9, 2012 Author Share Posted August 9, 2012 Ok thanks, that sounds like a good plan! I was just surprised at how fast the readings dropped, considering other people were getting final reading of 1015! I was hoping for a more staropramen/peroni mix [tongue], but to be honest anything drinkable i will consider a success! Thanks again! David! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 What was the OG? Temps between 14 - 18 degrees are on the higher end for lagers so it will probably ferment a little faster. Getting down to 1018 after 6 days at those temps doesn't seem unusual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidH45 Posted August 9, 2012 Author Share Posted August 9, 2012 OG was 1046 [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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