Wally Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 Hi I have just started with my first brew, so pardon the stupid mistakes/questions. I decided to brew a Pale Ale and mixed according to the can by only adding one bag of Enhancer #2 to the mix. The temp was around 24 deg C at the end of the mix when the yeast was added. The OG was 1060. When I got to the shed the next morning the temp has dropped to 17 deg overnight. To heat it up I placed the fermenter in a box with a 40watt globe, regularly checking the temp and keeping it around 24 deg by switching the light on and off from time to time. It is now three days and I never saw any bubbling from the seal, although it tested sealed if you squeeze the bottle. Tonight I tested the SG and the reading was 1018. My question is how long should I leave this to ferment before I bottle and why did the thing never bubble? Has it anything to do with the low temp I got at the start? Wally Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 G'day Wally, the CO2 is going somewhere, if not through the airlock, then there must be a leak - don't worry about it! You are doing the right thing by using your hydrometer to monitor the density. An OG of 1060 sounds a bit high - it should be more like 1038. The first runnings from the tap can give you a higher reading than actual OG. I normally discard the first runnings and measure the second draw. It's not a bad idea to keep the brew at 18C or above but don't be too worried if it drops below. Just bring the temp back up and the yeast should get going again. You can bottle off once the density has remained steady over two days. Bottling off only once FG is achieved is important when using glass boittles but not such a big deal if using PET or steel kegs. Considering the low temperatures experienced by your brew, FG will probably be reached at around the 7 to 9 day mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oliver Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 Hey Wally, Where abouts in Pirie are you? I used to live up there, many years ago. Worked at GTS/BKN (aka Central TV). Great town. Had a blast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wally Posted October 12, 2005 Author Share Posted October 12, 2005 I am working at Zinifex and live just behind the spot where you used to go to work. Pirie is a very nice place indeed, especially for a South African that is not used to city life - close to all the nice places in SA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oliver Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 I used to live on The Terrace (351, if memory serves me correctly, which it probably doesn't as there have been a lot of beers consumed since 1994!), then in the street directly opposite GTS/BKN. Then I took a transfer to Whyalla. That was a different story altogether! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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