DenisF2 Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 I have started a pilsener brew and it has been going for 2 weeks. I read on the instructions that it should be brewed below 18deg and as low as 13. I have kept it within that range and it is still bubbling through the airlock after 2 weeks. I have checked the specific gravity with a hydrometer and it shows that the brew is at about 1005 so should have stopped fermenting. I wonder if it is brewing or going rotten? Have I got it wrong? Can anyone tell me please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Welcome to the Forum Denis! Ignore the airlock. The airlock is an indicator of gas escaping but not necessarily an indicator of fermentation. There may be residual CO2 leaving the liquid that is causing the airlock to bubble. If you have a stable reading of 1005 (ie. 2 days in a row) and it tastes OK then it is fine to bottle. Without knowing the recipe I can't work out what the estimated FG should be but I doubt it would be lower than 1005. Also, if it is going rotten (ie. infected) then you will definitey know it when you smell and taste it. If it tastes OK then it should be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DenisF2 Posted October 29, 2012 Author Share Posted October 29, 2012 Thanks for that, I'm much relieved. I will monitor the SG and see what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainiac Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 I am in almost the same boat I did the pilsner with 3 lbs of DME It has been brewing at 13c for about week and is just getting a stable FG. The beer tastes fine but seems to be quite cloudy so I am thinking I will leave it in the PV for another week or two. I was going to prime each bottle. Does anyone think that priming wiht DME is worth it or should I just go with dextrose. I am using the 750 ml PET bottles. Denis I did not mean ot hijack but was thinking this may help both of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 I would just use dextrose for priming. Also, if you have temp control try raising the temp for a few days (18-20) degrees to help the yeast clean up after itself and then drop it down to crash chill to clear it. If you can't do that it's no big deal, it will still be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainiac Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Thanks Hairy i can raise it up to 18-20 How cold and how long to crash chill it before I bottle? I assume you mean before bottling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamB8 Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 How cold and how long to crash chill it before I bottle? My last Pilsner fermented for 3 weeks at around 12\xb0c, 1 week at 18\xb0c then lagered at 1\xb0c for 8 weeks. I read somewhere that you should lager for as many weeks as days fermented but bollox to that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
***** Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Does anyone think that priming wiht DME is worth it or should I just go with dextrose. I am using the 750 ml PET bottles. Hey Maniac How do you normally prime, bulk or bottle? What do you normally use? I also way prime individual bottles, and I reckon castor sugar is superior to dextrose. Dextrose foams more and leaves me with less headspace in the bottle. Some may want to argue but this is what happens to me, last week I batched a dozen with Dex before switching to sugar, exactly the same conditions but nowhere near as much foam from the sugar. I'd like to try malt one day, that would be following the purist method of carbonation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainiac Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 If I a, using my pet bottles that are all the same size I use dextrose into each bottle. If I am using a bunch of sizes I bulk prime the PV with dextrose lightly stir then let it sttle for an hour then bottle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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