stopping brewing

[avtovaz]

ki ahev a beer brewing atm, i want to stop it brewing and bottle it, i have never stopped or tried to! the brew, i always let it brew out.

What do i do just add a camdon tablet? its 5ltr...

[soupdragon]

I've heard of people doing that, not sure about the amount to use tho. Also bringing the temp right down will ( ? should ? ) stop the yeast in it's tracks.

Cheers Tom

[oldbloke]

Campden alone won't do it. The wine guys use potassium sorbate and Campden in tandem (and occasionally, if the yeast is strong with stuff to eat it, it maybe still won't stop).
If you do stop it, it will of course be flat - you'll have to force carbonate it with gas somehow.

[fatbloke]

Campden alone won't do it. The wine guys use potassium sorbate and Campden in tandem (and occasionally, if the yeast is strong with stuff to eat it, it maybe still won't stop).
If you do stop it, it will of course be flat - you'll have to force carbonate it with gas somehow.

That's stabilising.....and it's not a technique for halting a ferment, it's to prevent any refermentation, if you want to sweeten something up that's fermented dry.

The only way I can think of, would be to cold crash it for 4 or 5 days. But equally, even if it's racked off any sediment, it's likely to start to referment when it warms back up, unless it's stabilised and then as oldbloke says, force carbonated......

[rootsbrew]

Look up "arrest fermentation" - that's the proper phrase.

One idea...
If you can set up your syphone tube to run through boiling water (or steam) then ivery cold water (or an ice bath), then you'd essentially pasturise the beer.

Another idea...
Throw whisky into it. You'll need to check how much so you don't flavour the beer too much but the alcohol kills the yeast - this is how port is made (except cognac is used, instead of whisky).

[Laripu]

You need 16% to be sure you've stopped fermentation. Only neutral spirits will do that without changing the brew's taste. It's a bad choice, IMO.

[darkonnis]

You could alternatively freeze it down? That should do the job after a bit of time. I'm fairly certain that yeast doesnt like low temperature freezing. Might ruin your brew though

[CestrIan]

Why would anyone want to do this? Let it brew out.

[avtovaz]

I have always let it brew out to all, but i thought if you stopped it early you could get it a bit more sweeter,


I love for example dry cider, but i thought this is how you got sweet cider or wines...

[CestrIan]

The residual malt sweetness or amount of fermentation can vary from yeast to yeast. It is called attenuation and a low attenuating yeast like Danstar windsor will give you a higher finishing gravity, so a slightly sweeter beer. A high attenuating yeast like Nottingham will give a low finishing gravity and a dryer beer. The other way to affect the final gravity is mash temperature. If you mash at 68C you will have a sweeter beer with more body and if you mash at 63C it will turn out dryer. Adding crystal malt or cara pils will also add body and malt sweetness. Aiming for a higher starting gravity will add more body and give you a higher FG. If you add adjuncts like sugar they will dry the beer out and reduce the body and mouthfeel.