1 Gallon Alcotec

[jimpy0]

Did brewing many moons ago with my father, and recently returned Magnum pear cider kit currently finishing second stage and clearing. Decided to give the Alcotec kit a try, did all as instructed, no airlock but piped into bowl of warm water it was stood in, and away it went like a steam train. Demijohn got quite warm and loads of fizzing action - now a week on [not been touched left to its own devices] it looks like its stalling, slowed right down occasional blip and its cooling, is this normal ???. the destructions state 3 weeks. the bowl its in has an aquarium heater set at 22 degrees so its not got cold.
TIA for any help

Jim

[daddies-beer-factory]

yes this is normal , yeast usually does its stuff in under a week. with ale i leave it for a second week , just doing nothing then bottle.

[jimpy0]

Cheers for the rep - the bowel it was stood in started to smell sulphery due to output gasses i think, demijohn was still warm, so removed the hose changed the water, gave it all a stir for luck and put it back with an airlock. It can just sit for the rest of the time now.
Update on the pear cider, tastes awesome tho a slight yeasty backnote so more conditioning needed as its changed dramatically in flavor over the week

[jimpy0]

Well its been sat like i said it would doing absolutely nothing - to my untrained eye except settling - starting the fining and filtering process this weekend. If my bottles come thru, been advised not to bottle to PET - had a sniff the other day stripped the lining off my throat and made my eyes sting abit but didnt smell off [funny] or chemically.

[jimpy0]

basic quantities question, kit states makes 5 litre base alcohol, point being most demi's are 4.5 litres less what you loose in crud at the bottom. Have just done an Elderflower kit and finished with 4x1 litre bottles.
will it be over strength eg. dynamite, can i water it down to make 5 full 1 litres. Its now on its 3 or more days final clearing down.

Jim

[Andy]

the bowel it was stood in started to smell sulphery due to output gasses i think

We've all been there

[jimpy0]

Final extra fine filtration, coffee filter and aquarium floss for final polish and bottled. Wound up with 5 70cl bottles.
1 x American Bourbon
1 x Tennessee Bourbon
1 x Tequila
2 x White Rum.

It still rips your eyes out if you sniff too close, and the bourbons smelt good b4 the caps went on - anyhoo 10 days [min] to wait now.