Fermentation restarted?

[Bondelle]

I am preparing to transfer my first batch from the FV to a keg for conditioning and I think whilst moving the FV up to a work surface, I have disturbed something and it's bubbling again! Should I go ahead and transfer the brew or wait, and if so, how long?

Hope someone can advise on this Thanks.

[vacant]

How long in the FV?

What was the OG, yeast, and expected/current FG?

[Bondelle]

It's been 10 days in FV. It had stopped so I thought ok to transfer. The yeast was from a local Brewery and was pretty volitile for the first couple of days but then settled.

I am a newbie when it comes to Hydrometers but I did take a reading of 1050 at 21 degrees for OG, but I have a feeling my hydrometer is out (or I am using it wrong) as in Tap Water it is reading 1005 ish The OG for Bathams should be about 1044 I believe - so perhaps it was not far off? I have not tried a sample yet for FG. Should I do that now perhaps?

Here is the Brew Day pics

[Brotherton Lad]

If your tap water is cold, it will read high, try water at 20 C.
Take a reading of the beer today, if it's the same tomorrow it's ready, hopefully it'll be about 1012 or 1014.

[Bondelle]

Ok, rechecked and the Tap Water is 20 C and still showing 1005 ish

Took a sample from FV and reading is about 1015 and was VERY cloudy, however.... I took a sip for taste and OMG, it tastes fabulous! No after taste at all (unlike my first efforts from a tin). As long as I don't screw up the bottling etc, it should be a great brew! I am just confused now if my hydrometer is out.

[Brotherton Lad]

Maybe you have heavy water in Worcs? If it's out by 5, then your beer is at 1010. Leave it till tomorrow, if it's still the same, then bottle it.

[Bondelle]

Bottle now or cask for a bit first? I was thinking of putting it in a keg/cask to condition for a while in the garage. Is this what most people do?

[Brotherton Lad]

Some do, but not me. I usually keg most of it and bottle less than a gallon (on the same day). It will condition well at one go. Others reckon a while in secondary is better.

[gnorwebthgimi]

The yeast stay active for a while when the bulk of fermentation has been done. Moving a fermenter will rouse them temporarily into action then they go back to being docile.

Some brewers will hate this but, when I barrel I give the barrel a good shake when it's sealed, which instantly pressurises the barrel and starts the up take of the priming sugar.

As mentioned on other threads I would be tempted to use less priming sugar and let the yeasts condition on the existing difficult to ferment sugars. Just in case there is some fermentable sugar left, but after 10 days I doubt there is (depending on the yeast and its health, which looked good).

I'm surprised it is still cloudy, I guess this is yeast unless you didn't use whirlfloc or irish moss (both highly recommended).

[Bondelle]

I used some protofloc 10 mins before end of the boil so assume it's yeast, guess I might have added too much but was not sure of how much to use Will use less next time I guess.

[Bondelle]

If your tap water is cold, it will read high, try water at 20 C.

I think my Hydrometer must be out as I tried it in some bottled water (got it to about 20C first) and am still seeing about 1005 as the reading. Perhaps time to invest in a better quality one.

On the plus side, if I knock off '5' from all my readings, that makes the OG of #1 batch 1045 (should have been 1044) and FG of 1010 which is spot on

[gnorwebthgimi]

Perhaps the yeast you got from the local brewery doesn't flocculate very easily, they may use filter etc.

So4 goes clear on day 3 for me. I wouldn't advise moving the beer from barrel to bottles much, the risk of oxidation is too high, just barrel it wait for it to clear and enjoy.

Let us know how that yeast works out.

[Brotherton Lad]

Hydrometer drills include:
Spin it first to remove any air bubbles sticking to it (they will give you too high a reading)
Read it ignoring the meniscus (which would give you too low a reading)

A proper hydrometer will be made of glass, with a bit of lead shot in the bulb. This means a bloke (could be a lass, but is probably a bloke - apologies to the All England Association of Lady Hydrometer Calibrators) has tested it at the right temperature and has used lead shot to calibrate it. A cheap plastic 'moulded in China' jobby hasn't had the same degree of attention.

[techtone]

I am preparing to transfer my first batch from the FV to a keg for conditioning and I think whilst moving the FV up to a work surface, I have disturbed something and it's bubbling again! Should I go ahead and transfer the brew or wait, and if so, how long?

Hope someone can advise on this Thanks.

It's just the co2 that was in suspension being released by the movement of the FV.

[Bondelle]

Took a sample from FV and reading is about 1015 and was VERY cloudy.

Ok, taken another sample 24 hours or so later and still have same reading (1015 or 1010 if we assume my hydrometer is out - see other posts) and the FV is still bubbling away pretty regularly, roughly 15 seconds apart (althought there is only a small amount of water in the airlock).

Guess to leave it another 24 hours maybe?