coopers lager kit help - hydrometer stuff

[edonald774]

Guys,
can I ask for some advice from you more experienced folks?

I am currently brewing a Coopers Aussie Lager kit - my very first attempt at home brew. I followed their instructions (including taking OG after adding yeast even though folk seem to be saying to do it before) and my OG was 1036 which wasn't what the instructions said it should be. But I thought ok could be a number of reasons etc etc.

Its's day 6 today so as per the instructions I've just tested again and it's saying 1011 not the 1010/1008 that I was expecting.

I tried testing the hydrometer in tap water and it's saying 990 for tap water not 1000.

Should I just keep testing until I get 1010 reading? Is it just patience?

sorry to be a pain, but I am a total newbie at this so no experience of my own to go by.

[simon50]

hydrometers are usually accurate when the liquid is at 20c, if the liquid is not the right temperature, it will give you a faulty reading (as in; cold tap water at this time of year will probably not be "accurate")

if you made the kit up to 23l with 1kg of sugar, 1.036 sounds about right for a OG.

it's good to leave the beer in the fermenter for at least 2 weeks (without messing about with it) so the yeast has ample time to do it's work, at 6 days you're pushing it, instructions "forget" to mention this.

if you did use just sugar, i think you will probably get to around 1.008, if you used a kit enhancer or spray malt, maybe slightly higher.

it really is a matter of patience, fermentation will slow down towards the end and eventually grind to a halt, it's best to give it ample time to finish (the aforementioned 2 weeks), rather then throwing the hydrometer at it on a daily basis.

[edonald774]

brilliant Simon thank you.
That makes me feel so much better. I guess the instructions aren't always the best way to go, it is going to be experience that makes thedifference.

Ok I'll leave it be as per your guidance.

thanks again

[maevans]

Hi there,

I'm currently doing the same kit and also got a OG of 1.036, so don't worry. I also got some very odd readings from my coopers hydrometer, so I think my hydrometer has gone awry. I've tested it in water at 20oC and the reading is nowhere near being 1.000 as it should be.

I bottled (yesterday) after exactly 2 weeks in the Fermenter (as the chap before suggested) so I'm fairly sure fermentation should have finished after that time. Leaving it for 2 weeks whatever the instructions say seems to be standard advice around these parts - I suspect the instructions always try to push you to do things earlier than necessary, just so they can sell the kits in a "from brewing to tasting in just 2 weeks" way. Leaving it the extra time supposedly helps the yeast "clean up after itself".

Cheers,
Mike.

[gxprice]

Hi there,

I'm currently doing the same kit and also got a OG of 1.036, so don't worry. I also got some very odd readings from my coopers hydrometer, so I think my hydrometer has gone awry. I've tested it in water at 20oC and the reading is nowhere near being 1.000 as it should be.

I bottled (yesterday) after exactly 2 weeks in the Fermenter (as the chap before suggested) so I'm fairly sure fermentation should have finished after that time. Leaving it for 2 weeks whatever the instructions say seems to be standard advice around these parts - I suspect the instructions always try to push you to do things earlier than necessary, just so they can sell the kits in a "from brewing to tasting in just 2 weeks" way. Leaving it the extra time supposedly helps the yeast "clean up after itself".

Cheers,
Mike.

If you doubt the hydrometer, another "thumb in the air" way of ensuring fermentation is complete is to verify that the hydrometer reading is the same for 3 days in a row - that will tell you that fermentation has stopped. If you take the first reading after 10 or 11 days, and check again at 12 and 14 getting the same reading, you are safe to bottle. Obviously, this assumes that the hydrometer isn't completely broken (if you've measured 1.036 as OG and are now reading 1.011, I don't think it is, it may just be not very well calibrated or over-susceptable to temp changes).

I'd agree with the 2 weeks in the primary FV even if by chance the fermentation has finished early (can happen if brewing at higher temperatures). It allows the crud to settle much better and results in less ending up in the bottles. Don't worry, there will still be plenty of yeast in the bottles to carbonate

[maevans]

If you doubt the hydrometer, another "thumb in the air" way of ensuring fermentation is complete is to verify that the hydrometer reading is the same for 3 days in a row - that will tell you that fermentation has stopped. If you take the first reading after 10 or 11 days, and check again at 12 and 14 getting the same reading, you are safe to bottle. Obviously, this assumes that the hydrometer isn't completely broken (if you've measured 1.036 as OG and are now reading 1.011, I don't think it is, it may just be not very well calibrated or over-susceptable to temp changes).

Thanks gxprice - in my case the hydrometer started telling me the beer was at 0.996 after the two weeks! It did at least tell me that consistently over a few days, but seems clearly wrong! I did drop the damn thing, which probably didn't help it.

[edonald774]

Thanks guys it's great to be able to get real advice.
Two weeks will be up tomorrow so I'll get bottling then if it's all looking good.