Sticky Pilsner?

[Greatcthulhu]

Hi all. Put on a Coopers pilsner a couple of weeks ago. I used 1kg of beer enhancer 1 and the yeast provided- SG was 1045. It all started off OK and when I checked it 7 days later it was reading 1018. The thing is, five days later and it's still reading 1018. Has it stuck or just finished? I tasted a bit and it was OK- like flat lager really and there was no sweetness to suggest unfermented sugar. Should I just go ahead and bottle or is 1018 a bit high? cheers.

[gxprice]

Should be lower than 1018 but I'm not an expert like some of those on here - I've recently brewed the same kit (with 1.5kg of light DME, OG 1.042) and the FG was 1.012 after 10 days (bottled after 14 days). I also brewed mine with the supplied yeast at around 18C and the beer tastes fantastic now. Perhaps rouse it a little and check for progress again tomorrow - if no change, bottle it and forget the FG since it's only 3 points adrift of the difference between my OG and FG...

I did use a little more fermentable than you also, perhaps that can make a difference?

Best,

Gary.

[oldtom]

What temp are you fermenting at? I think the Pilsner comes with a lager yeast which is happier at lower temps, about 12 to 15. If you`ve gone much higher then it may have done all it`s going to do by now. If the lower end try gently rousing the yeast from the bottom of the F/V and raise the temp to about 14 to 15. If you still get no drop in gravity after a couple more days I`d bottle it and store them somewhere out of the way,`just in case`

Paul.

[Monkeybrew]

Hi

Did you brew this shorter than 23L, because 1.045 seems little high for 1kg of fermentables @23L?

Also BKE1 is made up of 600g of dextrose and 400g of maltodextrin. The maltodextrin is unfermentable and is just there to add body.

A combination of a short brewlength and BKE1 could explain your high FG.

MB

[hommebru]

.018 is too high for that.

i'd say it would be more down to your fermentation temps. if you're fermenting too high the yeast could have given up the ghost already, if you're sticking to what it recommends though you should be more patient. mine took 3 weeks at just under 15 degrees average, so don't expect a rapid fermentation.

[Greatcthulhu]

Thanks for the advice. It was made up to just under 20 lts and the temp was around 16/18c- whatever the ambient temp was at the time. I'll try rousing it and see what happens. If there's no further activity I'll stick it in pet bottles and put it somewhere safe

[hommebru]

not sure that would be best.
if the rouse doesn't work you should probably pitch some fresh yeast.

my pils went from .052 to .010 so yours should at least make it to .010 if not lower.

[Greatcthulhu]

OK cheers. I don't have any lager yeast unfortunately- the only yeast I have is wine and I don't think that would be too successful . I'll try rousing it and see what happens