Woodfordes Admirals reserve

[CiderSi]

Has My Woodfordes admirals reserve stopped fermenting, the reading on the hydrometer is 1012, which according to the pack is ok however my father in law says that i should get it down to 1006.
It has been fermenting now for 5 days.

Also what is the calculation for ABV?
I have seen on the internet that its Start-Finsh x 105
So i my case it would be 1.042-1.012 x 105 = 3.15%

I am new an greatful of any help that anyne can give.

Cheers
Simon

[Benson_JV]

1012 i think is a little too high, try to gently rouse it, see if the yeasties come back after a little doze off.

Also you can check the ABV calc here:
http://www.liquorcraft.com.au/wa.asp?id ... etails=106

Your beer comes out at 4.5%

Hope its a good one!

[CiderSi]

When you say gentily rouse it, you mean give it a stir or up the temp a little by moving the belt down?

Simon

[Benson_JV]

Stir it gently with a sanitised paddle

Out of curiosity, where abouts on the FV is the brewbelt?

[StrangeBrew]

1012 isn't too bad for a two tin Woodforde's/Muntons kit! Some people struggle to get them lower than 1020/1018.

[Benson_JV]

Aye thats what i thought, but i thought it might be just a tad higher than safe bottling range, so who knows, he might get it down to 1006

[Lillywhite]

....... he might get it down to 1006

From what I read about Admiral's Reserve hell will freeze over first.

[RichardG]

A good way to check your ABV is to use the HMRC website; http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPort ... 379_146310 - see sec 30.3; HMRC use this to calculate the duty due on any brew, so it ought to be accurate! I also used the website mentioned by benson_jv but gave it up as it was always higher than the HMRC calculation or, indeed, any other online calculator I tried, so I doubt it's accuracy! By my reckoning your brew, at the moment, is 1042 - 1012 x 0.129 = 3.87% ABV.

[Lillywhite]

... By my reckoning your brew, at the moment, is 1042 - 1012 x 0.129 = 3.87% ABV.

I think this is the variable factor that's gives different ABV percentages.

[CiderSi]

I have the brew belt about 3" from the top of the beer level, the temperature of my house is pretty constant but the beer has been fermenting at 22-24deg for the past 5 days. i am going to check SG tonight and if it hasn't moved i will keg, primiming with medium spraymalt.

1 quick question, do you put the priming solution in the keg first or syphon the beer in first?

Cheers
Simon

[Benson_JV]

I would put the priming in first, as then syphoning the beer will mix it sufficiantly, whereas the otherway around you would have to mix it manually thus oxidising the mix.

[Belmont Boozer]

There seems to be a pattern. I just bottled a batch of Admiral's reserve last week after 13 days in the fermenter.

OG was 1040 final Gravity 1010 so I ended up with 30 x 1.31 = 3.9%. From what I've read about woodfordes kits there' loads get stuck around 1018-1020 so we have both been quite lucky.

I don't think there is any chance of it reaching 4.5% ABV as it says on the front of the box as they also write on the side that its can finish fermenting anywhere under 1020 (so they leave a massive cop out clause).

One good thing though, if you don't mind it being a bit weaker than expected it tastes spot on.

[RichardG]

Lillywhite is quite correct. The actual formulae is OG - FG x F = ABV, where F is a variable factor dependent on the diffence between the OG and the FG.

[batemans fan]

There seems to be a pattern. I just bottled a batch of Admiral's reserve last week after 13 days in the fermenter.

OG was 1040 final Gravity 1010 so I ended up with 30 x 1.31 = 3.9%. From what I've read about woodfordes kits there' loads get stuck around 1018-1020 so we have both been quite lucky.

I don't think there is any chance of it reaching 4.5% ABV as it says on the front of the box as they also write on the side that its can finish fermenting anywhere under 1020 (so they leave a massive cop out clause).

One good thing though, if you don't mind it being a bit weaker than expected it tastes spot on.

I had an Admiral's Reserve that started at 1038 and stuck at about 1020 or 1018 (can't remember - but it's in the big thread). I bunged some Dry Beer Enzyme in and got it down to 1001 or 1002 (as above - bad memory). I quite liked the dry hoppy flavours and went to buy another kit to purposefully add the DBE - but my LHBS had ran out, so I've got a Great Eastern instead - has anyone tried both, and if so, what is the hoppiness of the Eastern compared to the Reserve?

[Robdog]

I couldnt get mine lower that 1016 i think it was and it tastes fine after 5 weeks or so in the keg.