I've been brewing up the Peter's Well Ruby Red kit since last Saturday and so am now on day 8. For the last 3 days the temperature has dropped and has been hovering around 17.5 degrees and the gravity has stayed pretty static at 1018.
Not sure what course of action I should take now? Try to warm it a bit and leave for another couple of days? Transfer to the pressure barrel today? Just leave it for another couple of days? Something else?
Can anyone help me out here?
It's gone a bit chilly!
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Swiller
Re: It's gone a bit chilly!
Have you anywhere you can put it that is warmer?
I would give that a go if you can then maybe invest
in an aquarium heater for future brews as a steady
temperature is important. I am not familiar with that
particular kit but 1018 is a bit high for barreling
imo so may turn out a little on the sweet side.
I am sure someone on the forum with more experience
will offer more help.
J
I would give that a go if you can then maybe invest
in an aquarium heater for future brews as a steady
temperature is important. I am not familiar with that
particular kit but 1018 is a bit high for barreling
imo so may turn out a little on the sweet side.
I am sure someone on the forum with more experience
will offer more help.
J
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jhob
Re: It's gone a bit chilly!
Funny you should mention aquarium heaters as I was just thinking about them for future brews as a cost effective solution to temperature regualation. A 50w heater like this one would seem to fit the bill, what do you think?
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Swiller
Re: It's gone a bit chilly!
That's a very reasonable priced one!
I use the Hagen Elite ones only because
my local garden/aqua centre were doing
a good deal on them. I always check the
heater thermostat by putting it in some
water and checking the temp with a thermometer
just incase it may be faulty.
J
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hagen-Elite-Subme ... c7ffd98eba
I use the Hagen Elite ones only because
my local garden/aqua centre were doing
a good deal on them. I always check the
heater thermostat by putting it in some
water and checking the temp with a thermometer
just incase it may be faulty.
J
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hagen-Elite-Subme ... c7ffd98eba
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jhob
Re: It's gone a bit chilly!
Does that Hagen one have a knurled temperature knob? It looks like everything is more rounded and smoothed off with that heater which would be good as far as avoiding dirt/germs is concerned.
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Swiller
Re: It's gone a bit chilly!
On the Hagen the round top twists to adjust
the temperature with a read out further down
the bulb the only thing you have to be a bit
carefull with is where the wire enters
the heater there is a small void that needs to
be cleaned. I always soak the heater in a bleach
solution after and before use and give it a good
rinse under a fast running tap and never had any
problems.
J
the temperature with a read out further down
the bulb the only thing you have to be a bit
carefull with is where the wire enters
the heater there is a small void that needs to
be cleaned. I always soak the heater in a bleach
solution after and before use and give it a good
rinse under a fast running tap and never had any
problems.
J
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jhob
Re: It's gone a bit chilly!
Just bought one of those hagen heaters for £11 posted on ebay, that should see me ok through the winter hopefully.
The upstairs of our house is about the right temperature, problem is how I get the fv upstairs without spilling it, I don't rate my chances! Think I'll see what temperature the front room is, it gets all the sun so might be a bit better than the dining room where it is currently. I'll give it a couple more days and see how it goes. Cheers for the advice!
The upstairs of our house is about the right temperature, problem is how I get the fv upstairs without spilling it, I don't rate my chances! Think I'll see what temperature the front room is, it gets all the sun so might be a bit better than the dining room where it is currently. I'll give it a couple more days and see how it goes. Cheers for the advice!
-
jhob
Re: It's gone a bit chilly!
Just bought one of those hagen heaters for £11 posted on ebay, that should see me ok through the winter hopefully.
The upstairs of our house is about the right temperature, problem is how I get the fv upstairs without spilling it, I don't rate my chances! Think I'll see what temperature the front room is, it gets all the sun so might be a bit better than the dining room where it is currently. I'll give it a couple more days and see how it goes. Cheers for the advice!
The upstairs of our house is about the right temperature, problem is how I get the fv upstairs without spilling it, I don't rate my chances! Think I'll see what temperature the front room is, it gets all the sun so might be a bit better than the dining room where it is currently. I'll give it a couple more days and see how it goes. Cheers for the advice!
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jhob
Re: It's gone a bit chilly!
Just moved it to the front room where the ambient temperature is about 19.5, hopefully a couple of days there should see me right, particularly if the sun decides to come out as it is threatening to do so at the moment.
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EoinMag
Re: It's gone a bit chilly!
It's a two can all malt kit right, so it'll take longer. 17.5 is pretty much a perfect temperature to brew an ale at. I set my fridge to 18c and it produces lovely beers. I'd have left it where it was and just waited a while. All malt kits don't tend to attenuate as much as kit and kilo and your end gravity will probably be around 1.015 and it'll just take a little while longer to get there as the yeast gets into the more complex sugars once it's finished the simple ones that it goes for first.
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Swiller
Re: It's gone a bit chilly!
I take it you have been keeping it in the garage/shed as I said it's
a steady temperature you need. My garage went down to 9c the
other night so if I had beer in fermenters in there it woult take a long
time to get back up to 18c which the daytime temp has been here lately.
As EoinMag says he has a fridge set to 18c which wouldn't fluctuate
much or for very long.
Cheers for your imput EoinMag I hoped someone with more experience
would give advice.
J
a steady temperature you need. My garage went down to 9c the
other night so if I had beer in fermenters in there it woult take a long
time to get back up to 18c which the daytime temp has been here lately.
As EoinMag says he has a fridge set to 18c which wouldn't fluctuate
much or for very long.
Cheers for your imput EoinMag I hoped someone with more experience
would give advice.
J
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Geezah
Re: It's gone a bit chilly!
Get a builders trub and 1/2 fill it with warm water once your FV is sitting in it, and get your fishtank heater in there.
No need for cleaning and sanitising the heater, so a smooth temperature knob isn't an issue.
No need for cleaning and sanitising the heater, so a smooth temperature knob isn't an issue.
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jhob
Re: It's gone a bit chilly!
I've also been told that if primary fermentation goes on for too long then the protective layer of carbon dioxide that sits over the brew will go allowing oxygen to get in, which isn't good apparently. So I'm a bit confused as to whether leaving it for longer is a good thing or not.EoinMag wrote:It's a two can all malt kit right, so it'll take longer. 17.5 is pretty much a perfect temperature to brew an ale at. I set my fridge to 18c and it produces lovely beers. I'd have left it where it was and just waited a while. All malt kits don't tend to attenuate as much as kit and kilo and your end gravity will probably be around 1.015 and it'll just take a little while longer to get there as the yeast gets into the more complex sugars once it's finished the simple ones that it goes for first.
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Geezah
Re: It's gone a bit chilly!
I recently done a Stout which got stuck at 1020 and it sat in the FV for over 14 days only to drop to 1018.
I threw it in the keg in the end and its an amazing pint.
I wouldn't start worrying until your going past 14 days in the primary fv, just avoid taking the lid completely off to check your hydrometer (leave it in the brew)
co2 is heavier than air, so providing you dont disturb it too much there shouldnt be any problem.
I threw it in the keg in the end and its an amazing pint.
I wouldn't start worrying until your going past 14 days in the primary fv, just avoid taking the lid completely off to check your hydrometer (leave it in the brew)
co2 is heavier than air, so providing you dont disturb it too much there shouldnt be any problem.
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EoinMag
Re: It's gone a bit chilly!
Oxidation is not an issue in the fermentation phase unless you're talking really long times. Oxidation happens in transfer when splashing happens, otherwise it's not really an issue when the fluid is sitting not moving about in a bucket, lid on or not.jhob wrote:I've also been told that if primary fermentation goes on for too long then the protective layer of carbon dioxide that sits over the brew will go allowing oxygen to get in, which isn't good apparently. So I'm a bit confused as to whether leaving it for longer is a good thing or not.EoinMag wrote:It's a two can all malt kit right, so it'll take longer. 17.5 is pretty much a perfect temperature to brew an ale at. I set my fridge to 18c and it produces lovely beers. I'd have left it where it was and just waited a while. All malt kits don't tend to attenuate as much as kit and kilo and your end gravity will probably be around 1.015 and it'll just take a little while longer to get there as the yeast gets into the more complex sugars once it's finished the simple ones that it goes for first.
I have left beers, not due to my own fault, up to 6 weeks in a fermenter successfully, much longer will probably become an issue with beefy/oxo style off-flavours.
With two can kits, try 3-4 weeks in the primary then bottle or keg, don't be in a hurry, they're not as quick to finish as a Coopers or something with a kilo of white sugar thrown in.