Hygiene when checking the SG

[Stonch]

Well that's fine, as the yeast head has now receded (it's been on the go for three days). I'll put it in tonight, and be sure to give it a spin each time I take a reading to shake off those bubbles.

Even if it appears to stop fermenting before then, I'm going to leave it in primary for a full 10 days as suggested by DaaB. Seems to be the best way.

Cheers guys

[Stonch]

Just took a reading on our Brupaks Black Moor Stout of about 1020 - FG meant to be 1010 - seems pretty good after only three and a half days... hooray

[Stonch]

Tell you another thing - smells pretty good, too. I was repulsed by the smell at this stage during brew one.

Maybe it's just because I'm a hopeless stout lover...

[Stonch]

Hmmm we seem to have been stuck at 1020 now since day three... it's now day five... should I rouse the yeasties yet, or let it be for a bit longer?

[fivetide]

Hmmmm...

See, Stonch was a jolly, perfectly content, keg cuddling brewer until his hydrometer arrived. They're evil I tell you!

Well, you won't be short of empathetic advice on stuck ferments on the forum if that's what it turns out to be (stirring, yeast-vit, heat, repitch, sing opera to it etc...)

[Stonch]

These hydrometers are evil things, aren't they? They float around in there, taunting you with your own inability to fully ferment a few gallons of wort.

I can see how this'll go....

stir....

wait...

check it constantly...

wait...

stir...

WHACK IN THE SPARE YEAST I'VE GOT KNOCKING ABOUT AND HOPE FOR THE BEST!!!

[eskimobob]

There's probably an old brewer's tale somewhere along the lines of "a watched hyrometer will not move"

[BarryNL]

Well, I want to keep this brew for my son's first birthday...

Start 'em young with Junior Beer!

What, Budweizer?

[BarryNL]

Hmmm we seem to have been stuck at 1020 now since day three... it's now day five... should I rouse the yeasties yet, or let it be for a bit longer?

It may just be done. My last stout finished at 1.026. Tasting it is another way to see whether enough of the sugars have been fermented. If it's not too sweet then it's probably done, regardless of what the hydrometer thinks.

[fivetide]

It's only been five days in fermenter though, surely a bit of a rouse, maybe some yeast-vit and another five days wouldn't hurt.

[delboy]

even if it is finished leaving it a tad longer will at least give the yeast a chance to clean up afterthemselves and munch up all the funky compounds they made during their initial lusty orgy when the popuation shot up

Good advice from BarryNL esp when it comes to stouts which should have more unfermentables anyway (unless you are brewing a dry stout)

[Stonch]

I think ours is a dry stout ... erroneously described as an "Irish stout", when in fact the style originated in London (whatever the Guinness marketing men may want you to believe!)

I have no yeast vit sadly, so I reckon it's a gentle rouse, hope for the best, and just leave it for the full 10 days anyway as DaaB advises on his website. Last time we racked after 6 days out of pure impatience...

[delboy]

I think ours is a dry stout ... erroneously described as an "Irish stout", when in fact the style originated in London (whatever the Guinness marketing men may want you to believe!)

I have no yeast vit sadly, so I reckon it's a gentle rouse, hope for the best, and just leave it for the full 10 days anyway as DaaB advises on his website. Last time we racked after 6 days out of pure impatience...

Sure the guiness marketing men are londoners, the company that own guinness, Diaego are based in london, the profits go to london, its listed on the london stock exchange, how much more recognition do you want

[Stonch]

Good point, Delboy!

Now I gave my little baby a stir tonight with a sterilised stainless steel implement... it plough through the thick slurry at the bottom, then every so gently twirled it around a bit and put the lit back on.

Here's hoping I can get i off 1020 and southwards to 1010!

Its also occurred to me my spare room is a little chillier than before, what with this snap of "normal" weather, after the recent heat waves... so maybe that's not doing it any good. My little stick on thermometer, which originally read 20-22 when we first set the yeast off on their journey, is now 18-20 degrees celsius.

[Stonch]

doh no effect from last night's little stir, still at 1020. Will give it another gentle whirl later on today, but after that it's not looking so good...