Help

[Simon84]

Hi all
I’m Simon new to all this brewing did a Muntons docklands porter and it was fab!
My second brew I have tried is the muntons ipa but it’s been in a plastic keg for about 2 months but the abv hasn’t gone up on the hydrometer and I have noticed the tap on the pressure barrel has a leak. Could this have anything to do with it?
There’s a lot of pressure in the barrel when I open the tap and the beer seems to have a head on it in the keg
When I pour it a get a great head and a nice beer!
It is there anything I can try to and increase the abv to save it or is it better to throw away and start again
Thanks

[orlando]

When I pour it a get a great head and a nice beer!

Sounds like a dream come true.

[wanus]

Hello Simon.Did you take OG readings before fermentation?From what i understand is that you have primed in a pressure barrell
If so it sounds to me you may have not quite fermented down to your intented FG after fermentation.
Also,wait until the beer goes flat before taking a gravity reading(unless you already are.I presume your samples coming straight from the barrell).
Don`t worry to much about the leaky tap and always remember what Orlando says......have you seen his set up??

[WalesAles]

Simon,
The taps tend to leak if turned too far `closed`, turn it to 90deg, hope that helps.

WA

[Simon84]

Thank you for your reply
What’s and og reading
I did a hydrometer reading before putting the ipa in a pressure barrel. It was at the same as it is now
I added the 85g sugar as suggested on the box normal sugar as I did for the docklands
It was fermenting for about 2 weeks first stage while I had to wait for a replacement tap as the first one had split.
I have a standard pressure barrel no additional gas on it.
The sample came straight from the barrel left it on the side for a few minutes before putting the hydrometer in.

No it haven’t seen Orlando’s set up need to spend some more time navigating this forum just not getting much chance at the moment with work

[orlando]

What’s and og reading
I did a hydrometer reading before putting the ipa in a pressure barrel.

It stands for original gravity i.e. the reading taken before pitching the yeast. If you know that and you know your FG (final gravity) you can work out what the alcoholic content of the Beer is.

[joe1002]

My second brew I have tried is the muntons ipa but it’s been in a plastic keg for about 2 months but the abv hasn’t gone up on the hydrometer

I did a hydrometer reading before putting the ipa in a pressure barrel. It was at the same as it is now
I added the 85g sugar as suggested on the box normal sugar as I did for the docklands
It was fermenting for about 2 weeks first stage while I had to wait for a replacement tap as the first one had split.
I have a standard pressure barrel no additional gas on it.
The sample came straight from the barrel left it on the side for a few minutes before putting the hydrometer in.

Once your beer has been kegged, assuming fermentation in the fermenter was completely finished, the ABV will not increase in the keg (well it will a little as the yeast eats the priming sugar to carbonate it but it will be so little it won't be noticable).

You only need to take gravity readings during fermentation, once at the time of pitching the yeast and then as many times as necessary until you get to your final gravity. You don't need to take any gravity readings from the pressure barrel.

[Incy]

Hi all
I’m Simon new to all this brewing did a Muntons docklands porter and it was fab!
My second brew I have tried is the muntons ipa but it’s been in a plastic keg for about 2 months but the abv hasn’t gone up on the hydrometer and I have noticed the tap on the pressure barrel has a leak. Could this have anything to do with it?
There’s a lot of pressure in the barrel when I open the tap and the beer seems to have a head on it in the keg
When I pour it a get a great head and a nice beer!
It is there anything I can try to and increase the abv to save it or is it better to throw away and start again
Thanks

Sounds like my last brew in the barrel, plenty of pressure and lots of head when pouring, which did die down pretty quick once in the glass.
Most important part of it all is your sentence "When I pour it a get a great head and a nice beer!", if you like it, that is all that matters..

[wanus]

Thank you for your reply
What’s and og reading
I did a hydrometer reading before putting the ipa in a pressure barrel. It was at the same as it is now
I added the 85g sugar as suggested on the box normal sugar as I did for the docklands
It was fermenting for about 2 weeks first stage while I had to wait for a replacement tap as the first one had split.
I have a standard pressure barrel no additional gas on it.
The sample came straight from the barrel left it on the side for a few minutes before putting the hydrometer in.

No i haven’t seen Orlando’s set up need to spend some more navigating this forum just not getting much chance at the moment with work

Work is the curse of the drinking classes