fast ferment, more yeast?

[flotoonie]

On Monday I put down a brew.

Sparkling Ale
Morgans Aust. Draught
500grams dried malt
Pride of Ringwood
LloydsLager booster

Problem is that the glad wrap I put over it, and sealed with a O'ring, is no longer puffed up.

Do I reapply yeast? Should I recover with glad wrap in case the seal was broken? I leave the hydrometer in the brew while it ferments and the hydrometer level is half a centimetre below the green part of the stick. Has it just finished fermenting really quickly?

Thanks

[Duane]

probably finnished. What temps are you fermenting at? Higher temps ferment faster and impart some fruity flavours. Cooler temps slow fermentation. Have you taken hydro or refracto readings?

[flotoonie]

I reckon temps hit 24-25 degrees tops during the day and 21-22 at night. My hydro is in the fermenter and I can't see it properly to get a good reading. Just below the green anyway.

3 days is bloody quick!

[lethaldog]

The temp is fairly high but id still expect it to take about 5 days

[flotoonie]

I have just put another layer of gladwrap over the top. If there is a leak that should stop it. Not much else I can really do but wait the week out and check the hydro reading then.

[TommyH]

Just a question.
Why do you leave your hydrometer in the fermentor

[Chris]

Mate, you need to relax a bit. Even if there is a 'leak' in the seal, it really isn't something to lose sleep over. Your beer will not significantly oxidise or spoil, as there is a CO2 layer above it. As the CO2 is heavier than air, it will stay put.

As for the excess CO2 during fermentation, you want it to 'leak' out.

[flotoonie]

I am pretty new to brewing so I am trying to follow this brewing book I have got. It recommended leaving the hydrometer in the fermenter so that I wouldn't have to open the lid or pour a sample to take a reading.

As for my worry about the sinking gladwrap, a second sheet of wrap fixed things up. I suppose I just just wanted to see evidence of fermentation - like an airlock bubbling.

[rwh]

Putting the hydro in the fermenter might be a bit problematic. The krausen (junk floating on the top) will probably make it hard to get a reading. It would probably tend to sit against the side. The condensation on your gladwrap would make it hard to see.

Most people use a hydrometer jar. Just make sure that you remove the airlock (if you're using one) before you take any beer out of the tap to avoid sucking the airlock water into the wort and possibly introducing an infection. I also tend to use idophor solution in my airlock.

[blandy]

Iodophor is a nor rinse steriliser, and is inactive after about twenty minutes in the air (because it's such a reactive substance). I don't think your airlock water will be any different to normal airlock water after a few minutes.

[rwh]

You can tell if idophor is still active by its amber colour. It stays amber in the airlock for a day or two. Better than nothing I guess, and good while you're frigging around with it at the start which is when you're most likely to suck the airlock water back in. Also makes sure the inside of the airlock is nice and sanitary before its effectiveness is depleted by light (and oxygen?).

[Cortez The Killer]

the beauty of the gladwrap is that you can see into the fermenter

if the brew foamed up and looked good then you should have a problem

i've been using glad wrap for ages

some times it domes up other times it doesn't

i figure the cushion of CO2 in the fermenter will protect the brew

just give the brew time to ferment out and it'll all be sweet