Stuck or stopped?

mobydick · Post by **mobydick** » Thursday Jun 14, 2007 7:00 pm

I lay me down a Coopers Bitter.

1 can of Coopers bitter
500g dex
500g LDME
250g Maltodextrin

Pitched 2 x 7g Coopers 'tin lid' sachets @ 25 degrees (one from the Bitter, one from a Real Ale)

Fermented strongly for 4 days then stopped abruptly. The first few days it was at about 20 degrees, seemed to be generating its own heat. Temp dropped to maybe 17. I moved it to a warmer place yesterday. I just measured the wort temp at 18.5 degrees, but still no action in the air lock.

I have only used Safale US-05 before. Does the Coopers yeast run out of puff earlier? Does pitching 14 grams mean it has finished quickly? The gravity (OG ) started at 1048 @ 25 degrees, and it's now 1015 @ 18 degrees.

Has it stopped or is it stuck?

Rysa · Post by **Rysa** » Thursday Jun 14, 2007 7:03 pm

Could be done, 4.9% seems bout right.

Rysa · Post by **Rysa** » Thursday Jun 14, 2007 7:06 pm

http://www.brewcraft.com.au/wa.asp?idWe ... etails=120

Using this at 23L comes out at 1013, not far off the mark.
Have been known to finish after 4 days before, helps to leave it for a bit longer to clear it up unless you are racking.

mobydick · Post by **mobydick** » Thursday Jun 14, 2007 7:11 pm

Thanks Rysa. I was considering whether I need to rack it off to my other fermenter which has an immersion heater, to warm it up a bit. But if it seems about right I'll just leave it another week or two. I am going to dry hop some fuggles into this one (first time dry hopper), so would now be the right time?

Rysa · Post by **Rysa** » Thursday Jun 14, 2007 7:27 pm

Haven't dry hopped myself but i think it best done not all that long before bottling.
Found this though.. http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/vi ... ht=cry+hop

mobydick · Post by **mobydick** » Thursday Jun 14, 2007 8:00 pm

From that thread it seems right to dry hop about now, but not leave it too long or it may develop a grassy flavour. (Wonder how long is too long? as long as a piece of string?)

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Friday Jun 15, 2007 10:21 am

It's finished. The Coopers yeast is very vigorous, more so than any other yeast I've used. Both the dried and recultured yeast have this property.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Friday Jun 15, 2007 11:09 am

I'd personally rack it, but not heat it. I'd be happier (personally) with 1010-12.

mobydick · Post by **mobydick** » Sunday Jun 17, 2007 9:08 pm

I racked it and dry hopped it. It's bubbling out through the air lock again. Might be just CO2 though. Maybe the hops send it off again! I'll post again with the SG in a week to see if it has dropped a bit more.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Tuesday Jun 19, 2007 10:38 am

Yeah, I think you made a good choice there.

mobydick · Post by **mobydick** » Tuesday Jun 19, 2007 6:48 pm

Well it is still bubbling out the air lock. The SG is currently 1012, so yeah, it definitely wanted to ferment out a little more. Thanks Chris - good advice. Probably stick to using Safale

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Friday Jun 22, 2007 1:04 pm

Good to hear it worked out. The thought of all that exploding beer...