Stuck Pilsner? What to do?

DavidP · Post by **DavidP** » Tuesday Jul 03, 2007 4:54 pm

maybe I was dreaming?
the activity I saw must have just be co2 coming out after I stired it?..even though that didn't happen instantly.
no action now and the gravity hasn't dropped.
I'm starting to think it's finished?? could that be possible at 1018?
Could it be that the brew shop stuffed up the malt/dextrose mix and it's got more malt than the last time, giving me a higher fg?
at this stage I'm thinking I'll bottle on friday night if nothing happens.

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Tuesday Jul 03, 2007 4:57 pm

It's possible that the malt is different. Different brands and, to a smaller degree, different batches have different fermentability.

DavidP · Post by **DavidP** » Saturday Jul 07, 2007 1:11 am

buggered if I know what to do now!
I decided to bite the bullet and bottle because it's been stuck at 1018 for 11days..stiring didn't get it started, so I decided that it must be finished.
I got all my stuff ready to bottle..steralized and all that.
and then I get action through the airlock! 2 in less than a minute.
seems like it's started again! gravity is a tad under 1018 now.
after tonight my next opportunity to bottle will be in another weeks time!
am I risking wrecking it by leaving it another week? it's going to be 4 weeks in total by that stage. Is it worth considering chucking in a new better yeast?
I'm about ready to chuck this out and start again!!

mobydick · Post by **mobydick** » Saturday Jul 07, 2007 1:17 am

I reakon if the gravity hasn't changed you should bottle it. The bubbling out of the airlock is probably just CO2.

Mind you I am only brewing my 4th brew, so cannot be relied upon. But I would bottle it.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Tuesday Jul 10, 2007 3:47 pm

I'm not sure I'd want to be going into that room. Hopefully it decides to stay in the bottle- both when opening, and whilst storing.

DavidP · Post by **DavidP** » Tuesday Jul 10, 2007 5:21 pm

I ended up pitching a better yeast...mixed with warm water and a bit of sugar.
the guy at the bottle shop said mix it with water and sugar so it produces a bit of alcohol so when I put it in the fermenter it won't be such of a "shock"......that didn't work! the gravity didn't budge.
I bit the bullet last night and bottled. That might have been the wrong thing to do..but no matter what I did I couldn't get it moving again.
I've bottled some in pet bottles so I can see what the pressure is like...just in case I've made a batch of bottle bombs.
hopefully it really was finished!

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Tuesday Jul 10, 2007 5:26 pm

You made the right decision. It was definitely finished. I've never made such an effort to get the FG down and I've never had an exploding bottle.

Trough Lolly · Post by **Trough Lolly** » Tuesday Jul 10, 2007 9:22 pm

Agreed...you'll be fine. Good idea to bottle in PET's...

Cheers,
TL

DavidP · Post by **DavidP** » Wednesday Jul 11, 2007 2:28 am

Good stuff! Thats re assuring!
Thanks guys!

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Monday Jul 16, 2007 11:15 am

The PET is a good idea. Check them daily, and if they start to feel rock solid, consider releasing the pressure on your glass bottles.

Lats · Post by **Lats** » Monday Jul 16, 2007 11:25 am

Long time brewer and reader but only just joined. I have been brewing the Morgans Hahn Premium Recipe for 12 months and with the cold weather we have had here in tropical north queensland (2 degrees the other night) my current brew fermented for 14 days and stayed at 1018 for 4 days.
I racked it.
Bulk primed and bottled it.
5 days in the bottle so far and no molitov cocktails.

Mine worked....so far!

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Monday Jul 16, 2007 11:43 am

Let's hope that it stays in the bottle (at least until you pour it). Got to love these cold temps for brewing lagers.

DavidP · Post by **DavidP** » Tuesday Jul 17, 2007 3:05 am

Good luck to you Lats! I hope yours don't blow up!

an update for mine!
the PET's are firming up..but certainly aren't rock hard and it's been 7 days in the bottle. so far so good...but I'd assume it would take atleast a couple of weeks before I'll have bottle bombs!

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Tuesday Jul 17, 2007 9:54 am

Our collective fingers are crossed for both of you.