Do I have a stall?

Yeast & Fermentation
1

I’ve just started my first brew with Northern Brewers Duluxe Starter Kit. I followed the directions for the Nut Brown Ale Recipe Kit exactly. A Wyeast packet was added when the wort was at 70 degrees.

Fermentation started within 12 hours. By 18 hours there was an active 3" kraeusen. By 36 hours in I could see no activity but there is still a 2" kraeusen. I’m now 60 hours in and nothing has changed.

There was never a lot of bubbling through the air lock. The only thing I noticed was some “pushing” of the liquid in the air lock. The carboy has been in a room with a constant temperature of 69 degrees. The fermometer is currently at 72-74 degrees.

Maybe I’m just paranoid and this is normal for this recipe. The lack of bubbling in the airlock has me wondering if things are progressing as they should.

Any help would be appreciated.

2

A gravity reading is the only way to know. An average-gravity ale could certainly ferment out in three days, especially if the temperature was >70°F.

3

Just took my first gravity reading after 11 days. Things are looking good. 3.75ABV

I’ll take another reading in three days, if there’s no change I’ll bottle it up.

Thanks for your help.

4

Is that 3.75% the “potential” alcohol reading on the hydrometer?

Or is it the OG - FG = ABV?

I’m to lazy to look, what is the estimated ABV of that kit?

5

It was OG - FG = ABV. 5.75% - 2.00% = 3.75%ABV

I can’t find what the FG should be on this recipe. My OG was 1.045, FG was 1.015

6

Don’t use the ABV scale on your hydrometer, it isn’t terribly accurate. The specific gravity scale is much more useful. At 1.015, I’d say your fermentation is almost done. Let the beer condition on the yeast for another week or so, don’t rush things.

7

To clarify: it isn’t inaccurate (or rather, it’s exactly as accurate as using your hydrometer to estimate ABV). But SG readings are more useful and more helpful when talking to other brewers.

8

Thanks all. Your suggestions make perfect sense.

9

To clarify: it isn’t inaccurate (or rather, it’s exactly as accurate as using your hydrometer to estimate ABV). But SG readings are more useful and more helpful when talking to other brewers.[/quote]

Except that it is inaccurate, in that it doesn’t give you an accurate ABV. 1.045 to 1.015 is 4.0%ABV.

10

3.8% by my math. But my point was that it’s comparable precision to what you’ll get taking SG readings on a $7 hydrometer anyway.