How much difference in SG should there be after one week of fermentation? Background: I'm working on my second batch of home-brew. It's an extract Amber recipe that a friend gave me as he was cleaning his garage getting ready to move (1st red flag). I'm one week since brew night -- Everything went well up to pitching yeast...It's Munton's yeast that was labeled "BBE 2011" and some other numbers. I googled what that meant, and of course, it was a best by date (2nd red flag). I rehydrated anyways since I had a carboy full of cooled wort sitting in front of me at 2:00 am (I brew after my fam goes to bed). Fermented at ~68-70*s in my coat closet under my stairs. Fermentation looked like it took about 12-13 hours to take off, but got a good krausen for at least 3-4 days and then fell back into the beer. Had some particulate floating/churning up through 4-5 days into fermentation. Problem: My OG was ~1.045...one week in, my SG is ~1.036. I used an online ABV calculator which came out ~1% ABV. Is that normal based on my timeline of fermentation? If not, what can I do? I'm at least going to give it another week, but don't want to waste time/effort. Here are my options that I'm thinking. Option A: It was free with obviously old ingredients...dump it. Option B: Buy some new yeast and pitch it on 2-week old wort/beer Option C: Wait and do nothing...I may have used the hydrometer wrong and it'll taste fine Like I said, only my second batch, so happy to answer any questions and take any feedback. I'd post pics, but it just looks like brown liquid in my carboy..nothing that interesting or out of the norm...I think
am a bit amazed that yeast did anything. But, you have located your primary problem. What you are using is old. Not sure if you'd want to have a crack at reviving that batch, or not. Considering it's as old as it is. I probably wouldn't.
My question assumes the yeast will do anything else, of course. That's what I figured...I have totally emotional/illogical reasons for wanting to make this batch work. Namely, I'm getting ready to move and this was my last batch before moving. I don't have enough time to do start another one. I guess I have no opportunity cost to letting this one finish out. It's not like I'm going to start another one.
So the logical conclusion is that the bulk of fermentation is done. I might get slight attenuation from here, but nothing significant ...right?
Get a new pack of dry yeast, rehidrate it, and pitch it. It's worth a shot especially since it you are not financially invested in this batch. Don't dump it! There's so much to learn even it comes out terrible!
My guess based upon the yeast BB date is that this kit is over 6 years old. The malt is stale as hell at this point in time. I can't imagine this beer turning out to be 'drinkable' given how old the ingredients are. Cheers!
Working with ingredients this old would be a fun experiment for homebrew club. That's about it though.
That's some old stuff. I'm surprised the malt wasn't a solid chunk. Maybe add some safale-05 just to see what it does.
Seems like best case I have an experiment, worst case is dumping it now. Hmmm... Adding more yeast puts me over the line of "I have nothing but time invested"
since you've already brewed it, fermented it, and are asking BA about it - you shouldn't mind "investing" $4 into this batch.
