Have I blown it ?

[Roo]

Take a reading on the hydrometer and see what the gravity is

[Nibrewer]

I will do one first thing in the morning. What should it read ?

I smelt the brew and it smelt like beer. I even put a spoon into it and it tasted like flat beer.

[sixstingsgareth]

Primary fermentation usually takes around 3 or 4 days. After that the yeast cleans up it's byproducts. Your gravity should remain constant for 3 days or so before bottling but 2 weeks for a standard pale ale is about right for total time in the fermenter. It sounds like everything is going well!

[Nibrewer]

Have you any idea what the gravity reading should be ?

In the interests of science should I taste it ? or leave alone to avoid the runs .

[sixstingsgareth]

It will vary depending on style of beer and yeast used. It will decrease to in and around 1.012 and the higher the sweeter and lower the drier and higher abv.

[Nibrewer]

1.012 was the hydrometer reading. Tasted it and not in a million years is it passing my lips. Sweet and fizzy. Perhaps if it's left a while more it might get better.

[Drum]

Id leave it alone for another week to give the yeast plenty of time to eat up any fermentation byproducts. The gravity might drop a few points still aswell. Its a long time since I brewed the coopoers pilsner but I remember it finished around 1.006. Leaving it longer will also help with the clarity of the beer as a lot more yeast will drop out of suspension

[sub82]

Yeah as drum said I would leave it too. You'll get a very vigorous fermentation at the start (5 days or so) and then it appears to slow down but the yeast are still working away cleaning up after themselves and settling out.

[Nibrewer]

I will indeed. Its fizzy and then there seems to be a second fizz when I swallowed it. I will leave it to see how it gets going. If anyone reading this has one of the CO2 screw lids for a pressure barrel they don't need anymore let me know please.

[Nibrewer]

Well tomorrow is 2 weeks in the brewing bucket. I have tasted the Pilsner kit and it tastes watery and sweet.

Should I now at this stage buck it out and start again ?

[sub82]

I'd take a gravity reading to see how it's doing. 2 weeks is still pretty young.

[Nibrewer]

Update on the first brew.

Bit cloudy but drinkable. Its weak and watery little taste but you would know its there. Is there anything I can add for body ?

[irish_goat]

Is it still in the fermenter?

[Nibrewer]

I moved it from the bucket into a pressure barrel, all be that there is no gas in the barrel. Its flat as I suspected but tastes like watery beer. Other than that it mught be fine.

[irish_goat]

I always find it will taste a bit more watery before you've carbonated it and given it a few weeks to condition in the bottle. You could add more malt extract to up the alcohol and body of the beer but that can get a bit messy. It might be better to bottle it and then plan ahead for your next brew.