Porter not done?

[Biff]

Hi all,
I brewed a Porter on April 1st -- Hmmm, and April Fool Brew, never even picked that up. Anyway, I need a bit of help. It's in the fermenter and I went to bottle yesterday. I pulled some out of the fermeneter and the gravity came in at 1.028 -- Sean H. advised that was probably too high.

It's fermentation history is as follows:
- Pitched at about 70 degrees
- Fermented placed in basement, Temp settles at about 64
- The next day Krauesen shows up, peak fermentation sets in, temp @ ~66
- Over the next few days the temp drops back down to 62
- It sat steady at 62 until yesterday

The worry is the ferment is not done due to colder temps. I've moved the fermenter to a closet one floor up, and it's at 67 right now.

I've seen people recommend I swirl the fermenter to get the yeast back into solution. Is that necessary? I'd like to bottle next weekend or even weekend after, any thoughts on this? Thanks

P.S. What gravity should I be aiming for? I realize an OG would really help me here, and of course I didn't take one. Sorry.

-Steve

[Bugeater]

Without knowing the OG or the recipe, it is hard to say whats up with your porter. I do agree with Sean that 1.028 is probably too high. Porters tend to be a bit on the high side, 1.016-1.018 on mine (with an OG around 1.075).

Considering the low fermentation temperatures, I think you should consider giving it a swirl and bringing it upstairs to some warmer temperatures for a week. Then check your gravity a couple times a day or two apart. If they stay constant, then you are probably done.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

[Biff]

It has been swirled, temp is now at 68 degrees -- I don't know what it will rest at. Unfortunately the temperatures are little more unstable up on the first floor, but what can ya do.

I'll keep inspecting the airlock for bubbles, and give it another week. Thanks

-Steve

[polski]

okay, i'm an idiot. when does swirling become damaging? I thought i was supposed to avoid moving my beer around once i pitched the yeast in? My thought was airate before yeast then no air after yeast.

not true?

[Bugeater]

Swirling becomes damaging only if you agitate it enough to get air into the beer. In other words, if you are making foam, you have gone too far. You should swirl it enough to get a nice gentle motion to the beer so the yeast can get picked back up into the beer but not enough to splash it around.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

[seanhagerty]

if its still in the carboy, it should have a blanket of co2 on it. That would prevent air from getting into it.

[Biff]

That's my understanding. Now I did take the carboy cap off to take a sample last weekend, but C02 is heavier than air. So 1.) Not too much air should have gotten in, and 2.) hopefully the yeast has woken up and started producing more C02, pushing whatever air that got in out.

-Steve

[Biff]

Hey all -- much thanks for the help thus far.

I just took a sample (with my new SS turkey baster (sanitized of course)! The gravity came out to 1.022 or 1.023 or so. Down about .005 - .006 -- good stuff!

Beer is at about 68, and has been between 68 and 69 this last 6 days.

Think it's ready for bottling this weekend? I was planning on taking a gravity on Saturday -- if it hasn't moved, I was going to bottle. Thanks much in advance for you thoughts.

-Steve