Festa Brew Kit - still active after ~2 weeks

[discodewey]

I'm new to brewing and have a Festa Pale Ale in the primary fermenter (using a carboy as primary and not planning to move to a secondary). It's been in the primary for almost 2 weeks and I'm still seeing bubbling every ~40 seconds. After this amount of time is it normal to be this active still? We're thinking of kegging/bottling in a couple of days but I'm not sure if it's time yet.

Also, I have a question regarding kegging. I'm brewing with a buddy and we each have 20L kegs. Is it safe to fill a keg only half full? Or will the air that's trapped in with the beer affect it and potentially ruin it? If it's safe to go 1/2 full on a keg then I'd prefer it and avoid bottling.

Thanks for any help!

 

[thatsus02]

I'm pretty new with only 6 batches under my belt, but I think you need more time, I keep it 7 to 10 days then move to secondary for another two weeks. The only problem I might forsee is a yeasty tasting beer if not transfering. But What do I know. I will listen for other response to learn as well.

 

[ArcaneXor]

I suggest you take a gravity reading and taste test to see what's going on with the beer. It may just be CO2 coming out of solution.

You can put any amount of beer into a keg. It won't spoil as long as you purge the keg with CO2 before racking, and then shooting some more CO2 into the keg after sealing it while having the pressure relief valve open. That'll get rid of most O2 in the keg.

 

[jfr1111]

Take a reading and take another one three days later. If you hit FG (or are in the immdeiate vicinity) and it hasn't moved after three days, you're ready to bottle. The bubbles can simply be CO2 coming out of solution as was said earlier.

Or just give it time.

 

[likwidbliss]

Don't fear the hygrometer! Don't fear the hygrometer! Test it for crying out loud!

 

[jollytim]

[friendly ribbing]

You do realize a hygrometer is an instrument used to test relative humidity?

One would use a hydrometer to test for specific gravity...

[/friendly ribbing]

 

[nicholasae25]

If you don't have a hydro...get one. If you don't have one, I would wait until the air lock is bubbling only once every 2 min. That is what I used to do before I started getting all technical with my gravities.

Like previously stated... just fill keg with co2 and release the pressure valve to push the oxygen out. Repeat at least 3 times.

 

[discodewey]

Thanks for the responses. I figured I'd be told to get a hydrometer
We've got a hydrometer but we don't have a beer thief. Though, I suppose we could simply use a racking cane and siphon it. Or, go buy a beer thief

Regarding filling the keg 1/2 full. Thanks for the advice! If I understand the posts correctly:
1. Fill the keg (1/2 full in this case)
2. Seal the keg
3. Pressurize with CO2.
4. Release the pressure valve.
5. Repeat 3,4 a few times.
6. Pressurize final time.

I wasn't sure about the first response regarding the keg: "purge the keg with CO2 before racking"

Cheers!

 

[ArcaneXor]

I wasn't sure about the first response regarding the keg: "purge the keg with CO2 before racking"

Fill the keg with CO2 and bleed it off through the release valve before racking the beer into the keg. That way you have a nice CO2 blanket on top of the beer that minimizes oxygen pickup from splashing.

 

[discodewey]

Fill the keg with CO2 and bleed it off through the release valve before racking the beer into the keg. That way you have a nice CO2 blanket on top of the beer that minimizes oxygen pickup from splashing.

Hmmm - I'm still unsure about this. When I open the keg (after bleeding off the CO2) won't this negate any effect of initially filling it with CO2? I.e. won't it simply fill with O2 as soon as I open it for racking? Or am I just completely confused about this?

 

[JifeLacket]

CO2 is more dense then O2 and will 'sit' in the keg and not allow much O2 back in. Random currents / air movement will allow some O2/air back in but the majority will be CO2. The final purging will get rid of most O2 and any amount left will be negligible.

 

[SatelliteGuy]

Do you have a turkey baster? If so, make sure it is CLEAN and SANITIZED, and it can double as a wine/beer thief in a pinch.

 

[Varroa]

Were did you get the Festa Brew in Ottawa? I want to pick up some for the winter but the closest place I can find it is Montreal.

 

[discodewey]

Were did you get the Festa Brew in Ottawa? I want to pick up some for the winter but the closest place I can find it is Montreal.

A friend and I know someone in this group in Ottawa: http://www.bodensatz.com/index.php

We joined up and were lucky that they were doing a Festa order shortly thereafter.

 

[discodewey]

CO2 is more dense then O2 and will 'sit' in the keg and not allow much O2 back in. Random currents / air movement will allow some O2/air back in but the majority will be CO2. The final purging will get rid of most O2 and any amount left will be negligible.

Okay - that makes sense
Hopefully the beer will be read and we'll give it a go this weekend.

Thanks for the help!

Cheers

 

[Varroa]

A friend and I know someone in this group in Ottawa: http://www.bodensatz.com/index.php

We joined up and were lucky that they were doing a Festa order shortly thereafter.

I joined the group AFTER the group buy so I missed it

Thanks

 

[discodewey]

Okay - so we took a hydrometer reading and the gravity of our beer is 1.005 (after 2 weeks in primary).
From the FestaBrew website for the Pale Ale (http://www.magnotta.com/FestaBrew/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=218):
OG: 1.0500 – 1.0508, FG: 1.0124 – 1.0132

We tasted the beer and it had decent flavour.
We moved it from a primary to secondary and will be leaving it there for another week.

A couple of questions.
1) Why would our reading be so low compared to what the expected FG should be?
2) What can we expect from the beer given the FG is low?

Cheers!

 

[jfr1111]

Is your hydrometer calibrated ? How much does it read in distilled water ? Also, have you compensated for wort temperature ? What yeast did the kit come with ?

You can expect beer that's for sure.

 

[discodewey]

Is your hydrometer calibrated ? How much does it read in distilled water ? Also, have you compensated for wort temperature ? What yeast did the kit come with ?

You can expect beer that's for sure.

The hydrometer is calibrated for 68F. It reads 1.000 in water. The beer was ~room temp but we didn't check the actual temperature. But it shouldn't be too far off of 68F. Not far enough to make a difference that large.
As for the yeast, I think it was Safale S-04. But not 100% certain.