Basil Fawlty wrote:[color=blue]
> I just checked my fermenter by tapping off a small bit into my holder that
> came with the specific gravity hydrometer. I placed the hydrometer into
> the beer and it went straight to the bottom, not really giving me any real
> reading.[/color]

Try adding more beer to your test flask. The hydrometer should float in
the beer filled tube. This page has the basics:

[url]http://www.leebrewery.com/hydromet.htm[/url]

[color=blue]
>
> My fermenter has never bubbled once yet out the air lock. The
> temp of the brw in th fermentor has been consistently around 20^C, and a
> black plastic bag over it to block out light.
>
> This brew is Munsons Bock, and has been fermenting for 6 days now. The
> build up foam that was on top of the vat has pretty much left. I tasted
> the brew that I tapped off for the hydrometer cehck and it smelled and
> tasted like very weak and flat beer.[/color]

What was the starting gravity? It is going to taste flat until it is
bottled/kegged.


[color=blue]
>
> Also, when I tapped off the brew to check, it was super foamy and took a
> short bit to settle, but still had a small amount of remaining head.[/color]

There will be some CO2 in solution during fermentation, it's normal.



The[color=blue]
> way this first time novice with his 1st use of the new Coopers Home
> Micro-brew kit, was pretty much by their book/video:
>
> Boil 2 liters of water, add the can of malt, add brewers sugar, stir till
> disolved, toss in fermenter, fill up with water to 23L mark, stir, add
> yeast (once at a certai temp range, I forget what, but I did wait for
> cooling), seal the top of fermenter, add air lock, check in 4 - 6 days. I
> did steralize everything, and I used Ozarka spring Water.
>
> Ok, what all am I or have I done wrong? Please advise. I sure hope I can
> salvage this batch.
>
> Thanks, Basil
>[/color]


Just wait it out until you get three hydro reading that are the same
over a few days. Then go ahead and bottle it and see what happens. It
sounds like everything is fine. There is definitely a
learning/experience curve for brewing. Just be patient and keep trying.
You will learn from every batch you make and before long, you will be
a pro.


Les