brewing before a move?

Patience is a virtue... that I don't have. So maybe I've chosen a bad hobby. :cross:

Anyway, my primary is going to be freed up in a few days so I want to make another batch, but I'm going to be moving in a little over a month. If I started my next batch now I would have time to get it bottled before I move. I know that driving a primary or secondary 5 hours wouldn't be a good idea, but would the bottles be ok to make a 5 hour drive while they were still conditioning?

Can I make a new batch or would I likely ruin my beer?

Thanks!

PS - My first batch turned out great, I would attribute this to the fact that I brewed it at a friend's house where I couldn't be bothering it all the time. And there was almost five weeks between brewing day and bottling day, and another two weeks before I drank it, so it had plenty of time to ferment and condition.

What kind of beer are you going to brew?

But if you have about a month until the actual move, then you should have enough time to get them bottled first. Bottles will certainly make the trip better than a sloshing around fermenter. That being said, I'd also try to bottle about a week before the actual move if possible so that at least some CO2 will be produced in the bottle to assist in minimizing oxidation during the move. If you bottle the day before you move the headspace in the bottle will have little in the way of CO2.

I had a rushed beer because of a move in about the same time frame you had just last year. Funny (not really that funny) thing is, that was one of the only beers I've had get infected at the bottling stage. It wasn't the move that did it, but because we were stressed out with the whole buying a house thing and packing up to move I think I rushed the bottling process and didn't sanitize as well as I should have.

So, you can do it even though you're cutting it close, so if possible I'd try to stick to a smaller beer that doesn't need as much time in the fermenter and won't take forever to carb up in bottles. That will maximize your chances of success.

You have plenty of time. I just wouldnt make anything too big. Stick with a PA or an american wheat or something. Grain to bottle in two weeks.

I was thinking of trying a porter. Maybe a pale ale would be better?

Yes, a lighter beer will be a much better choice in this situation.