431brew

Recipes 

Thanks. Then, I think I am going to ferment in the bucket and then siphon over to the MRB keg for bottling, too.

arrigo

Recipes 

Ok, just remember that Mr. Beer is not a sealed bottle, Its not good to leave beer in a Mr. Beer keg for longer than 10 - 14. For you, I would ferment it in the bucket for atleast two weeks and then transfer right before bottling. I just bought an ale pale. That is the way to go. I am finally to the point to where I have a carboy and an ale pale. Yea, no more mr. beer. Feel like I graduated from college or something, haha.

ghostofdavid

Recipes 

Why is it bad to leave it in the Mr. Beer for longer than the allotted time?

431brew

Recipes 

Yeah, that is where I am headed. I have made and drank one batch of Mr. Beer, and am fermenting my second now. I have been pricing carboys and buckets this week, so I am not far from graduating either.

I have really enjoyed making the beer more than I have the buzz of drinking it. My problem is that I want to make it quicker than I can drink it!

Fire Me Boy!

Recipes 

That's my problem, too. I've bought a couple of 3-gal. carboys because I think I want to stick with smaller batches than full 5-gal. But now that I've got those, I think this afternoon I'm going to go to the LHBS and pick up a couple of air locks and a bottling wand.

I'll be bottling a wheat and an oatmeal stout tomorrow.

arrigo

Recipes 

The reason time is more important in open fermenters is not so much the proximity of the still beer to dead yeast, but of the danger of oxidation reactions occurring as the beer sits.

Most do not advise leaving the beer in an open fermenter for more than 2 weeks. Here is some reading I have done on it. There is a bunch more. Search open fermentation.
http://brewery.org/brewery/library/OpenFerm.html

Fire Me Boy!

Recipes 

Ok.... I bottled, but I'm not sure what I have. That wheat was S-T-I-N-K-Y!

I've read a few anecdotes from some people here that have said the stinky beer they threw away, save a couple of bottles, ended up being some of their best.

So... it's bottled. But I'm not expecting much.

shafferpilot

Recipes 

TIME, give it time. If it doesn't stink at somepoint during the process, there's something wrong.

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Will21

Recipes 

well I bottled my WCPA exactly 2 weks ago. Tried one beer on this past Saturday.
Beer was cloudy and a hint of a cidery taste I feel. my father did not get the cidery taste but noticed the cloudiness. also not much of a head.

Today is exactly 15 days bottled. I will put it in the fridge this weekend. Superbowl baby! Go Giants!
anyway, what do you think I did wrong? followed the directions to a T.
any advice?

shafferpilot

Recipes 

What you did wrong is decide to drink them after 2 weeks in the bottle. Conditioning takes time, and it sounds like they are even done carbing yet. I think that priming sugar that hasn't fermented yet gives a fruity, cidery taste to beer. Plus the cloudiness means that things haven't settled into the bottom of the bottle yet. It's ok, your beer will be fine for superbowl. But if you want really good beer that's nice and clear, expect to have to wait 1 to 3 months after bottling before start drinking it. Then stick it in the fridge for a week to let the last of the haze settle out.

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