Is it ready to bottle?

simonizmaster · 08-12-2009, 01:01 PM

Hi!
I am new to this home brewing stuffs. I am from Australia <Sydney> and I am making the basic brewing kit I got from the shop.
It's 'Coopers homebrew' and the beer ingredient I got is 'Irish Ale'.
1.7kg Coopers draught
1kg Coopers brew enhancer 1
300 grams Golden syrup

It's been in the fermenter for more than 2 weeks now. first week it was bubbling alot but no bubbles on second week. The room temperature is about 18(Celsius).
Now the instruction says I should bottle it when it is near 1.012 gravity ,however I am getting about 1.016 and do not think it's going to go down anymore. So I was wondering if I should bottle it or keep it for 1 more week.
Can any beer gurus tell me what I should do ?
thanks in advance

Suthrncomfrt1884 · 08-12-2009, 01:23 PM

You will have a hard time hitting your final gravity with an extract beer. If you've tested it multiple times a few days apart and the gravity hasn't changed from 1.016, then you can bottle. One extra week in the fermenter definately won't hurt though. I usually leave my beers in the fermenter for at least two weeks after they finish fermenting. Bigger beers I leave for a few months.

thedigitale · 08-12-2009, 01:49 PM

If you have to ask if it's ready, it's usually not.

Let it sit another week if there's any question. It may go down, it may not, but it only gets better left alone. (To a point, but that's another thread)

You could also try giving the carboy a little rock to rouse the yeast a bit.

simonizmaster · 08-12-2009, 01:53 PM

Thanks for your quick reply~!
I will keep few more days or even 1 more week and see if it can get any better.
I was just worried that, beer might go bad ,if I leave it in the fermenter longer.
Cheers for the advice~!

DixonBeer · 08-12-2009, 02:36 PM

The longer the better is usually the case. But if you're eager (which is MOST understandable) then in your FG doesn't change in 3 days or more, it should be done.

Enjoy!

**Revvy** · 08-12-2009, 02:41 PM

Time is your friend. Many of us pitch our yeast and then come back and bottle in 3-4 weeks, skipping secondary altogether, and we think it improves our beer.

In Fact, Even John Palmer in How to brew mentions how it is good to wait a bit.

Quote:

From How To Brew;

Leaving an ale beer in the primary fermentor for a total of 2-3 weeks (instead of just the one week most canned kits recommend), will provide time for the conditioning reactions and improve the beer. This extra time will also let more sediment settle out before bottling, resulting in a clearer beer and easier pouring. And, three weeks in the primary fermentor is usually not enough time for off-flavors to occur.

Even if the numbers say the beer is finished fermenting, it doesn't mean the yeast is done with their work.

So don't rush it...even though you are impatient. Your beer will thank you.

simonizmaster · 08-12-2009, 05:50 PM

Thanks for the great help~!
I guess you guru's been there and done that.... you will get this anxious and eager feeling in first brewing (well it's my second time). I fail the first attempt and wanted to get it right second time. I hope all will be O.K~!
Cheers for help

**Hang Glider** · 08-12-2009, 08:58 PM

Sounds like you're doing it right.

Welcome to HBT !
ask any questions - or search the forum -
we may jest, we may poke fun, but we'll try to steer you in the right direction.

simonizmaster · 08-16-2009, 05:56 PM

Hi !It's been more than 2 weeks.
I've just measured the SG level and it is now 1018~! It used to be something like 1016...
It went up ? I am not sure what to do now... Any advice welcome...

Hmmm,,,, I left it alone for about 15~20 mins , now the reading gives me 1014..... what's going on??
The good thing is that it went down....

Suthrncomfrt1884 · 08-16-2009, 06:02 PM

You're reading is off. There is no way it went up unless you added something to it. Are you taking your temps into concideration. Hydrometers only give off a correct reading at 60 degrees, so anything above that, you will have to convert to figure out the actual gravity. If your beer shifted temperatures between hydrometer readings, this could be why you're getting a different reading.