Newby! Fermenting question

Just brewed Brewers Best Holiday ale. How long do I leave it in my fermenter before transferring to my bottling bucket?

Also how can I keep from getting to much sediment in my bottles when bottling? Filtering??

Thanks!

mallens20 said:

Just brewed Brewers Best Holiday ale. How long do I leave it in my fermenter before transferring to my bottling bucket?

Also how can I keep from getting to much sediment in my bottles when bottling? Filtering??

Thanks!

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Leave it in the fermentor until you get two to three specific gravity readings with your hydrometer that are the same.

The amount of time has many variables. Foremost would be the amount of yeast you pitched and the temperature of the fermenting wort. High temperatures a fast ferment, but off flavors. Temps in the low 60°s moderate rate of fermentation.
With an average gravity ale I wait at least two weeks before considering the first SG test.

I ferment in glass carboys which are air tight so the airlock can be used as an indicator of active fermentation. After three days with no air lock activity I will take my first sample. A couple days later another sample. If they are exactly the same I will consider fermentation complete. A few more days for the yeast to clean up natural off flavors of fermentation and I will be ready to bottle. Bottling is when I have the time. May be immediately or after another week. Extra time in the primary is not detrimental to the beer.

The easiest way to keep sediment and large amounts of yeast out of the bottling bucket is to start your siphon tube high in the fermentor. As the level of beer decreases gradually move the siphon downward to avoid sucking air which could cause some oxidation.

^+1^

I also kick my temp up to 70F after fermentation is complete to make sure the yeast get rid of as much diacetyl as possible.

Then I put my fermentor in a rope bucket, fill it with ice, and wrap it in sleeping bags for 2 days before I bottle. This drops out a TON of yeast and makes the slurry the consistency of peanut butter so it is much harder to siphon yeast into the bottling bucket.

You will still have plenty of yeast to carb the bottle.

Thanks for the great advice!

When the rapid bubbling slows or stops,only initial fermentation is done. It'll then slowly,uneventfully creep down to FG. then give it another 3-7 days to clean up any by products of fermentation & settle out clear or slightly misty.

Everything the others have said. I'll add that after fermentation is finished you don't want to aerate the beer so filtering at this point shouldn't be done. The best way to clear you beer is to do as others have suggested; which is a cold crash and to siphon your beer carefully. Keeping the racking cane away from the bottom of the fermentor will keep out most of the trub thus keeping your beer clear. Good luck!!

bobeer said:

I'll add that after fermentation is finished you don't want to aerate the beer so filtering at this point shouldn't be done.

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Filtering requires a kegging setup. Not only do you need a sealed CO2 environment to keep from aerating it, but if you take out ALL of the yeast, you would have to force-carb in a keg anyway.

bobeer said:

Everything the others have said. I'll add that after fermentation is finished you don't want to aerate the beer so filtering at this point shouldn't be done. The best way to clear you beer is to do as others have suggested; which is a cold crash and to siphon your beer carefully. Keeping the racking cane away from the bottom of the fermentor will keep out most of the trub thus keeping your beer clear. Good luck!!

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Thanks!