What the Fermentation????

Ok so I made a Brown Ale for my first brew. In the primary it fermented vigorously for under 48 hours then died. The cap inside of the airlock (3-piece type) was resting on the stem. I left the beer in the primary for 1 week.

After a week i transferred my beer into a secondary glass carboy, 5 gallon type and it is only about 3.5 gallons of beer. After boiling and transfering I lost alot. I measured the gravity during transfer at it was right where the finishing level should be, per the recipe.

Heres the problem, after transfering it seems to still be doing something, it has been in the secondary for 2 weeks. The airlock is not bubbling but there is enough pressure to lift the cap off of the stem keep it pressed against the lid of the airlock.

Is it supposed to be that way, is it safe to bottle?? I was planning on bottling tomorrow because my next shot will be 1 week from now.

Some members suggested it could just be excess Co2 burn off...any thoughts on that?

Don't worry about it. I've had brews in a fermenter for a month and it's generated a little pressure. There's always going to be some CO2 in the brew and that can be released slowly over time. If it's hit target then It's just a case of leaving it in secondary for your desired amount of time. It'll be fine to bottle.

orfy said:

Don't worry about it. I've had brews in a fermenter for a month and it's generated a little pressure. There's always going to be some CO2 in the brew and that can be released slowly over time. If it's hit target then It's just a case of leaving it in secondary for your desired amount of time. It'll be fine to bottle.

Click to expand...

Thanks orfy, I want to bottle tomorrow and im just worried about bottle bombs. I would like to avoid that if possible.

BrooZer said:

Thanks orfy, I want to bottle tomorrow and im just worried about bottle bombs. I would like to avoid that if possible.

Click to expand...

Make sure you stir your beer after adding your priming sugar...don't rely on the siphon action to mix it. I learned that lesson the hard (and messy) way.

After a week i transferred my beer into a secondary glass carboy, 5 gallon type and it is only about 3.5 gallons of beer. After boiling and transfering I lost alot. I measured the gravity during transfer at it was right where the finishing level should be, per the recipe.

Click to expand...

Just to make sure I understand what your saying, did you take the brew out of the primary, then boil it, then put it into the secondary?
If this is the case, then you killed all the yeast and boiled the alcohol away. You only 'need' to boil the brew before you put it in the primary.

If I did read that wrong ... what was your initial gravity, and what is your final gravity?

If your gravity has dropped by at least half (ie 1.060 down to 1.030) and no amount of stirring and warming (just moving to a warmer room) gets the gravity down any, then you are fine to bottle. I've done this and ... knock on wood ... I haven't had any bottle bombs.

You're probably fine. From my limited experience and reading on these pages, its not at all uncommon to have a vigorous and short fermentation period, especially with some dry yeasts. If you hit your target FG then I wouldnt worry. Put a little in a glass while bottling to taste. It should taste like a flat beer. Also, on my first batch, I came up a little shy of the total 5 gal. mark. If you're doing full boils, then make sure to start with about 6 gal of water and keep a lid on it so you don't "steam" so much of the water away. Congrats on your first brew

I guess Ibeer read the same as me. You did'nt boil the beer on the way to secondary did you? You're yeast would'nt like you for that (rest their billions of little souls).

I made an extract brown ale for my first brew. I think I had it in the primary for about 7 days then in the secondary for about 10 before I bottled it. Worked fine for me. That was before I could measure the gravity so I relied on the activity of the airlock-1 bubble or less a minute. Sounds like you'll be just fine.

cyberjoey80 said:

I guess Ibeer read the same as me. You did'nt boil the beer on the way to secondary did you? You're yeast would'nt like you for that (rest their billions of little souls).

Click to expand...

No no. I was just stating that due to boiling and transfering I lost a lot of volume. I tasted a little during bottling day and it has sorta a funny taste. I dont know if it is because it is flat or I did something wrong. Ive never tasted flat beer.

fezzman said:

Make sure you stir your beer after adding your priming sugar...don't rely on the siphon action to mix it. I learned that lesson the hard (and messy) way.

Click to expand...

Uh,,oh i didnt stir John Palmer said to let the siphon do it. is that bad?? It was at final gravity when bottling.

BrooZer said:

Uh,,oh i didnt stir John Palmer said to let the siphon do it. is that bad?? It was at final gravity when bottling.

Click to expand...

I've never stirred the priming sugar in either...well, except for the time I forgot to add it to the bucket first.

I've not had bottle bombs or irregular carbonation (some bottles carbed and some not) either. I think the swirling of the siphon mixes it pretty well.