Should I stay or should I go....

Background:
First batch, 5 gallon Scottish ale LME kit, went in plastic fermentor last Saturday (1/1/11) with a OG of 1.036 and a little unstrained trub.

Situation:
Two award winning mentors differ in recommendations.
-One says direct bottle in two weeks.
-Other says use secondary before bottling.
-*Kit says to direct bottle after one week

I figure i need to check the FG today. What do you all think?


Thanks

bottle in 2 weeks

About half this forum will tell you primary and the other half will tell you secondary. I primary 4 ish weeks then bottle/ keg when I don't NEED a secondary for something else. I don't want to bother racking again if I don't have to. I rather be reading the forum and drinking a scrumptious beer.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and do NOT bottle after one week like the kit says. Either way you go, wait a couple (3+) weeks before bottling.

They're all wrong. Leave it in the primary longer so the yeast cake can continue to chew on the byproducts that can cause off flavors. Give it 3 to 4 weeks. Then bottle.

If you feel that you really need to, you can secondary that after 2 or 3 weeks to help it clarify but not sooner.

The longer you leave it in the fermenter, the more compacted the yeast and trub will become and the clearer the beer will be.

when I said two weeks, I meant two weeks from now. So that would be 3 total.

WHOOAAAAA...FIRST BATCH REMEMBER??? Do you remember how anxious YOU were to get a taste of your first?

BRUbaker, your process will change with your experience. It IS better to wait, but who are we kidding, you want to taste this wonderful creation...BEER FROM YOUR OWN HANDS (and the yeastie beasties :rockin.
Its also better to wait til its in the bottle 3 weeks or more before tasting, but that ain't gonna happen either!

My recommendation, leave it in the primary for 2-3 weeks, longer if you can stand it. If you need the primary to brew another batch and its a choice between buying another bucket and buying another kit, rack it to a secondary and brew on. Bottle and try one after a week...make some notes. Try another after week 2...make some notes. Rinse and repeat. This will give you something to compare to. Next brew, leave a little longer. Get the pipeline going so you CAN be more patient. But BRU, lets be honest, your last beer will be the best beer, you will lament its passing and wish you had a few more, and you will brew again better than before.

Welcome to your new obsession

So one of your mentors said leave it in the primary for another 2 weeks (that's what I would do), and the other said transfer to a secondary.
Did your second mentor say to do that now, or do it in another week or so?
If he said transfer now, then I would disagree with him. (I used to use secondaries all the time, but found that I got much better results if I waited for at least 2 weeks before transferring to the secondary.) Now I get even better results by leaving it in the primary for 3 - 4 weeks unless I'm dry hopping, or lagering.
If you're not going to do anything within the next day or so, there is no point in taking a gravity reading now (unless you need an excuse to drink a sample of green beer).

[Edit] I did'nt say that right. If I'm dry hopping or lagering, I leave it in the primary for 3 - 4 weeks before racking, and dry hopping or lagering. [/Edit]
-a.

as a new brewer and lack of experience...and patience im in the same boat. Tomorrow will be the first week of fermentation..bubbling stopped yesterday. Im not sure if I should look at it, get a gravity reading and rack it or just do nothing lol

Like i said to my mentors, I'm more interested in quality process than drinking the beer Right Now. The local store has a great selection of real beers that can take care of me 'till whenever.

From the comments it looks like this beer will be in the primary for a month. Don't know if i'll secondary it then or just bottle. More reading for sure. I've not done the gravity reading nor plan to do one at this time. The lid will remain on the fermentor until it's time to bottle or rack.


Thanks everyone

azfalcon said:

as a new brewer and lack of experience...and patience im in the same boat. Tomorrow will be the first week of fermentation..bubbling stopped yesterday. Im not sure if I should look at it, get a gravity reading and rack it or just do nothing lol

Click to expand...

We understand...we've ALL been there!!!

Let it go at least another week, 2 or 3 is better. But if you just can't stand it, at least take a gravity reading, wait 3-4 days, and take another. If it's stable, you can bottle and at least you bought yourself another 1/2 a week!!!

instead of botting cant I go straight to a secondary?

azfalcon said:

as a new brewer and lack of experience...and patience im in the same boat. Tomorrow will be the first week of fermentation..bubbling stopped yesterday. Im not sure if I should look at it, get a gravity reading and rack it or just do nothing lol

Click to expand...

I've bottled after just one week in the fermenter. It wasn't the best idea I've ever had. Better to wait another week while the yeast get down to the real work after their wild orgy of sugar eating. This period is when they eat the leftovers from eating too much sugar. It won't hurt to wait longer but if this is your first brew, waiting is hard.

When you do bottle, open one at a week and see what it tastes like. Wait a week and try another. I'll bet the second one will be better tasting and you will have learned why we say to wait.

azfalcon said:

instead of botting cant I go straight to a secondary?

Click to expand...

Are you needing to free up your primary? Then yes, you CAN rack to a secondary. If it is a choice between buying another primary bucket and another kit, get brewin baby!!! If you can afford another bucket, leave it alone, its better staying in the primary than moving to the secondary...that yeast still has work to do after the most visible and vigorous fermentation is complete.