Gunk

Ok, I am on day 6 of fermentation making my first batch of American Amber. I took an FG reading today, it was around 1.15. It should be about 1.012 so I should let it sit a few more days right?? What do I do with all the gunk at the top of the brew? The brew smells great by the way, is that a good sign?

just leave it until you rack the beer out of primary. then clean the bucket.

You do nothing with it as you let it sit for another 2-3 weeks! Patience my friend....

You're on track - the "gunk" is the krausen ring from fermentation. Close it up and let it hang out another week or more then check FG again. Should be ready to bottle then, but no harm in letting it sit in the primary for 3-4 weeks. Then bottle it up and let it set there for a few weeks.

Cheers and welcome to the hobby.

Thank you both! 2-3 more weeks, huh? I keep getting mixed times from what I read online. My Brewers Best kit says 4-6 days, others have said two weeks...can you let it sit for too long?

You won't be able to leave it alone for the time it would take to be "too long". ( I can't either!). Put the lid back on, and forget that it exists for another couple of weeks. Then take your FG reading. Hopefully by then, it will really be the "final" gravity reading.

Cheers, and welcome to the hobby!

eojnnamleppak said:

Thank you both! 2-3 more weeks, huh? I keep getting mixed times from what I read online. My Brewers Best kit says 4-6 days, others have said two weeks...can you let it sit for too long?

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Your Brewers Best kit instructions are way to optimistic on the time it takes to ferment properly. If you own a big brewery with all the right equipment and perfect control of the conditions you might get it done in the 6 days. I've tasted some that were definitely not ready to keg yet from a fairly big brewery.

For your first beer you probably should wait 2 weeks. That will give the yeast time to complete the ferment and start cleanup. Longer would be better but it's so hard to wait for your first. If your hydrometer says that it has completed fermentation (same reading 2 or more days apart) you can bottle. It helps the flavor to give it time in the bottle but sampling early won't hurt you and it will tell you what beer tastes like when it isn't ready to drink. Save some bottles for a couple months and taste the difference.

What beer do you have ready to brew next?

I think you forgot a zero in your reading. If it were me Id transfer it in the next day or 2, to a secondary to get it off the cake and let it ferment out and clean up for 2-3 weeks.

Like I said, If it were me I'd secondary it. Not because dead yeast. I clean and reuse the yeast, and dry hop in the secondary.

+1 on the seconday, +1 on washing the yeast. 5-7 days primary, up to 10 days secondary, then crash cool. Age. Enjoy.