Houblon Monstre Triple IPA...

I have a 5 gallon batch of this which has completed ferment. I started it on the first day of this month and it fermented out within the first week.

I haven't done a secondary--it has stayed in the primary this whole time. I wonder if it would be ok to go ahead and bottle by the end of this week.

It is in a tuff-tank which has a valve toward the bottom for easy transfer. Do you all think I would be alright to bottle at this point???

Thanks for any replies.

Mike

thorson138 said:

I have a 5 gallon batch of this which has completed ferment. I started it on the first day of this month and it fermented out within the first week.

I haven't done a secondary--it has stayed in the primary this whole time. I wonder if it would be ok to go ahead and bottle by the end of this week.

It is in a tuff-tank which has a valve toward the bottom for easy transfer. Do you all think I would be alright to bottle at this point???

Thanks for any replies.

Mike

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What was the starting and final gravity? Never had this beer but I assume it’s a high % beer and if so I wouldn’t bottle it so soon. I would give it another week in primary depending on the gravity and then a good month in secondary if possible.

That is still a very young beer for its original gravity. If anything you need to keep in the primary longer, I would say two weeks isn't enough. What is your gravity reading right now, ie, what do you call "finished"? More time in the primary would be good, at least a month I would say. Bulk aging / secondary gives better beer; the little bit of yeast that's still in the secondary is working its magic on some of the off flavors because of the vigorous primary fermentation. Since you have that nice valve, why not taste it? If you like where it is, go and bottle, but I think it will just get better if you wait a bit longer.

ThatGuyRyan said:

What was the starting and final gravity? Never had this beer but I assume it’s a high % beer and if so I wouldn’t bottle it so soon. I would give it another week in primary depending on the gravity and then a good month in secondary if possible.

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It is a high grav belgian style IPA (which doesnt actually exist). Its a NB kit if I am not mistaken. You need to drink this one younger to keep the hop flavor. That being said, I would let it sit for at least a month in the primary. Bottle it in 2-4 weeks and drink as soon as it is carbonated (3 weeks after that).

hey folks! I took a sample of this beer to test the gravity and taste this evening.

The gravity was down to 1.010 if I am reading the hydrometer correctly. It shows a PABV of about 1.5%.

The flavor is very hoppy and I like it over all. I'll give it another week or so and check it again. I'm waiting on bottles to arrive anyway. They should be here in another day or two.

Does it take beer 3 weeks to carbonate after bottling as mentioned above??? I was not aware of that.

thorson138 said:

Does it take beer 3 weeks to carbonate after bottling as mentioned above??? I was not aware of that.

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https://www.homebrewtalk.com/blogs/revvy/159-patience-bottle-conditioning.html

Just an update... I bottled this batch a couple days ago. The gravity had been stable and the taste was good, so I went ahead and made up a priming solution of 16oz water and a little under 2/3 cup table sugar and racked on top of it.

I'm waiting for it to carb at this point. It is in the bottle boxes in the closet at around 70-72* or so. I'm anxious to try a few bottles cold and see how it turned out.

Did I use too much or not enough table sugar? What are your thoughts on how the carbonation will turn out?

I think you will be just fine with that carbonation. I have personally done seven batches (all extract) and all into bottles. I find sugar a weird beast; sometimes its flat, sometimes its over carbonated. I can't seem to find a balance. Even waiting months my 12oz stouts just never got carbed, but the 22oz bottles were carbed. Every IPA overcarbonated in the bottle, but I think thats becuase i added 2/3cup + water to less than 5 gals of beer.

As an aside, I plan on trying some carbonation drops and cuvee yeast to restart carbonation in bottles of my stout. I have heard the one drop is enough, and the cuvee is meant for bottle carbonation (of champagne, but I don't mind). Ill see how that one goes. For overcarbonation, ive been playing with cold bottles, uncapping for a minute, and recapping. It works okay, still experimenting. I just wish i could keg!

Just was cruising around and saw this post, Revvy's rules on bottle conditioning are dead on, and some good reading. Also, one other thing that I learned the hard way, and yes there are people who are against this as well as for it, so take it for what it's worth. After adding your priming sugar STIR it. I have had a couple batches that some were flat and the next bottle would be over carbonated. Stirring has helped me anyways.

I have always adding the priming sugar mixture to the bottom of the bottling bucket then racked on top and put the tube angled so it kinda gets a whirlpool going in the bottom. Has always mixed it up perfectly.

Thanks for the insights everyone. I put one of these in the fridge an hour or so ago and just got done drinking my first ever homebrew! I am happy with the rsults. It has not really carbed up yet and doesn't have any head to it really, but the flavor is great. Very hoppy which is exactly what I wanted.

Hopefully it will carb up over the next couple weeks and maybe develop a little bit of a head when poured. I feel like I'm on to something here