Just started my first batch last night and I am wondering how long to wait before bottling. I have heard anywhere from 7-10 days but have also heard it should be ready to go once it stops bubbling. What is recommended here?
How long to wait...
- Thread starter wrigh1st
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
flylock_jac
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2009
- Messages
- 260
- Reaction score
- 1
I'd wait a minimum of three weeks before bottling. Wait three weeks then check your gravity , recheck in a couple days.If it's the same bottle and wait 3 more weeks before chilling and tasting.
A good rule of thumb is ATLEAST 1-2-3
1 week in primary, 2 in secondary and 3 bottle conditioning.
Some people around here leave their beers in primary for a month or longer.
Bubbling is not a good indicator that fermentation is finished, always take gravity readings. When you have a consistent gravity reading for a couple of days you know its done. Then you can either transfer to secondary for clearing and/or dry hopping, or you can leave it in primary until you're ready to bottle. If you bottle too soon you're going to end up with a HUGE mess so don't rush it. Don't expect to be drinking your beer for at least 5-6 weeks if you're bottling.
1 week in primary, 2 in secondary and 3 bottle conditioning.
Some people around here leave their beers in primary for a month or longer.
Bubbling is not a good indicator that fermentation is finished, always take gravity readings. When you have a consistent gravity reading for a couple of days you know its done. Then you can either transfer to secondary for clearing and/or dry hopping, or you can leave it in primary until you're ready to bottle. If you bottle too soon you're going to end up with a HUGE mess so don't rush it. Don't expect to be drinking your beer for at least 5-6 weeks if you're bottling.
Generally, you should bottle no sooner than when you get a consistent SG. If they come back with the same number 3 days in a row you're safe. Just the way I roll. I'll let them condition in the bottles longer than the fermenter.
What style of beer is it? What was your OG? What kind of yeast did you use? And so on...
MNBugeater
Well-Known Member
+1 This info will help get better answers. Recipe if you have, but OG and yeast and we can tell you close to what to expect in the way of final gravity.
As mentioned above, airlock activity is no indicator of complete fermentation. The airlock activity just proves that you have a good seal on your fermentor and that SOMETHING is happening. If you have a good hydrometer, then wait 4 weeks and take a reading, take another one in 48 hours. If nothing changed then you are ready to bottle. If you dont have a hydrometer then wait 4 weeks and bottle, dont bother with a secondary.
Again, this is my first time and the instructions I had didn't say anything about checking the OG. Is it too late to check now? The yeast has been in there for one day. My beer was a cherry wheat and I used a dry ale yeast. I do have a hydrometer but I thought I was just supposed to check the gravity after a couple of weeks. I have been kind of learning as I'm going here but I guess I should have done more research first!
bennychico11
Well-Known Member
yes it's too late to check the OG (original gravity). This is the first test with the hydrometer you do after the boil, cooling of the wort and after adding top off water...all before you add the yeast. Once the yeast starts doing it's thing the density of the beer changes. I usually let my beers sit for three weeks in their primary (I haven't done any big beers yet). Then at about three weeks time I check the gravity again and if after two consecutive days it hasn't budged then you're good to bottle.
If you had bubbling in the airlock and if after three weeks time you take a gravity reading and it's below 1.020 somewhere for two days...I'm sure you'll be fine to bottle.
Patience sucks sometimes...but it will help the beer taste better
If you had bubbling in the airlock and if after three weeks time you take a gravity reading and it's below 1.020 somewhere for two days...I'm sure you'll be fine to bottle.
Patience sucks sometimes...but it will help the beer taste better
If you want quality, fight the urge to bottle too soon. Wait at least one week after fermentation is complete (same gravity reading 3 days apart). That will probably be at least 10 days after brewing. Extra points for waiting 2 weeks after fermentation is complete. New brewers are always asking how to stop all that sediment from forming in the bottle. Well, you can't completely avoid all of it but bottling in 7-10 days is a guarantee to have about 1/4" of crap in the bottle.
yeasty
Well-Known Member
i am a noob too, and i can tell you if you let it sit a month before bottling it WILL taste better.
MNBugeater
Well-Known Member
Don't fret over not taking an original gravity reading. Just consider yourself an advanced brewer and you know exactly how that strain of yeast is going to perform and you dont need to concern yourself with trivial numbers. You will just brew a great beer strictly by intuition and feel.
Seriously though, if you brewed from a kit, i.e. extract. Your OG is pretty much predetermined anyway. The only way you could effect it would be to boil way too long and concentrating sugars and not add water. But unlikely...
Just wait 4 weeks, assuming you are fermenting an ale somewhere between 60-70 (give or take), then bottle it. I wouldnt bother with a gravity reading at this point.
Seriously though, if you brewed from a kit, i.e. extract. Your OG is pretty much predetermined anyway. The only way you could effect it would be to boil way too long and concentrating sugars and not add water. But unlikely...
Just wait 4 weeks, assuming you are fermenting an ale somewhere between 60-70 (give or take), then bottle it. I wouldnt bother with a gravity reading at this point.
