Some Advice Please

Dont worry, this is not another "does this look infected' question. I brewed my first batch last week monday. Friday there was no more bubbles coming out of the airlock so i took a gravity reading. Same with Saturday and this morning. Since all 3 were the same, i am contemplating bottling this afternoon, but not sure....part of my brain says throw caution to the wind and do it but the other says wait until next weekend. Anything you guys have to say on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

What was the FG reading? What was OG? Personally, I never bottle after less than a week, but it might be ok

OG & FG would help.

Yeah...I had a stuck fermentation that stayed at 1.030 for awhile, I sure wouldn't bottle it that high...We need your grav readings.

Also...emember You should never use a cheap chinese plastic airlock as a "fermentation Gauge," it's not...It's an airlock, a VALVE to release excess CO2, to keep from blowing the lid off the fermentor...If it's not bubbling that just means that there's not enough CO2 to climb out of the airlock, or the CO2 is just forming a nice cushion on top of the beer like it's supposed to, or the airlock is askew, or it is leaking out the cheap rubber grommet, or you have a leak in the bucket seal...all those are fine...if CO2 is getting out then nothing's getting in....

Over half of my beers have had no airlock activity...

You did exactly what you should, by taking a grav reading....

So give us the numbers so we can advise you!

give it at least two weeks before bottling. let the yeasties do their thing! your beer will be much clearer and cleaned up.

jimba009 said:

give it at least two weeks before bottling. let the yeasties do their thing! your beer will be much clearer and cleaned up.

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+1 to this!!!

I leave mine for a 3-4 weeks...unless I am adding something to it, then I rack to secondary.

Sorry about not giving numbers...was being rushed by SWMBO.
O.G. 1.042
F.G. 1.016


This is a great site with tons of advice. thanks a milion.

Well you're in good range to bottle, but I would wait at least a week to let the yeasts clean up after themselves, like I said, many of us are in favor of several weeks in primary. It makes the beer clearer and crisper tasting...

What yeast did you use? That is only like 62% attenuation.

Revvy said:

Well you're in good range to bottle, but I would wait at least a week to let the yeasts clean up after themselves, like I said, many of us are in favor of several weeks in primary. It makes the beer clearer and crisper tasting...

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+1..... let is sit a few weeks in primary if not going to secondary!

i'm making a Brewers Best Irish Stout. It had some Nottinghams yeast with it. I guess i will continue to drink some 1554 and Guiness Drought until it is time. I'm hoping that with this hobby i can get rid of my "instant gratification" mentality.

Go ahead and brew another batch if you can. The first batch is the hardest one to wait for, I brewed three batches before i even tasted a "green" bottled homebrew.