I started my brew last month ( very late ) and it's been fermenting for 2 weeks and I'm going to bottle it tomorrow, should I take the fg tomorrow before I bottle? I've beer used a real kit like this, only a mr.beer. I've been reading but I dont want to mess up my first "real" beer. It's a Wilde Irish red if that means anything.
When should i check fg?
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ButcherBoy
Well-Known Member
I check mine around two weeks in, then once or twice during the next week to make sure it's really done fermenting. Don't bottle it until you get the same gravity reading several times, that way you can be sure the ferment has finished. It's hard to wait on the beer, but it won't hurt to leave it in the fermenter for 3 or 4 weeks. If the ferment is not finished when you bottle, it is possible for too much pressure to build up in your bottles causing them to explode, not good.
It won't hurt it to let it sit or that long? Hmm... And I don't want to wait Im impatient lol
And no, I never checked the og... I got too excited about this first "real" brew and the gf said " oh you don't need to do that!" and I listened -.-
Ill remember to check the og next time...
And no, I never checked the og... I got too excited about this first "real" brew and the gf said " oh you don't need to do that!" and I listened -.-
Ill remember to check the og next time...
It's a good habit to get into.
This is the only way you can tell what is going on with your brew. I don't even touch my beer for at least 3 weeks when I put it into the fermentor. After 3+ weeks I take a gravity reading and then a couple days later I take another. If it's stable (the same) then I go ahead and bottle/keg. if you bottle too early like ButcherBoy said you may end up with bottle bombs.
keller2343
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I always start checking my brew after two and a half weeks (I brew on weekends so this is always the wednesday before expect to bottle). As long as I get consistent FG readings the next couple of days I will go forward with bottling.
beerman0001
Well-Known Member
I check it after I transfer it into the keg.
Thanks again guys, I dont know what I'd do with all my questions if it weren't for this forum lol.
When I buy my bottles ( hopefully today after I nap a bit), I need to buy more sanitizers and do you guys think I should transfer the wort from bucket A to bucket B when I prime it with the sugar? I wanted to have it in buck A for a week then B for a week so itd be nice and clear but that didn't happen lol. I can post pictures of the equipment I'm working with right now if that helps at all?
When I buy my bottles ( hopefully today after I nap a bit), I need to buy more sanitizers and do you guys think I should transfer the wort from bucket A to bucket B when I prime it with the sugar? I wanted to have it in buck A for a week then B for a week so itd be nice and clear but that didn't happen lol. I can post pictures of the equipment I'm working with right now if that helps at all?
You can just leave it in primary till it settles out clear,or slightly misty. You don't need to do transfer after transfer. You loose some beer each time & risk oxydation. start racking to bottling bucket,& pour in the priming solution. Then bottle.
But first & foremost,always have a stable FG before bottling!!
But first & foremost,always have a stable FG before bottling!!
I wouldn't buy bottles! I'd go buy two cases of beer (Sam Adams and New Belgium have good bottles) and drink the beer by pouring it into a glass. Then rinse the bottles well. Presto- new bottles.
It might take a week or two to drink that much beer, unless you have alot of friends. But it sure beats paying for empty bottles, when you can buy full bottles. The beer can wait until you have enough bottles.
Yooper said:
I never thought of that! I'll call some friends and have bottles to use in a few days when we go fishing
this is why new brewers need to use this app, you guys think of everything! Thank you again for all f your help everyone id probably be doing things wrong all day if it weren't for this site
It's a good habit to get into.
I was wondering if ever after 3 weeks assuming a decent temp that you ever get different readings? Because i just go 2-4 wks( i like 3) then bottle it checking my reading first but bottled 100% of the time without letting it go another 2-3 days to check again.No problems here.Seems unnecesary especially since i allow mine to sit at conditoning temps usually up to a year without problems even a few suspicious- infected? batches. I just check on them every now and then for carbonation.
It depends on the "style" of beer your brewing. I brew low gravity beers. Also I stick to ales. If you start going to Beersmith and creating your own recepies especially all grain brewing you want to check your gravity before you attempt to put it in a bottle. This is the only way you can tell where your beer is at.
Is beer smith a program to make your own recipe? I will have to look into this... That's my ultimate goal is I wanna make my own beer and not clones lol
http://www.beersmith.com/
You also need to leave the batch to condition at about 70 degrees for a recommended 3 weeks before putting in the fridge.
StanJohnson
Well-Known Member
Here's a couple of threads that you should read. I've read both all the way through. Lots of good info, tips and tricks on fermenting and bottling. Good luck.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/fermentation-can-take-24-72-hrs-show-visible-signs-43635/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/bottling-tips-homebrewer-94812/
So I took a gravity reading yesterday, well I took 3. And the first one was around 1.040~ so I decided to take more because I didn't know if that was correct. I poured the beer back in the fermented and took another sample, this reading was around 1.020. I put the beer back and decided 3rd times a charm and that one was somewhere around 1.015. And I averaged them, is it normal for one to be very off than the others ?
