, Dormant, or Done?

I'm on beer #4, and creating a mixed grain / extract pilsner, based loosely on this recipe - "Thanks Pils."

I went through these steps:

1. Steeped the 3 lbs of grains at 165 - 170 for 45 mins, then let them drain in.
2. Steeped the barley and rye for 35 - 45 mins, then let them drain in.
3. Brought it to a boil, added the 3lb extract, and hopped as requested.
4. Added water up to 5 gallons, then brought it down to 74 degrees.
5. Sprinkled Munton's Gold Ale Yeast (instead of the lager) on top of the wort, then closed it up with the airlock. Put it in my basement, which is 65 - 70 degrees and dark.

By the middle of the next day (yesterday), it was bubbling like crazy, as my previous beers have done. Today, nothing. No bubbles at all.

Have the yeast gone dormant? Died? Finished up their job in a much shorter time than any of my previous beers?

Thoughts? Re-pitch or move to secondary fermenter (better bottle) and keep an eye on it for a week?

Thanks, all!

--Jonathan

Here, read this...it will give you an idea of what to do...

http://blogs.homebrewtalk.com/Revvy/Think_evaluation_before_action/

Welcome to HBT!

It could very well be done main fermentation but you'll never know unless you take a hydrometer. This does not mean that the yeast has finished it's job. The yeast will continue to ferment, clean up it's waste, and clear your beer if left alone for a while.

Don't do anything for a least 10 days. If you feel a need, take a hydrometer reading then and if it's at FG you can decide whether to leave it in primary for a couple more weeks or move to secondary.

Thanks, y'all. I will let it sit for ten days. That's about the time I would move it to secondary fermentation, anyway. Nurmey, you have a very long brew time there. Usually, I have it to secondary in a week - ten days, then in secondary for 3-4 weeks.

Is that a personal pref?

It is a personal preference. Many experienced brewers use primary only. The time frame for primary only is 3 to 4 weeks.

If you are planning on using a secondary, it's most usual to leave it in primary for 7 to 10 days, then secondary for a couple to a few weeks.

I use both methods but I like to leave it in the primary long enough so the yeast can do the work for me. If left on the yeast cake, the yeast will clean up off flavors and clear the beer. Even if I am using a secondary, I leave it in primary for 3 to 4 weeks.

I appreciate the advice. This is the first "real" beer I've made not using a kit. (I made a barley wine before, which turned out overly sweet for me. I think I should've left it for many more weeks in the bottle.)

Okay, I just bottled this. I had a taste of it in a glass, as well. Usually, the young beers at this stage taste slightly sweet, even without priming sugar. This one was an exception. This beer was extremely bitter (though not quite "foul") tasting. Nonetheless, am taking the "wait and see" approach, so I bottled it, and will now wait 2 - 3 weeks before trying one.

Thoughts? Anyone made a pilsner before? Is this typical?