When is my brew ready?

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momodig

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I had my brew in primary for 2.5-3 weeks... I moved to secondary (a day ago). When can I bottle it? And when should I bottle it.

Also the recipe says to add 1-1 /12 cups of corn sugar to the brew before I bottle.

Anyone this is what my recipe says to do...

When I'm ready to bottle, move from secondary (carboy) to my pale.... mix the corn sugar, then bottle....

Now do stir the corn sugar? will that affect the brew or get the sediment floating around to much?
 
I would wait for another two weeks, just for clarity's sake. Did you take a hydrometer reading when you racked the beer? I ask because the best time to bottle is when the beer hasn't been fermenting for between a few days and a week, depending who you talk to. You know your beer hasn't been fermenting when the specific gravity is not changing, which is why it might take some time, and you need to use your hydrometer to verify that.

I will assume (argh!) that your pail has a spigot? Either way, after you transfer the beer to the pail, then add your sugar -- what I usually do is dissolve my sugar in a quart (litre) of water, and microwave it for 2 minutes, so that it dissolves, then add that to my beer. If you *are* transferring to a pail from secondary, then you should be able to leave the trub (sediment at the bottom of the container) from that behind, and just add the sugar or sugar mixture.
 
I like to make the sugar mixture, cool and then put it into the bottling bucket first, racking the beer on top of it. This way it pretty much mixes itself.

That seems like a large amount of priming sugar, what size batch is it?

Typically for a 5 gallon batch I use between 3/4 and 1 cup of corn sugar for priming.
 
I'd secondary for 2-3 weeks and then bottle (assuming fermentation was finished before you racked?). Some folks skip secondary altogether but I'm personally not one of them. It's already racked either way so you might as well give it a couple weeks to clear.

3/4 cup corn sugar is plenty sufficient for a 5 gallon batch. Much more can cause bottle bombs. Just dissolve corn sugar in 2 cups boiling water, cool and add to bottling bucket. If you rack on top of the corn sugar you shouldn't really need to stir, although I usually give the beer a gentle swirl with the racking cane right before bottling.

Edit: ifishsum beat me to it. Gotta type faster I guess. ;)
 
I took a hydro meter reading for the last 3 days... before I racked to secondary (the hydro meter) was constant.... no change.

My pail has no spigot... I have a tube with a pump/plunger to bottle and track the brew.

So just put the sugar into the pail, then rack from carboy to pail would be okay?

My batch is 21 L so I think that 5 gal?

The sugar water mixure then adding to brew won't affect taste? (because more water is being added?)
 
My pail has no spigot... I have a tub with a pump/plunger to bottle and track the brew.

I would buy an autosiphon.

So just put the sugar into the pail, then rack from carboy to pail would be okay?

You really need to boil the sugar for 10-15 minutes to sanitize it.

The sugar water mixure then adding to brew won't affect taste? (because more water is being added?)

The amount of water added is so small it really doesn't matter.
 
A 21L batch is 5½ US gallons.

My buddy who gets me to make his cervesa uses about 4g of dextrose (or table sugar, he's not really picky) per standard 341mL bottle. That works out to be about 250g per 23L batch. I have a President's Choice scale (which set me back $30 from Fortino's / Loblaws), and I use that to measure my hops as well as my sugar. He has yet to have a bottle bomb -- knock on wood.

The basic thing that the three of us who answered have basically said is, "Wait". Unless you're going on a 6 month vacation, you cannot go wrong in waiting for a few more weeks. Trust me... I love tasting my beer, but I have learned that it tastes better when it's aged.
 
I would buy an autosiphon.

Perhaps that's what I have? it's a tube and plunger that you pump... and siphons the brew.
 
Here is a good calculator to help you figure out how much sugar to use:
The Beer Recipator - Carbonation

250g sounds like a bit much. I think 125g is more middle of the road.
Edit: It really depends on the style though. For a wheat beer, 250g would be good, but not for an English Ale.
 
my recipe says 1 cup.

It's my first brew... it's a Muntons Canadian Ale.

Here are the website stats



Canadian Style Ale - A dark sweet yet subtle beer brewed to quench the thirst and satisfy the hunger. OG 1036° to 1040°.
Typical analyses when canned


Colour (EBC Units) 8 - 12
Bitterness (EBU's) 25 - 35
Solids (by refractometer) 80% - 82%
Acidity (as lactic) 1% max
pH 5 - 6
Free Amino Nitrogen 0.15%
 
Canadian Style Ale - A dark sweet yet subtle beer brewed to quench the thirst and satisfy the hunger. OG 1036° to 1040°.

Not sure what a Canadian ale is, but it sound like a beer that would be better with low to moderate carbonation. I'd go for something like an English mild.
 
But how do I judge this low to moderate carbonation? Again what is my desired Carbonation level? The Beer Recipator Calculator is just confusing the heck out of me.... There's gotta be a simpler way? And I'm really worried about messing up the carbonation.... a wrong move could ruin my entire batch :(
 
If you bought a kit and it came with 5 oz use that. Otherwise just use 3/4 to 1 cup. You will be fine it is your first batch no need in worrying if the carbonation exactly fits the style. Plus if your used to commercial brew you will probably like it a little more carbed.
 
I would buy an autosiphon.

Perhaps that's what I have? it's a tube and plunger that you pump... and siphons the brew.

Yep, that would be it. Sorry, I was having trouble reading your description because I'd already had a few last night :tank:
 
But how do I judge this low to moderate carbonation? Again what is my desired Carbonation level? The Beer Recipator Calculator is just confusing the heck out of me.... There's gotta be a simpler way? And I'm really worried about messing up the carbonation.... a wrong move could ruin my entire batch :(

Just find the appropriate style in the drop down box. For example, if you wanted something like an English dark mild you would shoot for 1.3-2.0 volumes of CO2. If you enter 2 in the desired volumes and 5.5 for the volume being bottled (@ 70 degrees) you end up with 3.44 oz. for the recommended quantity of corn sugar. Having a scale around is handy for stuff like this. If you decide to go with 3/4-1 cup that certainly won't ruin the batch though.
 
Well I think I will go with one cup-- I've never drinked home brew before.... and I tend to like my beers carbonated...

Thanks for the help.
 
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