So I brewed my first batch on Sunday (IPA kit from local brewstore). Woke up Monday morning to see my 6 gallon carboy and airlock overflowing with foam. Switched to a blow-off tube. Yesterday afternoon(Tuesday) fermentation dropped off dramatically. Put an airlock on today, and it bubbles about every 15-20 seconds now. Checked the SG and it is at 1.020 with the recipe calling for 1.017. Beer is pretty cloudy, and doesn't really taste that great. It calls for secondary fermentation, but I would like to have it bottled and ready to drink next weekend. Wanted your opinion on bottling? Would it be ok to bottle on Saturday, if not before since it appears as though fermentation is about done. Thanks!
First Batch Questions
- Thread starter bkaqm6
- Start date
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Having it ready by next weekend is probably not going to happen. I would recommend giving it atleast two weeks in the primary to allow the yeasty beasties to clean up after themselves, i usualy leave my beers in the primary for 4-6 weeks. then if you want o secondary, possibly dry hop since it is an IPA, i would give it a week in secondary to clear up a little bit.
then once you bottle you will want to give it 2-3 weeks to properly carb up and to bottle condition. IPAs are good young, but two weeks boil to bottle is about 4 weeks to fast.
If you want a quick brew look at some of the pale ale recipes on this site, maybe the centennial blonde recipe. get another one going, it will help you be patient.
all that being said it wouldn't hurt to have a bottle after one week in the bottle, two weeks, and three weeks. that way you will get a feel for how the beer changes over time in the bottle.
Boerderij_Kabouter
Well-Known Member
Absolutely not!
I am sorry if your local guy told you beer can be brewed in two weeks. The reality is that your IPA will likely take 6-7 weeks to be done.
For your first beer I recommend not using a secondary vessel and just leaving it in the primary for 3 weeks. Anything you have heard about autolosis does not apply to a beer sitting on the yeast for 3 weeks (or even a couple months in most cases). You will allow the yeast to finish the fermentation then redigest many of flavors they created during the primary ferment. Leaving it in the primary greatly reduces the chance for contamination and oxidation while presenting almost no downside.
I am a proponent of secondary fermenters and use them when appropriate. If you continue to be interested in brewing, you should research the techniques and timing and try it yourself... just not on your first beer.
So once, your beer has sat in the fermenter for another 2+ weeks. It will be time to bottle. Once you bottle, allow the beer to rest at 70ish degrees for three weeks. This is how much time it will take to properly carbonate and condition in the bottle. You can sample one every week to see the development, but you will be doing a disservice to the hobby and your beer by drinking it earlier.
So basically, no you cannot have your beer ready next weekend. I hope this doesn't discourage you, but brewing really isn't an instant gratification kind of hobby. It requires patients and an attention to detail.
Note: your finished beer will taste nothing like it does now. Fermenting beer has a lot of wierd things happening in it. Reserve actual judgement for at least 3 weeks after you have bottled.
Good luck and welcome to the hobby!!!
I am sorry if your local guy told you beer can be brewed in two weeks. The reality is that your IPA will likely take 6-7 weeks to be done.
For your first beer I recommend not using a secondary vessel and just leaving it in the primary for 3 weeks. Anything you have heard about autolosis does not apply to a beer sitting on the yeast for 3 weeks (or even a couple months in most cases). You will allow the yeast to finish the fermentation then redigest many of flavors they created during the primary ferment. Leaving it in the primary greatly reduces the chance for contamination and oxidation while presenting almost no downside.
I am a proponent of secondary fermenters and use them when appropriate. If you continue to be interested in brewing, you should research the techniques and timing and try it yourself... just not on your first beer.
So once, your beer has sat in the fermenter for another 2+ weeks. It will be time to bottle. Once you bottle, allow the beer to rest at 70ish degrees for three weeks. This is how much time it will take to properly carbonate and condition in the bottle. You can sample one every week to see the development, but you will be doing a disservice to the hobby and your beer by drinking it earlier.
So basically, no you cannot have your beer ready next weekend. I hope this doesn't discourage you, but brewing really isn't an instant gratification kind of hobby. It requires patients and an attention to detail.
Note: your finished beer will taste nothing like it does now. Fermenting beer has a lot of wierd things happening in it. Reserve actual judgement for at least 3 weeks after you have bottled.
Good luck and welcome to the hobby!!!
