2nd brew-advice needed

My first brew was an amber wheat. Very easy and came out tasty. My second venture is a little higher on the alcohol scale. I am makind a Helles doppelbock (abita andygator) if any of you are familiar. My local crew told me to follow the same instructions. Primary 4 days- secondary 2 weeks and then bottle.
My question is how long SHOULD I let it sit in the bottles.
Thank you

As in before you drink it? I'd say 3 weeks, that's my rule of thumb, but you could always try it sooner, if it tastes carbonated enough for you, drink it.

yes...sorry about that, I did mean how long should it sit in the bottles before I drink it.

Is a Helles a lager?

I'd change your local crew.
That is a strong (8% ABV) lager.
If you are brewing it as a lager, you will probably need about 2 - 3 weeks in primary, followed by several months in secondary for lagering (lager is the German word for store. i.e. it has to be stored for a prolonged period at near freezing temperatures) and it will then take several months bottle conditioning before it is ready to drink.
I suspect they sold you a light colored ale, which will not taste the same, but is easier to brew. For an ale, you will need 3 - 4 WEEKS in the primary. You probably won't need a secondary at all, and if it's anything like 8% ABV, it will require several months of bottle conditioning.

-a.

3lb of Cooper's European lager malt extract
4lb of Munich liquid malt extract
1 oz of Hallertau Mittelfruch Hops
30m boil
3-4 day primary and I just racked into secondary
very pretty...a little darker than my first dark wheat so far

2nd brew excitement if you ask me.

Only 3-4 days in the primary? Smh

Bradford......are you lagering this one? A lager requires pretty much a minimum of about 2-3 months at a pretty strictly controlled 34-36 degrees, followed by a bit of conditioning at about 50 degrees.

If you ferment this like an ale, which is what it looks like you are doing, then it is not going to be a Helles Lager, it is going to look and taste more like a Blonde Ale.

Should be a good beer either way, just want to curb your expectations. Lagers are one of the more difficult styles to make, and among the most time consuming.

3-4 days in primary? I wonder if it was finished with primary fermentation. Did you take several gravity reading over a couple of days to see that it finished?

As said a lager would be cold conditioned for months.
If ale conditioned I would leave it in secondary at least 3 weeks based on the very short primary. Then bottle condition a week and try ONE. wait another week and try another. Don't rush things. It will probably keep getting better with age.

ajf said:

I'd change your local crew.
That is a strong (8% ABV) lager.
If you are brewing it as a lager, you will probably need about 2 - 3 weeks in primary, followed by several months in secondary for lagering (lager is the German word for store. i.e. it has to be stored for a prolonged period at near freezing temperatures) and it will then take several months bottle conditioning before it is ready to drink.
I suspect they sold you a light colored ale, which will not taste the same, but is easier to brew. For an ale, you will need 3 - 4 WEEKS in the primary. You probably won't need a secondary at all, and if it's anything like 8% ABV, it will require several months of bottle conditioning.

-a.

Click to expand...

Yes, i would change your crew as well.

Just out of curiosity, who is your crew giving you this terrible information?

Being a newbie you will please have to excuse my mistakes on nomenclature. I am learning as fast as I can. Seeing as a lager sounds very complex I doubt they would give me such a task. After my first success I went in for my second batch. They ask me what beer I like to drink then try to hook me up with an easy "kit" like process to ensure the greatest amount of success for a rookie. I told them I had been drinking a lot of Abita Andygator lately which is a Helles Dopplebock so they gave me some items that would get reltively close (he said it would be darker than the abita) and it sounds like it is an Ale set up. I learned that from you and thank you now I will read more.
Again my first batch Amber ale was delicious. So here's to round two.