Looking for some info on bottling early? I put down a batch 17 days ago, finished primary fermentation 3 days later and racked to secondary fermenter on day 4. For about a week now the beer has been crystal clear and there has not been much action in the air lock. The instructions say to wait 3 more days but i dont totally see the point. what are everyones thoughts?
bottling early?
- Thread starter dan82nf
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CKing
Well-Known Member
On this batch you are likely safe, a gravity check would be beneficial...................however, you racked way too soon.
If you choose to use a secondary, keep it in primary for at least 2 weeks.
If you choose to use a secondary, keep it in primary for at least 2 weeks.
So you racked into the secondary after day 4? If so thats sounds early to me, I guess from my experience and what I have read and seemed to have learned is that the fermentation may take 5-14 days (big window but the only true way to know is to take those gravity measurements). I still normally let mine stay in the primary for at least a week even if the fermentation has finished, the yeast will settle and if you choose to use a secondary (I always do, some chose not to) it will be basically to help clear the beer after you rack it off the inactive yeast...I used to go at least a week here but I did it in just a few days recently for my beer to clear before I bottled. I guess the biggest thing you need to look out for is just to make sure you have the fermentation complete before you bottle, otherwise you might have exploding bottles. Racking it too soon as suggested by another poster might cause your beer not to be quite up to par to where it should be but as long as you let the fermentation complete ( and use proper sanitation so that you dont introduce contaminants) you should have a drinkable beer....if you feel it was a mistake, keep your beer log with good notes and try it all over again and then correct your mistakes and see if it comes out any different...that will ultimately give you your answer.
Upthewazzu
Well-Known Member
Heh, they lied. It all comes down to your gravity readings. You only rack when its done fermenting, no matter what some crappy instruction sheet tells you. My general time frame is 10-14 days. Some people never rack to secondary at all, let it sit in primary for a month, and then go straight to bottle/keg.
+1 on being way too soon. They only way youll know its done is with a hydrometer. The airlock may stop bubbling but that doesnt mean a thing. Please for the sake of your beer 
let it finish and be patient with it. After a week (2 is better) take a reading. Wait 2-3 days and check again. If you can stand it wait again and check. If the readings are the same your beer is ready. Give the yeast time to clean up anything Bad thats in there. Give the beer time to meld and all the flavors your trying for come out.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Home Brew mobile app
let it finish and be patient with it. After a week (2 is better) take a reading. Wait 2-3 days and check again. If you can stand it wait again and check. If the readings are the same your beer is ready. Give the yeast time to clean up anything Bad thats in there. Give the beer time to meld and all the flavors your trying for come out. Sent from my SPH-L710 using Home Brew mobile app
