Can I look??

[anthonyb15fd]

I started my first home brew about 4 days ago.. The instructions said to let it ferment for 3 days and then sit for another 3 days and then bottle. Is this right..? Does it only need to stay in the fermenting bucket for 6 days? Also while its in there can I take the top off to look at it or should I keep the top on and not look at it for 6 days so air doesnt get in to it..?
Anthony

 

[Wrathbone]

Ignore the instructions. You probably want the beer in the fermenter for 3 weeks.

I wouldn't recommend peeking, but I also understand the urge. I've done it myself many times without issue.

 

[TipsyDragon]

i agree with Wrathbone let it sit for 3 weeks before bottling you will end up with a much nicer beer. you can look if you want it wont hurt anything. just don't be overly alarmed if the airlock stops bubbling after. all that means is you didn't get the lid back on tight enough. dont even think about worrying if this happens.

 

[Nurmey]

Welcome to HBT!

My friends above are correct, don't follow those very terrible instructions. Bottling six day old beer at best would be terrible and at worst would create very dangerous bottle bombs. We really like folks to get to their second or third batch before they endanger themselves or families with shrapnel.

You have now come to the hardest part of brewing, THE WAITING. It is worth it to wait but very hard for your first couple batches.

Peeking will not hurt anything but beware, it will not look pretty. If you see brown globby chunks floating, relax, it's normal.

 

[anthonyb15fd]

Thanks guys.. This is AWESOME..!! This is only my first batch but I already LOVE making beer..!! Thanks for all the answers...

 

[jiggs_casey]

Peek if you want to but, be warned! Two things can occur, you run the risk of contamination, should go without saying, and you may have the urge to stick your nose down below the top of the bucket and to get a great big whiff of your creation. Well, I tried it and just about passed out. I didn't factor in that there would be a nice, thick layer of CO2 sitting just above my wort! But hey, who's to blame a guy!

 

[Nurmey]

That big whiff of CO2 burning the your nose and making you cough is a right of passage!

 

[beerguy2009]

I too am new to brewing and followed the instructions and bottled my first beer after a week in the fermenter. I then found this site and read that everyone else waits a least 2 to 3 weeks.
The brew came out ok but I am sure it would have been better if I waited longer. Also I have found the book How To Brew by John Palmer helpful.
Just some thoughts from a fellow new brewer.
I wonder why it said to bottle after a week. My kit said the same thing. I don't think my directions were real clear as to when I should bottle.

 

[Hermit]

I don't use buckets but I remember Revvy saying he sprays the bucket lid with sanitizer before placing it back on. Bottom line though, the more you open it, the more something could go wrong. It is all a learning experience though. Later on as you become more familiar and comfortable with your sanitation you may feel more comfortable but let's face it, the air is full of stuff.

When you do take the lid off, consider turning of the central heat/AC/fans depending on time of year and let the air settle a bit first. I do this pretty much anytime I have to open my carboys.

 

[IceFisherChris]

START ANOTHER BATCH. Trust me, it really sucks to discover that you are almost out of beer... Then you have to wait a whole month or more for your next batch.

And definitely let it ferment for more than 3/6 days. I let it sit for 2 weeks in my primary and then move it to secondary (to open up my primary bucket just incase i need to do another brew.) Overall my beer usually sits for 3 to 4 weeks before it goes into the bottle. You CAN do it earlier than that, but take a hydrometer reading and be sure that its done fermenting.

As for opening it up, that would be up to you. Some people will say to sanitize everything, wear rubber gloves, dust mask, etc but I think it's bologna. I just take off the air lock (to keep it from sucking it all my sanitizer into the bucket) and then rip off the bucket lid. No sanitizing, no nothin! I haven't had any bacterial infections. It could be careless but I'm comfortable with it.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

START ANOTHER BATCH. ...

I quoted the above because it is so true. Buy yourself another bucket and brew another batch when you're 2 weeks in. Bottle the first batch the third week, wait another couple weeks and brew again. You'll soon realize that waiting isn't so hard if you have plenty of beer in the pipeline.

BTW, Happy New Year, and welcome to the addiction.

 

[osagedr]

Good on you for finding this place and soliciting advice. The amount of brewing knowledge on HBT is phenomenal.

If you have a primary with an airlock then I wouldn't hesitate to go three weeks then bottle, or even longer. When I started I followed the kit instructions and went 3-5 days in the primary; 2 weeks in the secondary then bottled. The beer turned out fine, but I now go a minimum of 7 days in the primary (I'd go longer but use a 10 gallon wine primary with no airlock so I just set something heavy on the lid) and often several weeks in a secondary depending on the beer.

 

[anthonyb15fd]

I finally looked and I have to say, for my first batch it looked good and tasted pretty good. I have a specific gravity of 1.020 and per the instructions I got with the recipe the final should be 1.010-1.012 so i am close.. Its only been 1 week.. 5 more weeks and I can start getting my drink on...!!!!

 

[BlackHillsBrewing]

I peaked, into my first batch.. oops! I got about 1/2 tsp of sanitizer from bubbler in the batch? Do you think that will kill the yeast? I don't, but it quit bubbling.. It's in a location about 60 degrees. It was only bubbling a bubble over second.. nothing off the wall.. IT's only day 2? is all ok?

 

[beerguy2009]

Should be fine. I would put the fermenter in a warmer place though (like 68 to 70 degrees). That will help the process along.

 

[BlackHillsBrewing]

Thanx Beerguy2009! The vote of confidence helps with BEER STRESS! Plus, I only have a couple of corona's no homebrew! I also moved to alittle warmer as you suggested!

 

[homebeerbrewer]

Also, when you opened it, you let the pressure inside out. It could start bubbling again, or it may not. All the bubbling indicates is that there is pressure in the fermenter, it doesn't mean that your fermentation stopped. Give another couple weeks and check the gravity. Then, check the gravity again in another couple days. If you get the same reading twice, fermentation is done, and then you can bottle.

 

[Duckfoot]

If you are really into fermentation voyeurism, go get a glass carboy / Better Bottle and knock yourself you...

Hmmm... I just thought of something... Maybe I should start a fermentation webcam site...

 

[TipsyDragon]

I peaked, into my first batch.. oops! I got about 1/2 tsp of sanitizer from bubbler in the batch? Do you think that will kill the yeast? I don't, but it quit bubbling.. It's in a location about 60 degrees. It was only bubbling a bubble over second.. nothing off the wall.. IT's only day 2? is all ok?

the StarSan wont hurt anything. in fact you can even brew with it and not hurt anything.

i assume you are brewing in a bucket? if so thats probably why your airlock is no longer bubbling. a bubbling airlock is not a fermentation indicator its a pressure release valve. chances are when you put the lid back on you didn't get a proper seal around the lid. this is normal for buckets don't give it a second thought. if thats not the case it could be that the CO2 pressure just hasn't built up enough yet to push air out the airlock. it wasn't bubbling very much to begin with so it may take a while to build up pressure.

in any case don't worry. your brew will be fine. just wait 2 - 3 weeks from brew day then check your gravity. wait 3 more days and check it again. if it hasn't changed then your done fermenting and you can bottle.

 

[beerguy2009]

Thanx Beerguy2009! The vote of confidence helps with BEER STRESS! Plus, I only have a couple of corona's no homebrew! I also moved to alittle warmer as you suggested!

Let us know how it turns out.