getting ready for bottling this weekend one question

[Omegagodly]

im getting ready for bottling this weekend and for the hell of it i took the temperature of my room/beer because it feels really chilly in the room i have it in. i opened my pail, and BEER/ALCOHOL smell hit me in the face lol. one question is though, is that my room is in the mid 50's! i used nottingham yeast and on the site it says its good at about 52(4)-70 degrees. the beer definitely smells complete, its been fermenting/conditioning for close to 3 weeks come this weekend. i took an original gravity it was about 1.050 but may be skewed a bit because the temp was off a little, and i think i got about that temp. im going to take another grav before i plan to bottle, but i only have what i think the OG is to compare it to. what do you guys think?

 

[RLinNH]

I think I'd take that bucket tonight and place her in my main living area where the temp can reach at least 67 degrees. Take a hydromter reading tonight, then another on Friday night, and yet another prior to bottling to make sure that the Yeast has done her thing. Also, I would Gently Rouse the Yeast some once the Wort has reached about 60 degrees to get it back into suspension.

 

[Omegagodly]

well i didnt take a grav, because i'd hate to keep opening it, but i did move it to a warmer area. hopefully itll be alright, but i sure can smell the beer when i open it, and alcohol is VERY noticable

 

[RLinNH]

You need to take a Gravity reading. Read again, NEED TO!!! How in the hell are you supposed to tell if the Yeast is done it's jhob? At the temp you have described, the Yeast very well could have gone to sleep. You go and bottle that this Weekend without knowing what's up, and you have Bottle Bombs on your hands.

 

[sithspitt]

use this to figure your Gravity http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp

 

[Kirbster]

I agree, take hydro readings over the next three days to see if fermentation is done. It is a small price to pay to insure that fermentation is done. You dont want to lose your batch and all those bottles if you bottle while fermentation is still happening. Like RLinNH stated, you could be at risk of bottle bombs if you do not know whats up with your fermentation. There is no other accurate way of telling if fermentation is done other than taking hydro readings.

 

[Omegagodly]

okay well i pulled some and took a grav reading. my hydrometer is measured for 70 degrees F so i warmed the beer up to that temp, and i took several readings and they all read ~1.011, so according to this recipe its done, but like i said, all i have to go by is my proposed 1.040-1.050 OG, but again that is with possibly skewed temp without adjustment, and not taken several readings. but i believe it is done. im not bottling till the weekend, so time will tell.

 

[RLinNH]

okay well i pulled some and took a grav reading. my hydrometer is measured for 70 degrees F so i warmed the beer up to that temp, and i took several readings and they all read ~1.011, so according to this recipe its done, but like i said, all i have to go by is my proposed 1.040-1.050 OG, but again that is with possibly skewed temp without adjustment, and not taken several readings. but i believe it is done. im not bottling till the weekend, so time will tell.

1.011 sounds awesome!!! Do yourself a favor and take one more gravity reading before you bottle just to make sure that the beer is rewady for bottling. Sounds like you are on your way to a great beer!!!

 

[Omegagodly]

i know thats what im hoping. im using the plastic tube my hydrometer came in, and its suitable for measurement i believe. i tested the hydrometer against water, and it came up ~1.000 so i believe this particular hydrometer system is taking correct readings. ill be more thorough with future readings though to play it safe. the sample tasted great to me, my father in law took a sip and said it tasted sour, and it actually tasted quite hoppy, like a slight hint of IPA taste to it which i like. He's never had an IPA so hes not familiar with the taste but the hydrometer sample definitely tastes good to me! next is the bee cave robust porter, he prefers the darker beers, and i definitely can appreciate them too!

 

[Omegagodly]

BOTTLED TODAY!!! tasted GREAT. there was a little left over that couldnt fit in a bottle so i drank it, and it was definitely tasty. i got 51 bottles total, and their capped and tucked away for carb time. everythings cleaned up and ready for the next brew. hopefully bee caves robust porter! either this weekend or next weekend hopefully.

 

[RLinNH]

BOTTLED TODAY!!! tasted GREAT. there was a little left over that couldnt fit in a bottle so i drank it, and it was definitely tasty. i got 51 bottles total, and their capped and tucked away for carb time. everythings cleaned up and ready for the next brew. hopefully bee caves robust porter! either this weekend or next weekend hopefully.

Just throwing this out there, but place those bottles into a 68-70 degree ambient temperature atmosphere. You probably already know that, but you'd be surprised how many people don't. :fro:

 

[Omegagodly]

I got this delicious brew hanging out in bottles and I'm ever so anxious to just open one but I know that's a bad idea lol. I'm going to open one each of these three weeks I'm letting it carb just to see the changes that progress. I can already see the light film of yeast on the bottom of the bottles, this is very exciting!!