Is my first brew ready for bottling???

[sod]

Hey! Been lurking for a while and waiting for my first brew to do it's thing. Brewed on nov. 9th, racked to secondary on the 15th. My O.G. was 1.050 and at racking to secondary was at 1.020 and still at 1.020. I'm thinking it's done. Brewers Best Irish Stout, no F.G. in the directions. ABV% should be between 4.5% - 5.0%. My LHB says put in bottles what do you guys think, too early? The head space in my 5 gal. carboy has me concerned. Thanks in advance for any advice. Learning alot from this forum, love it.

P.S. took roughly 40 hours for ferm to start. did everything to the T.(a little bit anal)

 

[hercher]

How long has it been in secondary? f it has been a couple days, then yes, it should be done. Right now, you are at about 3.8% ABV, a little low, but not out of line for the style.

 

[sea2summit3]

If you took the hydro reading at the same temp and got 1.020 each time, i'd say your beer is done! Bottle away. If you're not sure, take another reading tomorrow. If the temps were not the same on each reading, you can use this site to convert: The Beer Recipator

 

[bigin31]

+1 Sea Summit. Consistent readings are the key to knowing when you are ready to bottle. If you want a lower FG add some amylase. Otherwise enjoy your beer in a week.

 

[sod]

+1 Sea Summit. Consistent readings are the key to knowing when you are ready to bottle. If you want a lower FG add some amylase. Otherwise enjoy your beer in a week.

If i go to myLHBS and ask him for some diastatic enzymes he's gonna yell at me and tell me to keep it simple...but yes i do want to lower my FG. Obviously never used amylase the word or product how much is needed? Will it effect the taste or just the gravity? Learning, learning, learning.

 

[bigin31]

Use about.5 oz for 5 gallons. Just throw it in primary or secondary vessel, which ever you want, and let er ride. Another alternative is beano, I know it seems weird. Beanos active ingredient is alpha galactosidase. This also helps break down long chains which lowers FG. Crush about 4 tabs up real good and throw them in primary or secondary. Same as the amylase. Amylase you will have to order or pick up at LHBS. Beano you can get at Walmart. KNOW this. Any enzyme added during fermentation will add dryness to your beer. Personally I like the dryness but it's all about the end result. Amylase will not add off flavors. Personally the Beano has never effected the taste of my beer but others differ with my opinion.

 

[sea2summit3]

If i go to myLHBS and ask him for some diastatic enzymes he's gonna yell at me and tell me to keep it simple...but yes i do want to lower my FG. Obviously never used amylase the word or product how much is needed? Will it effect the taste or just the gravity? Learning, learning, learning.

Tell him that you appreciate his advice but are a mad scientist who can't help but experiment and play around. If he can't respect that, walk out and start going elsewhere. You've got to remember... you're the customer! I'm all for shopping local and supporting my LHBS, but if the guy is being jerk, why support him?

 

[Chudz]

My Brewer's Best, Irish Stout came in at 1.020 as well. I bottled it a little over two weeks ago and am looking forward to it.

Edit to add: My directions had a FG range of 1.017-1.020, so you're right on.

 

[sod]

Tell him that you appreciate his advice but are a mad scientist who can't help but experiment and play around. If he can't respect that, walk out and start going elsewhere. You've got to remember... you're the customer! I'm all for shopping local and supporting my LHBS, but if the guy is being jerk, why support him?

Yeah he's actually a good guy he would just razz me a little, tell me leave it alone everything is fine. Keeping in mind this is my very first batch. I just want to play with my new toy. But from what Chudz says his directions had a F.G. of 1.017-1.020, i guess it's done. It looks like beer and smells like beer...
Annoyed and frustrated that no F.G. on the directions but using (og-fg)*131.25 i could kinda tell where it should be cause i have the abv. (4.5%-5.0%) and i came up with 1.015.

 

[tcklord]

I wouldn't mess with it. 1.02 isn't that horrible. Next time leave it in the primary longer than 6 days though. Wait at least 2-3 weeks then if you feel like it you can transfer to secondary. You could have gotten a lower gravity if you would have let it sit on the yeast cake longer.

 

[pericles]

I would argue that IF you're going to secondary, six days is not long enough. Some of the haze will drop in that time, but the flavors won't really come together unless you leave them in the secondary vessel for more like two weeks.

Some people argue you can skip the secondary altogether, and just go right to bottle. I think it's a little more complicated than that, but basically I agree. I still secondary my bigger beers, though, to let the more complex flavors to coalesce in bulk.

The bottom line is, you won't get much value out of secondarying in just six days. Given that you went to the trouble, why don't you wait a little longer?