Leave it Alone?

[ShaneHed13]

First batch that I started on Friday, started fermenting really Good Friday night through Sunday. Checked it today and the foam is gone and it is bubbling about once every 30 seconds to a minute. I've read a lot, about the stages of yeast, but without reassurance from the intelligent people here, I really went to give it a shake to mix things up. It's too early to do a gravity test and I plan on leaving it in primary for another week and a half (I'll probably bottle the Friday after New Years) but since it's sealed I don't think a little swirl will hurt anything will it?!?

 

[freisste]

Probably won't hurt, but it's unnecessary. I would recommend leaving it alone as you will see little to no benefit from it, but you will slow the settling process. This could result in marginally more sediment in your bottles.

No benefit for slight risk. Leave it alone.

 

[jdopchibrew]

Don't touch it!!! You obviously did something right, because you had krausen (the foam you are referring to) but once it starts to ferment, the last thing you want to do is introduce oxygen (i.e. shaking). Even though there may not be anything exciting happening that you can see, it is most definitely still fermenting.

if you have a hydrometer, wait until after the new year and then take a gravity reading. take note of it, then wait another 3-4 days. if it fermented more, repeat the process until your readings stay consistent. THEN… and only then... you may bottle!

 

[MDHarris]

The brew looks great! No need to worry. Swirling won't hurt anything, if it makes you feel better. Leave the airlock on and there will most likely be lots of bubbling as you swirl. It will be the co2 comming out of the beer. Can you take a gravity reading? If not don't worry.

 

[theck]

I sometimes give a little shake if I'm letting it go for another couple weeks and I want it to work a little harder. After you shake give it another 2 to 3 weeks. Who knows might screw it up too ha... It still tastes like beer though in the end.

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[Foosier]

Leave it alone. A common mistake new brewers make is not trusting their yeast. Remember they have been fermenting things for millennia. Once we give them a nice place to live, leave them alone to do their thing. You will hear many leave their brew in primary for 2-4 weeks since the yeast needs its' time. You should do the same. Agitating it will not make things go faster.

 

[rhythmsteve]

As others have suggested, just leave it alone mate. You had a rocket start to your fermentation and now it's slowing but definitely not done, the airlock will tell you all you need to know if its still bubbling. The last thing you want to do is risk infecting of with bacteria if u pop the top, of having to wait longer for your sediment to settle

 

[Stauffbier]

Don't touch it!

 

[jrgtr42]

Don't touch it.
IN fact, if you want to even check on it, DON'T!!!! Walk away. Forget about it for at least another week and a half. I wouldn't even bottle on Jan 3. I would wait yet another week to make sure.
IN either case, you can go ahead and check the gravity on that Wednesday, record the gravity, then check again on Friday. If it's the same, you can go ahead and bottle.

 

[theck]

I should clarify. I do shake slightly if high gravity beer or ciders, high gravity as well. I read that it can help wake the yeast? Others I just let sit and do their thing. I also shake with the lid on, can't imagine oxygen getting in there since it's been bubbling for a week or more.

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[Stauffbier]

There is no good reason to shake your fermenter! Bucket lids will let oxygen in. Carboys and Better Bottles, not so much. But... Still, no need to be shaking things. If you pitch enough healthy yeast, aerate good, and control the temps properly there is no reason to shake the fermenter. It doesn't matter if it's low gravity or high gravity!

 

[brewguyver]

Trust the yeast, and trust your hydrometer. Leave it alone until you're ready to take a reading.

 

[IL1kebeer]

It's too early to do a gravity test

Says who?

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

 

[ShaneHed13]

It's only been 3-4 days since it started fermenting (Friday night) and even the instructions, which are what I would think is the earliest possible completion time says 4-6 and I don't want to test it a lot out of fear that I'll infect it or aerate it I guess.

 

[Stauffbier]

I wouldn't bother checking the gravity for at least another week or longer.

 

[Yooper]

It's only been 3-4 days since it started fermenting (Friday night) and even the instructions, which are what I would think is the earliest possible completion time says 4-6 and I don't want to test it a lot out of fear that I'll infect it or aerate it I guess.

It looks fine. You have a krausen ring above the beer, showing that the yeast have finished up the majority of fermentation.

After fermentation slows, the yeast are still active. Once the fermentable sugars are gone, the yeast will scour around for food and start to digest less preferred foods, like more complex sugars and even their own waste products. That's where you're at now. There is no good reason to resuspend the flocculated yeast, unless you've used a yeast strain that prematurely flocculates (not likely at all in 99% of the cases). Once this "clean up" process finishes over the next couple of days, the beer will clear quite a bit as the yeast will continue to fall out of suspension.

Even after that, there are still hundreds of billions of yeast in the beer, but it will appear very clear. That is a good time to bottle, to have less sediment in the bottles and a nice clear beer. For me, that's usually about day 14 after fermentation.