New brewer

[brewcrew12]

Brewed my first beer last weekend. I started with a kit for a double IPA. Everything went great. Brewed on Saturday check on Sunday and the airlock was really bubbling. Tuesday no bubbles. My OG was 1.075 trying to get near 1.015 as (per the kit directions) took a reading on Tuesday 1.030. Still no bubbles am I just being a noob? Should I add more yeast or wait it out a couple of days before going to secondary fermenter? Thanks in advance

 

[frostyp]

Bubbles mean nothing only reliable method is to use a hydrometer , let it go two weeks , two readings a day apart that are identical means its done, patience.

 

[cluckk]

We need some more information, though it will likely come back to RDWHAHB. Did you do extract or all grain? If all grain then what temperature did you mash at? If extract, what extract? What is your fermentation termperature? Which yeast? etc.Recipe and procedure is needed to tell what could be happening.

However, most likely it is just beginning brewer jitters.

 

[roxbob]

No need to rush it into secondary, some people just skip the secondary altogether. No bubbles doesn't mean it's not fermenting - just give it some time. I'd wait a couple weeks and check the gravity again before considering doing anything else.

 

[BrewerinBR]

Wait, bubbles in air lock or a lack there of do not indicate fermentation or a lack there of. 1.075 to 1.030 means it is not finished. Let it sit... 21 days in a cool dark place where the temp is about 65 ambient and forget it for 3 weeks.

Secondary is optional (I only use secondary if I am going to bulk age a high gravity or lager a beer after 35 days in primary).

Temp is important and consistent temp is the best. Ales (depending on yeast) should be about 65 and lagers about 55... again different yeast need different temps.

 

[brewcrew12]

I brewed from a kit "brewers best" It says to transfer from first fermenter to secondary after 5 days. What should I do??

 

[rklinck]

I brewed from a kit "brewers best" It says to transfer from first fermenter to secondary after 5 days. What should I do??

Throw the instructions away and listen to folks here.

 

[LandoLincoln]

I brewed from a kit "brewers best" It says to transfer from first fermenter to secondary after 5 days. What should I do??

Don't listen to those instructions. I'm not exactly sure why they want to rush people through the process. Sure, a rushed process will allow people to brew more beer, but the beer they produce won't be all that great, so it's definitely more likely that the new brewers will be disappointed in their attempts and give up the hobby.

 

[TroyMorgan]

I brewed from a kit "brewers best" It says to transfer from first fermenter to secondary after 5 days. What should I do??

Read a brewing book. I read "How to Brew" by John Palmer and I have felt much more confident ever since. Let it sit for two weeks instead of 5 days and your beer will likely come out better. I hurried through my first few beers and while they ended up drinkable, they had more than a few imperfections. It sucks to wait, especially for your first beer, but patience is HUGE in this hobby. Welcome to the hobby.

 

[BrewerinBR]

I brewed from a kit "brewers best" It says to transfer from first fermenter to secondary after 5 days. What should I do??

Well that is up to you. I have not used a secondary for an IPA since batch 3 (will do batch 70 this weekend -- a Centennial IPA)! You can use a secondary if you want to, the intent is to help the beer clear and settle out off of the trub and yeast after fermentation completes. The key here is "fermentation completes"! The majority of fermentation is going to happen quickly in about 10 days or less. However the yeast will continue to work and clean up the by products of fermentation for another 10 days at least. Then they will settle out. There was (or maybe is) a school of thought that the yeast could die off and cause an off flavor, this is known as autolysis (I think that's how it is spelled). Perhaps that could happen after an extended period say 6 months (I do know some brewers who have left ales that long in primary without ill effect) but I routinely leave my beers in primary for 28 days at fermentation temp and then move them to cold (40F) storage after I test them for final gravity. I dry hop as appropriate right in primary (I use buckets) and let them sit for 5 to 7 days at 40F. This chills the beer nicely and causes the yeast to get sleepy and fall to the bottom of the fermentor. I use an auto siphon and rack to a bottling bucket with priming sugar and bottle. The beer is clear and tasty.

So if you want to use secondary you may do so but wait until primary fermentation completes and the yeast cleans up. Then rack to secondary. I say 21 days before the 1st test then a day or two and another test if you are close to FG and the readings are consistent go for it.

 

[brewkinger]

Read a brewing book. I read "How to Brew" by John Palmer and I have felt much more confident ever since. Let it sit for two weeks instead of 5 days and your beer will likely come out better. I hurried through my first few beers and while they ended up drinkable, they had more than a few imperfections. It sucks to wait, especially for your first beer, but patience is HUGE in this hobby. Welcome to the hobby.

+1
Good reference manual to have.

 

[brewcrew12]

I have home brewing for dummies but I will invest in another book