New to homebrewing.. some concerns...

[claytonsmith]

I've just made my first batch of wort ( well about 3 days ago) and im having some concerns.. I've read the FAQ stuff with all of the " i think i screwed my beer up" and it would seem as though i havent.... but id like some reassurance.


the issue is that, according to the airlock, my brew has stopped fermenting the airlock was bubbling frequently initially but today it has seemingly stopped..I neglected to take a gravity reading after i cooked the wort and added yeast. but currently im sitting at 1.02X which is around 3.5%abv as far as i can figure (assuming the starting gravity was what it should have been.) should i transfer the beer to the secondary fermenter after only 2.5 days and let it finish off there or should i wait longer?

for what it's worth the beer is an irish stout. I dont expect the ABV to be much higher than 4.5% or so... but is it possible it could be fully fermented at 3.5%?


Sorry for the barfing of thoughts on the forum... but im kinda freaking out a little. I don't know what to expect as normal and abnormal behavior of the brew.


thanks!

-Clayton

 

[Yooper]

It might be done. It might not. It doesn't really matter when you consider this: Even after it's "done", the yeast are still busy working. After the fermentable sugars are gone, the yeast actually then begin to eat anything they can, and they will start to digest their own waste products. The result is a "cleaner" and less yeasty tasting beer.

So, my advice is to put the cover and the airlock back on and check it again in a week or two. If you want to use a secondary (I do not), then you can rack in about a week. Otherwise, leave it where it is for three weeks, then bottle.

And welcome to the obsession! :rockin:

 

[jjones17]

I've just made my first batch of wort ( well about 3 days ago) and im having some concerns.. I've read the FAQ stuff with all of the " i think i screwed my beer up" and it would seem as though i havent.... but id like some reassurance.


the issue is that, according to the airlock, my brew has stopped fermenting the airlock was bubbling frequently initially but today it has seemingly stopped..I neglected to take a gravity reading after i cooked the wort and added yeast. but currently im sitting at 1.02X which is around 3.5%abv as far as i can figure (assuming the starting gravity was what it should have been.) should i transfer the beer to the secondary fermenter after only 2.5 days and let it finish off there or should i wait longer?

for what it's worth the beer is an irish stout. I dont expect the ABV to be much higher than 4.5% or so... but is it possible it could be fully fermented at 3.5%?


Sorry for the barfing of thoughts on the forum... but im kinda freaking out a little. I don't know what to expect as normal and abnormal behavior of the brew.


thanks!

-Clayton

Hey man relax its not a problem... I remember my first batch it was hella stressfull. But seriously, your beer is not done yet... IMO leave it in your primary for at least 1 week. Since I dont bother with a secondary fermentor anymore, I personally would just leave it there for 3 weeks then bottle. That pattern you described is not abnormal. Often, if I use coopers yeast anyway, my fermentation bubbles stop after 3 days and never start again. But its not done, its still 'green'.

 

[beerthirty]

Stop trusting your airlock and start trusting your hydrometer. When the readings haven't changed over the course of 3-4 days then its ready. Of course taking readings every day is a waste of wort. RDWHAHB. Let it sit for a week. While that is happening read more "is my beer ruined?" threads.

 

[Dalarast]

If you ever had a kid imagine your first brew (or every brew after that) is like your child being born. You are so excited about the day it happens; but you do not want it to happen to soon. And once you enjoy all there is to your brew and realize your empty (or with a child once you get her/him home and you don't sleep through the nights) you wish you waited a little longer. Just relax watch some family guy and watch the grass grown to get you mind off your brew.... its calling you.. it wants to be in a bottle and then guzzled down... but get your mind off of it

 

[Tmeister]

Ya for your first beer leave it alone for about 2 weeks, carefull not to disturb anything thats settled and siphon it into the bottling bucket. Then follow the process of bottling. Then leave it alone in a dark place thats about 70 degrees for another 2 weeks. Try a bottle. If its carbed then great, but you might have to wait up to 3 weeks for the beer to be completed bottle conditioning. Follow this process and it will be a great first beer.

 

[claytonsmith]

thanks for all the replies i guess ill do what everyone is saying. chill out haha.

 

[jeffmeh]

Patience is indeed a virtue. Take the advice of leaving it for 3 weeks in the primary, even 4 if you can stand it, then bottle.

 

[CiscoKid]

Don't worry, the waiting gets easier. You'll learn to trust that the yeast are doing their job. It gets even easier to wait after you've got a pipeline going to enjoy guzzling down some of those others you've made while you wait.

 

[northernlad]

Don't worry, the waiting gets easier. You'll learn to trust that the yeast are doing their job. It gets even easier to wait after you've got a pipeline going to enjoy guzzling down some of those others you've made while you wait.

Stone cold truth.