We just finished the fermentation process which took about seven days and then racked the beer. The directions Say to bottle the beer in 2 to 3 weeks. However friend of ours told us to bottle the beer when the airlock bubbles one time every minute. Which is the correct method?
When to bottle?
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mtk6006
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Not the buddy! Here watch airlock going off for a week then wait a week then look at brew if see no bubles what so ever and brew look dead take a hydro reading. 3 weeks easy! This is what i do. I dont even think about poping lid until airlock stops and has another week. Two weeks atleast before hydro reading.
beergolf
Well-Known Member
Not good advice. First the airlock is not a gauge for fermentation, it just lets extra pressure out. There is a video floating around with an empty carboy that has an airlock bubbling away. It can be a temp increase or a pressure increase. The only way to tell if you are ready to bottle is to take a hydrometer reading and then another one a few days apart. If the gravity is stable, then it is safe to bottle.
Every fermentation is different. The yeast operates on its own time schedule not yours. That being said, you are usually safe to bottle after about 2-3 weeks once the gravity stabilizes. Extra time will not hurt the brew, but actually will improve it.
mtk6006
Well-Known Member
This is why i use the eyeball test if see one bubble disturbance from me or not it goes back after a few weeks. When i say bubble i mean in the beer not airlock.
boscobeans
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kblankenship11
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I've never bottled after 2 weeks. Maybe a low-gravity pale ale could be bottled that quick. Three weeks is a good general timeline before taking gravity readings. But like beergolf said, yeast operates on it's own schedule so there is no perfect formula. Take one and wait a day or two when you have time. When you get the same reading twice in a row you will be good to go. Don't rush it!!
NO! that is to soon!
Depending on the beer you can leave it in the Secondary for a while to age.
High Alcohol Beers should stay longer..
Low Alcohol Beers are usually safe after 4 weeks.
What were you brewing?
DPB
I wait till the 2 week mark to take a hydrometer reading to see where it's at. After FG is reached,wait till the beer settles out clear or slightly misty,usually 3-7 days by my experiences. Then bottle.
RIC0
Well-Known Member
I have a robust porter going which I added starbucks sumatra too after it came off the heat, this all taking place Saturday and today is Tuesday. The bubbling has stopped and I am not going to a secondary. I know its not time to bottle but will be taking gravity readings tomorrow and every other day.
How long should I keep taking readings or can you say after 2 - 3 readings and it's steady go ahead and bottle or what the hell leave it another week and you'll be golden??
All opinions are welcome, yes my first post, been lurkin and reading, thanks to all imput.
How long should I keep taking readings or can you say after 2 - 3 readings and it's steady go ahead and bottle or what the hell leave it another week and you'll be golden??
All opinions are welcome, yes my first post, been lurkin and reading, thanks to all imput.
I wouldn't take ANY readings until 3 days before you plan to bottle, unless you're just dying to taste the beer. It's pointless to take one tomorrow, as you aren't bottling for a while yet. No matter what the reading is tomorrow, it really doesn't matter. What matters is that you have a stable FG for a least three days, before bottling.
What I'd do is wait two weeks, check the SG. Wait three days, and check the SG. If it's the same, and the beer is starting to clear (not murky in the test jar), then you can bottle any time after that.
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