To bottle or not to bottle that is the ?

The directions say that I should bottle about 7 days after fermentation begins. I know I read on other posts that most of the experianced brewers that say a month. This is an extract brew. And I am to weeks out. Any suggestions.

 

It will all depend on certain factors...style of beer, type of yeast, how much yeast you pitched, fermentation temp...

With that said, I will not even look at my beer until 2 to 3 weeks. You will need to take gravity readings to actually tell if it is done. If you bottle after 7 days without checking gravity, you will have no idea if it finished fermenting or not. If it hasn't finish and you bottle...you will have the neighbors calling the cops because of your bottle bombs.

Bigger beers you will want to let sit longer. Lagers will also need to sit longer.

 

is your hydrometer saying its done, twice over a few days?

 

measure the gravity. If you don't have a hydrometer, go get one and let the beer sit until you do.

 

as said already, i wouldn't bottle until your gravity stays the same over the course of 2-3 days.

Patience is key.