Bottle now or wait?

[oldmuttonhead]

Hello!

This is my first post and I'm in the process of making my first beer. I purchased a Brewer's Best Deluxe kit and a Brewer's Best American Cream Ale ingredient kit. My plan was to do a two-stage fermentation. I had activity in my airlock earlier than I expected and thought everything was going smoothly. Then, 4 days into the fermentation, I checked on it and had NO activity whatsoever. I was really upset that I thought I ruined my first batch. So after doing a little research I decide that I need to pitch more yeast and give it another go. While buying the yeast at my local home brew shop the guy told me that he thought it was probably not that it didn't ferment, but that it was finished and that I should take a gravity reading. So, when I got home I did and he was right!! It was at the low end of the range the recipe lists (1.010).

So I transferred it into my carboy but how long should I wait before I start bottling it? Everything I read said the longer you wait the better it is, but since it is already on the low end of the gravity I'm aiming for, should I just bottle it now or should I wait and if so how long should I wait? I'm ok with being patient, I just want to do the right thing for my first batch!!

Thanks in advance for your help!!

Rick

 

[johnsnownw]

The cream ale didn't need to be put in secondary at all. Bottle it now.

 

[oldmuttonhead]

The cream ale didn't need to be put in secondary at all. Bottle it now.

The recipe suggested it, that's why I did it. I'll get right to bottling! Thanks!

 

[Zoidberg]

4 days of activity is about normal to finishing fermenting especially if the temp isn't controlled

 

[johnsnownw]

The recipe suggested it, that's why I did it. I'll get right to bottling! Thanks!

That's the problem with those kits...they all say do a secondary. It's outdated instructions and methodology.

Good Luck!

 

[kh54s10]

4 days is enough to finish the ACTIVE part of the fermentation. The gravity could continue to fall for 3-7 more days or longer. You should be sure you are truly at final gravity before doing a secondary (if at all)

I would leave it in secondary for at least a week. 14 to 30 days total.

At this point, if you wish to rush this one take another gravity reading today. Then take another one on Monday. If and only if the readings are the same you can bottle. If any further fermentation is added to the bottle conditioning you risk bottle bombs.

 

[McLovinBeast57]

Instead if doing a secondary, just leave it in the primary for a total of 3-4 weeks, then bottle it and let that sit for another 2-3 weeks.

After the first week or so of fermentation, the beer needs to condition to get rid of any off flavors. This happens a lot faster in a carboy or bucket than it does in bottles.

Be sure to manage your temperatures according to your yeast strain.

Have fun man!


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[oldmuttonhead]

Uh oh.. conflicting advice. I was hoping this was an open and shut "obviously you need to do this" kind of scenario. Now I'm back to doubting what I should do again.

 

[johnsnownw]

That's all true. I guess I didn't realize you transferred to secondary so quickly. My point was that you don't need to secondary a cream ale, but you should leave it in primary for about 3 weeks. You do this so that the beer sits on the yeast cake for a while, and the yeast can clean up the beer a bit.

So, yes, if you have been fermenting for less than a week let it sit in secondary. Just don't do a secondary next time.

 

[oldmuttonhead]

Yay! Consensus!

Thanks for your help! I will wait for awhile before I do anything.

Thanks!

Rick