Bottling first batch...

[OPA]

I just bottled my first batch and plan on waiting 7-10 days until its time go time. Does anyone have any pearls about how long to wait or is the 7-10 days good?

 

[atimmerman88]

typically gravity ales will carb up in about two weeks at 65F or so. No exact science but that seems to be the going rate

 

[Golddiggie]

Minimum time to bottle carbonate is three weeks at 70F. After three weeks chill a bottle for 5-7 days and then pour to glass and sample. Doing any less typically results in people posting about lack of carbonation or other related issues.

 

[BamaRooster]

You need to let it condition at 70 degrees for 3 weeks minimum.

 

[geim32]

Usually takes about 3 weeks for full carbonation and clarification.

 

[OPA]

Thanks Gents.

 

[billl]

"Does anyone have any pearls about how long to wait or is the 7-10 days good?"

In my experience, it would be pretty unusual for your beer to be ready in 7 days. Generally, after 2 weeks @70, most of my beers are there or close. After 3 weeks, most are there. Occasionally, they take longer. **** You need to chill for at least 48 hours to really judge how carbonated they are.

It is your beer, so you can sample as little or as much as you like. I'd recommend over-sampling for the first couple batches just so you can see and taste the progression. Forums are great, but there really is no substitute for experiencing it yourself.

 

[BamaRooster]

It is your beer, so you can sample as little or as much as you like. I'd recommend over-sampling for the first couple batches just so you can see and taste the progression. Forums are great, but there really is no substitute for experiencing it yourself.

this is sound advise, it is a good learning experience to sample as your beer changes through the conditioning process. Well at least it was for me.

 

[jerrodm]

Also depends on the ABV of the beer--yeast tend to work slower the higher the alcohol content of the beer. I find in general that my ales are really hitting their stride about 5-6 weeks after I bottle, longer for darker, bigger beers. If you had any problems during fermentation (underpitching, temp swings, etc) it might take a little longer for the yeast to clean up after themselves, as in 2-3 months or more. If it don't taste right, just put it in the back of your beer closet and come back to it in a month.

 

[kh54s10]

My experience is that I try one after 2 weeks. Of my 30 batches I would say that maybe 5 were fully carbed. Most took 3 weeks and maybe 5 took longer.

They ALL tasted better after 3 weeks. One, a Winter Warmer Ale took 6 weeks to carbonate and 6 months to come around. It is still getting better after 9 months in the bottles.

 

[jonnyp1980]

I have wasted so much beer when I first started brewing. Testing one or 2 a week and only to get mediocre beer. Wait it out. Sure it's great to Tate the progress but in the end you're only wasting green beer.

 

[jerrodm]

I have wasted so much beer when I first started brewing. Testing one or 2 a week and only to get mediocre beer. Wait it out. Sure it's great to Tate the progress but in the end you're only wasting green beer.

Exactly--better to leave it a couple more weeks and really enjoy it once it's hit the sweet spot. Of course, that's easier to say when you've got a good solid stock of already-prime homebrews sitting in your beer room, just waiting to be opened....will it be the ESB, the nut brown ale, or the dark mild tonight, I wonder? Actually, why choose between them?