Brand freaking new!!!

[pd230soi]

Adam,

For now if you can stand it; leave the beer alone in the primary for 3-4 weeks. I know its tough, but if you can stay away. The instructions with kits often claim shorter - not sure why. I leave my for a month.

During that time you want to keep the temps within the range of the yeast you used. I aim for the low end of whatever is listed on the package - search swamp cooler if you are having trouble with temps.

After 3 or 4 weeks check the gravity. If it then stays the same for 3 days. Then you may bottle. Before bottling, read the bottling tricks Post, it will save you some pain.

Again leave it alone for 3 weeks. Put one or two in the fridge for 48-72 hours. Then test.

This is much simplified, but all the variables make it tough to give you objective advice.

 

[chumpsteak]

Just to toss out another opinion, if you pitch the right amount of healthy yeast for your OG and ferment at the low temperature range, then you don't really need to let the beer sit in primary for 3 weeks before bottling. Generally speaking it should be done fermenting within 10 days max and if you've had a nice clean temp controlled ferment you should be able to dry hop, keg, or bottle. No reason why you shouldn't be drinking your beer in 3 weeks. It may be young and will definately get better with age, but if you pitch correctly and ferment correctly you don't have to sit on it for 6 weeks before enjoying.

 

[woopig]

After 3 or 4 weeks check the gravity. If it then stays the same for 3 days. Then you may bottle. Before bottling, read the bottling tricks Post, it will save you some pain.

Clearly I've misunderstood something here. I think I assumed that if I was willing to be patient and wait three weeks (which is what I always do after learning from you guys), that checking gravity wasn't exactly necessary. When airlock activity has been finished for two weeks, is it still very likely that it's not done? I know, I know, airlock activity (or lack thereof) doesn't necessarily correlate to fermentation. But it seems to me that three weeks would be pretty good insurance that it's finished. Am I alone on this?

 

[RM-MN]

Right or wrong, after the 3 to 4 weeks I check the gravity and if it is near what was predicted I bottle. Someday that may catch up with me but so far it has been fine.

 

[Bmorebrew]

Its very likely that it is done. It will almost always be done after three weeks. It is only that rare occasion where the yeast was really sluggish or somehow went dormant but began fermenting again that you're looking out for. Again, chances of that for a normal gravity ale brewed with healthy yeast at proper temps are pretty low.

But for my money I'm tasting anyway to decide if it needs more conditioning, and it doesn't cost me anything to check gravity while I'm in there. Consider it an insurance policy against bottle bombs with a low premium.

 

[pd230soi]

I think the recommended 3 or 4 week wait is like an insurance policy.

With mid to low gravity beers you do not have to wait. But, what if your temps were too cool, or your wort to warm when you pitched, or a couple other small issues. The wait helps many of those minor things that could cause a new brewer to hop back here and have a new problem.

I keep my primary down at the bottom of the temp range for each yeast. After two weeks I often let it come up into the seventies. If I pop the lid and see evidence of a good fermentation I I might not check the grav.

That being said as the witness to several bottle bombs.... I do check if I am the slightest bit suspicious.

 

[woopig]

If I pop the lid and see evidence of a good fermentation I I might not check the grav.

Ok, thanks for all of your input, everybody. I should know this by now, but does the above just refer to seeing that there is no longer any krausen on top?

 

[BOBrob]

Ok, thanks for all of your input, everybody. I should know this by now, but does the above just refer to seeing that there is no longer any krausen on top?

If you wait the 3 weeks the krausen will drop to the bottom of the bucket along with the hops. Take a FG reading so you know you are done fermenting. If you have hit your final gravity you can move on to bottling , if you are unsure wait a day and take another reading. If the two readings match, you are at final gravity and are good to go.Welcome to HBT, Cheers

 

[woopig]

Ok, sorry to be so dense, but I want to make sure I have this right. I use the Northern Brewer kits, and for some reason they don't give a FG on their instruction sheet. So is it reasonable to just use the FG from a recipe similar to what I'm brewing? Jamil's book gives a FG for each style, I believe, so maybe I should just go by that?

 

[BOBrob]

You could. But at the end of 3 weeks you should be at FG, depending on what kit , style, and yeast were used. Say you did another Hefe, the FG would be around 1.013 after about 7-10 days depending on various factors. But you would want to leave it for another 7-10 days just to let the yeast clean up. Final gravity is reached when the yeast has eaten up all the sugars. When its done it will not go any lower, so when the hydrometer readings match at a day apart you are at FG. Unless you made a high gravity beer 3 weeks is a good time frame. A good rule of thumb for the average brew is 3wks ferment, 3 wks carb, 3 wks condition. But every beer is different and the time frame for each step will be different. When its done, its done. Using the FG of another recipe may give you an idea; thats why you need 2 or 3 readings from your brew to match so you are certain you have hit your final gravity. Record the FG of this batch so you will know the ballpark figure for the next batch. Always keep notes. Cheers & good luck.