Brew Number 1: All seems to be well.

[Tranesblues]

This is my first post and my first shot at homebrewing. All seems to be well, but I do have a couple of questions. I went with the Northern Brewer Kit and chose Caribou Slobber with dry yeast. I put it in the primary a week ago and measured OG as 1.054 (I added .002 to the measurement due to temp per instructions). Probably pitched a bit to warm at about 79-80 degrees but that didn't seem to hurt it. It bubbled away and all is well. I have had it between 65-70 degrees since then. A week later and I have been listening to old episodes of Basic Brewing podcast and a guest (this is the yeast expert interviewed in the early episodes) said that he liked to see ales bottled around 14 days after pitching the yeast as long as the FG is on par. This got me thinking, because I had planned on just committing to the standard 3 week time table. However, I went ahead and checked the gravity today and it came in at 1.018!! Needless to say, I am stoked about that. I tasted the sample and despite not being a huge fan of nut browns, I thought it tasted pretty good for my first go. The biggest thing I have wondered is if my yeast was working good as it should. So I have a couple of simple questions.

1. I plan to check gravity again in about 7 days (15 days total in primary) and if it hasn't moved from today's reading, should I bottle it then?

2. If no to #1, then what is gained by leaving it there another 4-7 days (18-21 days total) after that?

3. I do have a fair amount of control over temperature. I have read that boosting the temp in the last period of fermentation can help the yeast 'finish out' or something to that affect. Should I boost the temp a few degrees? and if so, at what point?

Thanks for all the help. I have read a lot on the forums and look forward to many years of taking part.

 

[flars]

Did the expert mention anything about clearing the beer before bottling? Three weeks in the primary will allow the sediments to drop out of solution for a clear beer. The time also allows the beer to condition, replacing the secondary.
Some yeasts that have a high temperature range will be helped with higher temperatures near the end of fermentation. Standard ale yeasts, in my opinion, do not benefit from a temperature increase if the temperature during fermentation has been optimum and held steady. Raising the temperature, after FG has been reached, will force CO2 out of solution faster, releasing particulates suspended by the CO2.
Caribou Slobber should finish around 1.012.

 

[Tiddy]

Congrats on the first brew!

Regarding your questions:

#1...You have a brew of roughly 4.75 percent so I would say your yeast worked just fine. I know a lot of people want to move to a secondary after that first week but you are ok leaving it on the yeast for much longer. Your only risk is off flavored from dead yeast after long term exposure, but that is after multiply weeks and usually with a much higher gravity beer where the amount of waste is much higher.

That being said I would give it a few days in a secondary before transferring to a bottling bucket. Try a secondary at a cold temp to crash the yeast to the bottom. This allows a clearer product when you bottle and less trash in the bottles.

#2 - a benefit of leaving it in the fermenter a while longer is that yeast are likely still active. Even though they have no sugars to consume they will begin to consume things in the beer that contribute to off flavors. They can clear your beer up in that extra week and give benefit to that. I don't bottle until week three at the earliest but it's all personal choice.

#3 some boost the temp a few degrees which is ok if you aren't hitting your fg, but again it's personal preference. I think if you wait the extra week in a secondary or bump the temp a few degrees for a couple days it is just achieving the same goal I described in the answer #2.

Hope this helps.

 

[Tranesblues]

Awesome. Thanks for the input, especially that FG I should hit. I was thinking it should finish about 1.020. So I won't get antsy. I am gonna keep it as is and go the full three weeks. I think I am gonna skip the secondary for this first one, but I may add one to future brews. Cheers.

 

[Tranesblues]

OK, so I am 11 days in. I checked my gravity again today (yeah, yeah, I am antsy) and it is exactly what it was the other day. I did notice while I was checking it, that the temp of the wort (this is in the cylinder not the fermenter) seemed a bit low. I measured it at about 62-64 degrees. It could be a couple degrees higher in the fermenter but I was curious of anyone's thoughts on that. I boosted my temp control a couple degrees. Not sure why I feel like it should be up a bit, but I do. Anyhow, thanks for the thoughts in advance. Also, I am attaching a pic just to see what thoughts you might have on clarity.