Can I bottle

[Boulty82]

Well I made my coopers real ale on Monday, it has been in the fermenter for 4 days. I had a lot of activity whilst fermenting but stopped yesterday. Took a gravity reading of 1.008 yesterday and is the same today, I'm thinking if its the same tomorrow I may bottle but have been told of others to leave for upto 2 weeks. What are the advantages/ disadvantages of leaving in fermenter or bottling straight away? The gravity will have been constant over 3 days so shouldn't be a problem should it?? I want to get it bottles then I can crack on with another kit straight away.

 

[Boulty82]

I know about bottle bombs but if I've had a steady gravity reading over 3 days should that not be it for the fermenting ? I know the yeast cleans up after itself afterwards but would that still not happen in the bottle?

 

[webby45wr]

I generally keep my brews in primary for at least 2 weeks, but usually 3. While you mostly likely can bottle now because fermentation has finished (3 consecutive days of gravity readings), the additional time allows the yeast to clean up and for flavors to "meld". I can't cite any data, but I've read that bulk aging helps with the flavor profile.

 

[Odin_Brews]

It ages faster in bulk than in individual bottles from what Ive read. Id let it sit for at least another week but I never tried what you propose so I can't say with certainty if it's a bad idea. General info on this site would tell you to wait for a while longer for the 'yeast to clean up'.

 

[trogdor447]

No rush in bottling now - I agree give it at the very least 1 week in the primary.. 2 preferred. Should turn into a much better beer overall than rushing to bottle. Are you safe to bottle w/o bombs more than likely with 3 readings in a row identical.

Edit: Why not just go get another bucket - they are cheap

 

[GrogNerd]

you can bottle any time after fermentation has stopped, which it has by your successive gravity readings

but like webby said, the yeast like to clean up after themselves. isn't that nice of them?

understandable that you're in a hurry to taste it, but patience you must learn, young padawan

it gets easier to wait once you get the pipeline going

 

[tooblue02]

Good excuse to buy another $15 primary!

 

[GrogNerd]

Good excuse to buy another $15 primary!

that is some outstanding advice right there

 

[Boulty82]

Thanks for all your replies, on the coopers website if states to not leave in the primary for longer than is required as it is more susceptible to infection when the yeast is not working and can develop off flavours from sitting on the yeast cake for too long! There seems to be too much conflicting advice given for any given problem.

 

[GrogNerd]

develop off flavours from sitting on the yeast cake for too long! There seems to be too much conflicting advice given for any given problem.

that was the thinking back when I first brewed, but conventional wisdom has changed.

it is a problem on the commercial brewery scale and in conical fermenters, but not really a problem for a 5-gallon batch in a bucket

these days "sitting on the yeast cake for too long!" is measured in months

 

[Olympic_View]

Thanks for all your replies, on the coopers website if states to not leave in the primary for longer than is required as it is more susceptible to infection when the yeast is not working and can develop off flavours from sitting on the yeast cake for too long! There seems to be too much conflicting advice given for any given problem. [/QUOT

You are "extract brewing"...bottle it and condition for 3-4 weeks at 65-75 degrees F prior to refrigeration/consumption-I have done several Coopers in the past and haven't had issues bottling after same gravity for three days--I do agree with the others though on "primary conditioning" with partial extract/partial grain or all grain methods--OLY

 

[Boulty82]

Thanks!! That seems to have cleared things up, will wait until Sunday and if its still at 1.008 it will be getting bottled

 

[Homercidal]

I second the idea of getting another bucket for those times when you just want to brew another batch. Or better yet, a 5 gallon Better Bottle you can use for a secondary.