Cream Ale finished fermenting?

[brewpastor1]

On Saturday I started a batch of cream ale (brewer's best) and fermented it. Started seeing bubbles working within 12 hours. Was feeling good. By the end of Sunday it had stopped bubbling in the airlock. I left it be, but a day later I got curious and popped the airlock off to check for the ring around the top of the bucket. There it was. I've left it alone fighting the urge to add some yeast nutrients or more yeast as I believe this was an extremely quick fermentation. It only showed active fermentation for about a day. The container is good to go and the airlock shows a good seal. Aside from taking a hydrometer reading and exposing the brew, is there any thoughts on what I should do? Should I wait until this weekend to bottle or should I add some nutrients or what? I don't want to over react, but I also don't want a whole kit to go to waste.

 

[Yooper]

Take a hydrometer reading. That's it.

 

[BlackGoat]

Wait. Relax, have a homebrew, and wait. Wait more. You should wait much longer than this weekend to bottle it. There is no accurate way whatsoever to tell whether it is done fermenting without taking multiple gravity readings that show no drop in gravity. Airlock activity is not a good indicator of anything. I would suggest taking your multiple gravity readings in a couple weeks spaced a day apart from each other, no matter what the kit instructions might have told you. Even if the fermentation is done, you want to give the yeast a chance to clean up and fully settle out. Most of us that choose to homebrew are the types that like to mess with stuff and constantly tinker, but this hobby is a practice of patience and trust in the process. Drink some good craft beer and add some new empty bottles to your collection!

 

[brewpastor1]

I've also heard lots of people say that store bought beer bottles are not good to use for home brew. As in, go pick up a case, drink the case, and use the bottles for your own brew. Is this true or is recycling these bottles with my own brew gonna work out fine?

Wait. Relax, have a homebrew, and wait. Wait more. You should wait much longer than this weekend to bottle it. There is no accurate way whatsoever to tell whether it is done fermenting without taking multiple gravity readings that show no drop in gravity. Airlock activity is not a good indicator of anything. I would suggest taking your multiple gravity readings in a couple weeks spaced a day apart from each other, no matter what the kit instructions might have told you. Even if the fermentation is done, you want to give the yeast a chance to clean up and fully settle out. Most of us that choose to homebrew are the types that like to mess with stuff and constantly tinker, but this hobby is a practice of patience and trust in the process. Drink some good craft beer and add some new empty bottles to your collection!

 

[BlackGoat]

the ones they sell brand new at the home brew store are exactly the same as the ones you'd buy full of beer. You just don't get the beer! I think what you might be confusing is the difference between pop-off and screw-off. You can't use the screw-off ones. Also, some bottles are easier to remove the label from than others. Sierra Nevada, Guinness, and sam adams bottles are notoriously easy to remove the labels from as far as major commercial brews go. If you're around a trader joes, I'm a fan of their Mission Street beers that are sold for $2 per 22oz bottle. Cheap reasonably good beer and a big bottle with a label that falls right off with some hot water.

 

[woozy]

I've also heard lots of people say that store bought beer bottles are not good to use for home brew.

Really? I've never heard anyone say that.

 

[brewpastor1]

Why are screw off bottles different than pop off bottles? What's the difference between the pop and the screw?

 

[BlackGoat]

Why are screw off bottles different than pop off bottles? What's the difference between the pop and the screw?

The threads on the screw top ones prevent the caps from properly sealing around the top when you cap them. Some people have had some success, but I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[jdelatte]

I just finished with some cream ale, I had let it sit in fermentor for 2 weeks and then bottled after I got the same hydrometer reading for 3 days, then let sit in bottle for 2 weeks, well at least half of them are still sitting, I usually try some after a week, the longer they sit the better they have been tasting. Be patient