Do I follow instructions to the T? Or let fermenting go on longer?

[atooraya]

I'm doing an Ale that I got as a gift from monsterbrew (Maestro Homebrew Kit with Amber Ale Kit | Home Brewing Supplies from Monster Brew)

Anyway, the instructions say that I should let it bubble for 3-4 days, then when it stops, let it ferment for 3-4 days. That would essentially allow me to bottle on Saturday. Should I wait an extra week, or is that good enough? It's in a bucket now, and I've been told not to open the lid because O2 is bad for a fermenting beer

 

[Zak]

While, I'm new to this whole brewing thing, but letting it sit in Primary an extra week won't hurt your beer. Now seeing that the kit you linked to looks very similar to the one I bought except mine was a Pale Ale instead of an Amber Ale then I would say give it at least an extra week from what the recipe said in both fermenting and in bottle conditioning.

 

[atooraya]

I just wanna drink it

I boiled the wort and started fermenting on Saturday. It stopped bubbling on Tuesday. I figured I could bottle on Tuesday, but I guess I'll wait a little longer.

Problem is I'm going to Vegas that following Friday!

 

[metaltradie]

It wont damage it if you leave it

 

[sonex]

never follow a time schedule from a kit. the beer has its own time schedule. use a hydrometer to know when its done, I let my ales go 3 weeks in primary, the extra time is to let the yeast clean up after its self following fermentation completion.

 

[atooraya]

I couldn't get a hydrometer reading because the one that was sent in the kit was broken

 

[Brulosopher]

I couldn't get a hydrometer reading because the one that was sent in the kit was broken

2 weeks in primary, minimum. Longer won't hurt a thing. Cheers!

 

[atooraya]

Been reading a bit of these forums, and a big consensus is 2-3 weeks. I'll bottle when I get back from Vegas I guess, giving it 17 days.

I can bottle, then put my new IPA in the fermenting bucket!

 

[Zak]

I just wanna drink it ...!

I'm with you on that, the downfall is now I'm drinking tart beer that my True Brew kit said would take 7 days in fermentation and 7-10 days in the bottle.

 

[bkorver]

I was anxious to drink my first batch. I thought it was ok, but I wasn't impressed. I drank about 6 or 7 and left the rest for when I got back from a 3 week vacation. When I got back I cracked on open expecting an OK beer and was knocked on my ass how good it was. It taught me that patience is a reward worth waiting for. Now I leave it in the fermenter for no less than 21 days and leave it in the bottles no less than 28 days and ignore the instructions completely. I haven't had a bottle of OK beer since.

 

[unionrdr]

I'd get another hydrometer. That way,you can test it when you get back to be sure it's at FG. That's the only way to know for sure.
And 3 weeks in the bottle for conditioning/cadbing around 70F is the average when bottle conditioning. My amber colored beers,including my APA & IPA were best at 5 weeks.

 

[Homercidal]

You know what? Do what you wanna do.

But at least measure the gravity before bottling. This is important for keeping you from making bottle bombs.

You'll find out later that patience has rewards. I think you'll find that green beer is not as good as mature beer. And next time, get a second fermenter so you can brew another batch while you are waiting!

 

[atooraya]

I'm waiting for my new hydrometer to get here as of now. I'm going to try to get the FG to say what it recommends on the instructions, then I'll bottle.

However, how do I measure gravity without opening the bucket? I thought it's bad to expose the brew to oxygen

 

[unionrdr]

There's a layer of co2 over the beer that'll pretty much stay put if you gently takr the sample with a sanitized baster. After taking the sample,seal it back up then take readings. You'll be fine then.

 

[atooraya]

Good thing I read this. I was just going to drop the hydrometer in the bucket.

Ok, now I need to buy a baster, or maybe just use a straw to get a sample out to fill some sort of glass with?

 

[unionrdr]

Or even a sanitized measuring cup will do.

 

[atooraya]

Then pour it back into the bucket?

 

[Stauffbier]

Then pour it back into the bucket?

Never pour your sample back in! Drink it or toss it! I always drink a little, because I like to taste it to determine how things are moving along in the process...

I use a sanitized measuring cup as Unionrdr mentioned IF the krausen has dropped. If the krausen hasn't dropped yet I use my auto-siphon kind of like a syringe..

 

[unionrdr]

You can safely pour it back in as long as everything that touches the sample was sanitized 1st. But I only do that on the OG sample. No value in tasting raw wort in my mind. All the FG samples I drink,as was said,to get an idea of where it's at.

 

[atooraya]

Oh good idea. Then I don't need to go buy a baster! How much do I need to take out? The hydrometer looks like it can be submerged into about 6 cups in a measuring cup! I need to get a champagne glass or something for this

 

[unionrdr]

The tube the hydrometer comes in works fine for me. Just fill it 3/4's of the way up. That'll be fine. Maybe a bit more than a cup,as I never bothered to measure it. My fermenters all have spigots.

 

[Stauffbier]

Oh good idea. Then I don't need to go buy a baster! How much do I need to take out? The hydrometer looks like it can be submerged into about 6 cups in a measuring cup! I need to get a champagne glass or something for this

If the cylinder that came with your hydrometer is like mine then it only takes about 3/4cup to fill it more or less. I use a 1c measuring cup... Just be sure to sanitize it very well, and don't dip your hand in the beer with the measuring cup! (even though I'm sure you sanitize your hands as well)

 

[unionrdr]

Cool. I wondered how much that tube would hold 3/4's of the way up.

 

[Stauffbier]

Cool. I wondered how much that tube would hold 3/4's of the way up.

I actually fill mine to the top and then push the hydrometer down a bit which expels a little liquid. This seems to help in removing any bubbles that might give you a false reading..

 

[unionrdr]

Seems like it would get rid of the bubbles on top anyway. But not the disolved co2. I let the sample sit for a little while to de-gass a bit before reading.

 

[rhinoceroceros]

I've never measured how much liquid the cylinder holds but I just put the hydrometer in the cylinder and pour the wort over it, when it floats you know you have enough. Also I used a wine thief for,my last beer which is much easier to sanitize than a baster, but the autosiphon suggestion is so simple that I feel a little silly for not having thought of it. I'm still fairly new to brewing but I never bottle until the gravity reading is the same for 2-3 days, regardless of target fg