Does specific gravity alone imply "ready for packaging"?

[downzero]

I have been brewing for about 7 years but I'm coming off a lengthy hiatus. I've made 3 batches in the last few weeks. I am a BIAB brewer but I don't think this question really relates to beer style or process that much. All three batches are ales; one is a stout and the other two are pale ales.

Last Sunday (Dec. 1) I brewed one of the recipes, an IPA. OG was 1.069 or so. Yeast was dry US-05 american ale yeast. Fermentation was apparent by airlock activity within 12 hours and there was very aggressive fermentation for 3+ days. The recipe I was following called for increasing the temperature as the fermentation progressed, and I kept it at 66 degrees or so to start out slower, ramping up to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Yesterday I got home from work and there was no more airlock activity, so I decided that it was time to drop in the dry hop. Since I had the fermenter open, I decided to pull a quick sample and test the SG. It was at 1.009. Before I measured, I would have thought that despite the significant slowdown in airlock activity that it'd still have a few more points to go, but after seeing the SG where it's at, I'm convinced that it's done and it isn't going to ferment any further. I dropped in the dry hop at that time and sealed it back up. I think the recipe calls for a 4 day dry hop but it can go 6 or 7 days if it has to. Beer will be 10-12 days old by the time that is done.

My primary question is, does the beer having reached its final gravity indicate ready for packaging? I know the rule of thumb is that the yeast need a few days to clear, which they're going to get during the current period of dry hopping. I'm also probably going to cold crash the beer, so it's going to get a few more days there. I know fresher IPA > stale IPA so even if it continues to mellow out for a few days in the keg, that's fine with me. Obviously if there's going to be diacetyl, I want that to clear out, but if that hasn't happened in the next 5-7 days in the fermenter, it probably won't.

So, is it ready for packaging when the dry hop is done? Obviously I'm going to take another gravity reading after the 4-7 day dry hop is done, but I highly doubt it has any further to go. I'm not even really in a hurry to package it other than to get it off its own yeast cake, trub, and dry hop. I'm asking the question more so that you all can share your experience kegging young beer that by its gravity measurement, appears to be ready to go. I'm surprised that a beer could be completely done at 10 days old, but I don't have any reason to believe my hydrometer is lying to me.

The stout, on the other hand, is 17 days old right now and still sitting in the fermenter. It has no further to go but I haven't packaged it yet, either.

Additionally, even assuming I packaged the beer too early, is there any benefit to leaving it at room temperature and flat vs. kegging it, carbonating it, and having any further conditioning happen in the keg? If so, I can't think of any reason why that'd be beneficial, but if I'm missing something, I am interested in hearing what that is so I can take it into consideration.

 

[archthered]

This is a subject that alot of people will have strong opinions about, though who knows if they will comment. I will give you my take but I want to add the caveat that I do not have a strong/fervent opinion and kind of think that it's all just fine.

To answer your main question

My primary question is, does the beer having reached its final gravity indicate ready for packaging? I know the rule of thumb is that the yeast need a few days to clear, which they're going to get during the current period of dry hopping. I'm also probably going to cold crash the beer, so it's going to get a few more days there. I know fresher IPA > stale IPA so even if it continues to mellow out for a few days in the keg, that's fine with me. Obviously if there's going to be diacetyl, I want that to clear out, but if that hasn't happened in the next 5-7 days in the fermenter, it probably won't.

No. Alot of people will tell you beer needs to sit for at least 2 weeks, some even say more, before you should even think about touching it, regardless of the gravity. I have packaged some really stellar standard strength ales in 10 days. I think in the case of your IPA younger may be better but your stout, depending on details, may do better to sit. But the reality is much more complicated than what I've just said.

Generally higher gravity beers benefit, but maybe don't require, longer as do darker beers. In addition to just taking longer to finish higher gravity beers often make more off flavor compounds because the yeast is more stressed, this time allows these to dissipate. The flavor profile changes over time but in my opinion most people over estimate just how long beer needs, in addition to cranking out great ales in less than 10 days I've made some amazing high gravity beers in just over 3 weeks, many would say, based on the gravity, I should have waited a month AFTER fermentation finished. Although I've had beers go quite quick I've had others take longer than most would give them. The key is to go by taste, not some preconceived notion of how long it should take because that's just the way it "should" be done. If you are always doing the same thing then you aren't paying attention to what the beer needs.

Remember commercial breweries, yes even many craft breweries, plan on most standard ales only taking 2 weeks. The key is to not create off flavors in the first place by using adequate yeast amounts and good temperature control etc. Most beer, but not so much IPAs and pale ales, will get better as it sits but it is entirely possible to have fantastic beer relatively quickly. One way I think about it is to ask how much better a beer is really going to get and how long is it going to take, if your beer is already a 9.5 out of 10 and you think it just may get to be a 9.7 how long are you willing to wait? A week, a month, 3 months? If it's only going to be a 9.6 and it's going to take a month I will usually just drink it, but if it could be a 10 in a month I may wait. Of course this always depends on what else I have on hand! Some things will never be the same without age like Old Ales, RIS, and Belgian Quads, but they may be drinkable young, I've not tried in those cases.

To your next point

Additionally, even assuming I packaged the beer too early, is there any benefit to leaving it at room temperature and flat vs. kegging it, carbonating it, and having any further conditioning happen in the keg? If so, I can't think of any reason why that'd be beneficial, but if I'm missing something, I am interested in hearing what that is so I can take it into consideration.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by packaging but leaving it flat, I assume you mean moving it to a keg but not hooking it up to gas but correct me if I'm wrong there. If that is the case the only benefits of not carbing would be clearing space in your fermenter/freeing a carboy and getting it off the yeast cake. Freeing space is likely the more important since you need to leave beer on the yeast cake a really long time to cause problems, at least at most home brew volumes. That said weather you carb or not you WILL get conditioning happening in the keg, there are some people who do all their conditioning in kegs. Temperature is more important for conditioning than carbing or what vessel you use, with warmer temps conditioning it faster (just be reasonable don't try to actually heat the beer). If you made a single batch of beer and after fermentation put half in a keg and left the other half in the fermenter then put the keg next to the fermenter (to keep the temp the same) for conditioning I don't think anyone would ever be able to taste the difference.

At any rate RDWHAHB and go by taste.

 

[mongoose33]

My primary question is, does the beer having reached its final gravity indicate ready for packaging? I know the rule of thumb is that the yeast need a few days to clear, which they're going to get during the current period of dry hopping. I'm also probably going to cold crash the beer, so it's going to get a few more days there. I know fresher IPA > stale IPA so even if it continues to mellow out for a few days in the keg, that's fine with me. Obviously if there's going to be diacetyl, I want that to clear out, but if that hasn't happened in the next 5-7 days in the fermenter, it probably won't.

So, is it ready for packaging when the dry hop is done? Obviously I'm going to take another gravity reading after the 4-7 day dry hop is done, but I highly doubt it has any further to go. I'm not even really in a hurry to package it other than to get it off its own yeast cake, trub, and dry hop. I'm asking the question more so that you all can share your experience kegging young beer that by its gravity measurement, appears to be ready to go. I'm surprised that a beer could be completely done at 10 days old, but I don't have any reason to believe my hydrometer is lying to me.

This is difficult to answer based on how you asked the question. There are two issues at least: one is whether you're bottle conditioning and if so, and if the beer is not done fermenting, then you could have bottle bombs. The problem is how you know it's done. A rule of thumb is to take a gravity reading, if another gravity reading two days later reads the same, likely done. But people are averse to taking several gravity readings, partly because it "wastes" beer, and partly because it increases oxidation. Thus, the "let it sit for 2 weeks at least" advice.

Now, if you're kegging that beer, it's not as critical to have the beer at final gravity as you're not going to get a "keg bomb" as you might with bottle bombs.

The other issue is how the beer turns out. The yeast need time to clean up after themselves, and IMO, there is benefit to sitting on the yeast for at least a few days after fermentation is complete. Two weeks on the yeast is not too much.

I did a Kolsch last May that was kegged after 9 days and presented to my homebrew club 11 days after brewing. That's a pretty short time period, if you ask me, and yet that beer was terrific! People couldn't believe A) how young it was, and B) that I had just pitched a tube of White Labs yeast without using a starter.

But other beers need conditioning time. I brew a SMASH that is pretty sharp (green!) at 2 1/2 to 3 weeks; let it go the full month, and it smooths out wonderfully.

I brewed a dark lager that at 2 weeks was still green; it'll be 3 weeks tomorrow, and I expect it to have smoothed out nicely.

Some beers just need time, others not so much. I suspect it has something to do with the complexity of the recipe, but not in all cases; my SMASH just needs time, and it's about as simple as you can get.

 

[Dland]

At 1.009 and the time allowed, it is very likely done. But as mentioned already, if you are bottling, you should be sure it is done. With kegging, it will be fine if racked now.

Or even rack at even higher gravity for spunding (natural keg carbonation). If in kegs, one can then cellar condition or crash, depending on beer style.

I'll add that with US-05, Occasionally I have gotten down to 1.006 with a low temp mash, but usually for me it finishes out at 1.008-10.

Only with some of the "farm house" yeasts or infection(intentional or otherwise) have I seen it go lower.

 

[downzero]

Either way the IPA's going to get another 5-7 days and will be something like 2 weeks old before it sees the inside of the keg. I am somewhat curious to see the range of opinions on this one. I do think the current gravity is about as far as it's going to go, mashed at 154 degrees. If it goes lower that's fine; it's going to sit on its own yeast regardless for another week at 71 degrees.

The Stout will be at 20-21 days before it hits the keg and then of course the carbonation time from there.

I haven't ever bottled a beer to date but I do have three 1 gallon batches that are fermenting right now (well, probably done, haven't opened them up to find out) and those will be going in bottles. I also plan to bottle at least half of the stout discussed above, because it's over 8% ABV and I don't want to tie up a keg/tap with a beer that is likely going to take some time to consume.

 

[jrgtr42]

It's not so much the expected gravity being reached - it's that it's done fermenting.
For various reasons, your beer may finish up lower than expected gravity (not as often as higher but...)
If you see the gravity is stable over readings taken a couple days apart, it's finished.
It may benefit from additional time in fermenter, as yeast clean up and drop out, but that part is up to you.
I PERSONALLY give my beers 3 weeks in fermenter - if I need a dry hop, I'll give 4 or 5 days at the end, but generally I don't touch it until bottling.

 

[Ralphie0523]

It may benefit from additional time in fermenter, as yeast clean up and drop out, but that part is up to you.

Amen to this. I have gotten ales and lagers to be done in as little as 7 days. I take a sample generally 3-4 days after the Krausen falls and taste the sample to see if there is anything that I need to let the yeast clean up. If you are happy with the taste, go for packaging. Otherwise, give it about 3 more days. I have yet to have a beer in the past few years that goes beyond a 10 day fermentation. Only time I go beyond that is usually because life got in the way.

 

[downzero]

I bottled all the 1 gallon batches yesterday (7-8 days old) and some of the stout (18ish days old). I anticipate them all being fine. The IPA I'm going to give until Wednesday or so to package, so I may start cold crashing it today to try to clear it up some.