I just had an IPA finish fermenting in my primary in just over 72 hours... or it's just about done at least. Has anyone else had this? The temp was right, nothing out of the ordinary. Also, I'm going out of town... would it be ok to wait another 5 days to bottle? Any help would be appreciated.
Done fermenting in 72 hours? Now what?
- Thread starter jblhub
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Elweydoloco
Well-Known Member
You're fine don't worry you did nothing wrong. It sounds like it was a little bit of a fast fermentation in some respects but not really. Yeast starter no yeast starter, yeast used, temperature, and the list goes on for length of time needed to ferment out.
Most the things I brew the air lock is going crazy in 24-48 hours then dies down in another 2-3 days after 7 days though there's no signs most the time.
5 days is fine to wait until bottling you're not going to hurt anything waiting. I'd set it up on your bottling counter though so that you don't disturb it later. If you're anything like me, you go a few days not playing with your beer somehow or doing some brewing you'll want to bottle when you get back and won't want to wait an hour after you move the fermenter for the crap to settle.
Most the things I brew the air lock is going crazy in 24-48 hours then dies down in another 2-3 days after 7 days though there's no signs most the time.
5 days is fine to wait until bottling you're not going to hurt anything waiting. I'd set it up on your bottling counter though so that you don't disturb it later. If you're anything like me, you go a few days not playing with your beer somehow or doing some brewing you'll want to bottle when you get back and won't want to wait an hour after you move the fermenter for the crap to settle.
TopherM
Well-Known Member
What was your fermentation temp? Your airlock may be done bubbling after 72 hours, but I doubt your have reached FG. Most beers will have a vigorous fermentation for the first few days and get you down to about 1.02-1.03, but it will take 4-5 more days with little to no airlock activity to get the final hundreths of a point to complete the fermentation.
Even after you have reached FG, if you leave the primary alone for another 2-3 days, the yeast will go back and consume their byproducts and clean your beer.
Anyway, all that to say that MOST of the activity may be complete within your first 72 hours, but you still need to leave it in the primary for another 6-8 days MINIMUM to properly finish the beer.
Even after you have reached FG, if you leave the primary alone for another 2-3 days, the yeast will go back and consume their byproducts and clean your beer.
Anyway, all that to say that MOST of the activity may be complete within your first 72 hours, but you still need to leave it in the primary for another 6-8 days MINIMUM to properly finish the beer.
I've had the kraeusen drop at 72 hours, I've also seen it persist for 2 weeks or more. Why? "It depends!" On, well, lots of things.
72 hours plus 5 days seems too early to bottle, but that's just me. If it were mine, I'd let it sit at least 3 weeks.
72 hours plus 5 days seems too early to bottle, but that's just me. If it were mine, I'd let it sit at least 3 weeks.
iron_city_ap
Well-Known Member
Now what? Find something to do for the next 25 days or so, until its time to move on to bottling.
How do you know fermentation is complete? Like mentioned earlier, just because the airlock stopped bubbling doesn't mean its done, and even then, the yeast is doing other things. Do you HAVE to give it a month? No. Will the beer be better if you wait? Most definately. Its the hardest part of becoming a brewer. Waiting....
Check the gravity before you go out of town and check it when you get back. If it is lower, wait a couple days and check it again. If its the same, give it at least a week before you think about bottling. The yeast is cleaning up and making your beer taste better. Its easier to just give it a month and not play with checking the gravity and risking infecting the beer, especially if you are new to the hobby.
How do you know fermentation is complete? Like mentioned earlier, just because the airlock stopped bubbling doesn't mean its done, and even then, the yeast is doing other things. Do you HAVE to give it a month? No. Will the beer be better if you wait? Most definately. Its the hardest part of becoming a brewer. Waiting....
Check the gravity before you go out of town and check it when you get back. If it is lower, wait a couple days and check it again. If its the same, give it at least a week before you think about bottling. The yeast is cleaning up and making your beer taste better. Its easier to just give it a month and not play with checking the gravity and risking infecting the beer, especially if you are new to the hobby.
As mentioned above, an FG check will ensure the end of fermentation.
At any rate, I wait a minimum of 3-4 weeks before kegging/bottling ANY beer. I don't pay any attention to fermentation, I just set the temps and let it go.
At any rate, I wait a minimum of 3-4 weeks before kegging/bottling ANY beer. I don't pay any attention to fermentation, I just set the temps and let it go.
Gotcha and thanks to all. The secondary yeast/byproducts is the part I was missing and just general jumping the gun was in effect. Definitely had the vigorous fermentation for the 1st 48 but then this morning my airlock bubbles had dropped to 1 per 90 seconds and that raised the concern. I'm not sure the exact temp it's been at but in no more than 75 and no less than 65. I have not checked the FG yet, but either way, it sounds like the long term idea and lesson is to get out of town and let it do its thing a bit longer. The biggest danger it sounds like was/is for me to agitate it in concern that more action needs to be happening.
Thanks again to all. This is my first time in almost 10 years and I'll be back listening and hopefully in a few brews.... helping.
-J
Thanks again to all. This is my first time in almost 10 years and I'll be back listening and hopefully in a few brews.... helping.
-J
BeerChef17
Well-Known Member
+1 So far my brews have stopped vigorous bubbling after 3 days but I let them sit in the primary for another 4 then rack to secondary for 2 weeks before bottling.
I used to preach the same mantra myself. Then,I started tasting shot glass fulls of the beer after FG was reached. I found in 3 to 5 days after a stable FG is reached,the average beer is cleaned up & settled to where it can be primed & bottled. The 3-5 week conditioning period does more clean up & maturing of flavors. Also,I found that 2 weeks in the fridge gives a thicker creamier head a better ,more long lasting carbonation.
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