mikelarkin44
Member
So i just bottled my first brew. An american wheat ale. I was unclear in the beginning about the usefulness of the hydrometer. I realize now that was a mistake.
So i never took an original gravity reading. I know i know. I will next time. So it sit dark for 3 full weeks at 69-70 degrees. I just kinda "assumed" it would be done. But i had been a little nervous about the fact that i never aerated the wort very aggressively due to a back injury at the time. Was also hoping the yeast i threw in some water was good enough, it came from the kit. I did see fermentation bubbling within 6 hours through my air lock. Then i went away for a few days. I dont know how violent the fermentation ever got during 12-72 hour window but had slowed considerably by day 5 ish...
Long story short, i let it sit for 3 weeks. No air bubbles in a long time. I opened it to start bottling and it smelled like really good and a little fruity beer! I took a final gravity reading and it looked like 1.016-7 ish... Kit said it should be 1.012-14. I didnt know what else to do so i used priming sugar and bulk primed it and bottled it. The last bottle didnt fill all the way so i sipped it. It tasted like beer that was flat, kinda sweet and a little funky....
So here are my questions...
Am i ok with this beer?
Will my bottles explode (bottled 5 days ago)?
How long should my bottles be kept room temp? When should i put them in fridge?
Next batch, how can i test gravity 3 days in a row if i cant open the friggin lid?
Thanks guys i appreciate it!
Mike
So i never took an original gravity reading. I know i know. I will next time. So it sit dark for 3 full weeks at 69-70 degrees. I just kinda "assumed" it would be done. But i had been a little nervous about the fact that i never aerated the wort very aggressively due to a back injury at the time. Was also hoping the yeast i threw in some water was good enough, it came from the kit. I did see fermentation bubbling within 6 hours through my air lock. Then i went away for a few days. I dont know how violent the fermentation ever got during 12-72 hour window but had slowed considerably by day 5 ish...
Long story short, i let it sit for 3 weeks. No air bubbles in a long time. I opened it to start bottling and it smelled like really good and a little fruity beer! I took a final gravity reading and it looked like 1.016-7 ish... Kit said it should be 1.012-14. I didnt know what else to do so i used priming sugar and bulk primed it and bottled it. The last bottle didnt fill all the way so i sipped it. It tasted like beer that was flat, kinda sweet and a little funky....
So here are my questions...
Am i ok with this beer?
Will my bottles explode (bottled 5 days ago)?
How long should my bottles be kept room temp? When should i put them in fridge?
Next batch, how can i test gravity 3 days in a row if i cant open the friggin lid?
Thanks guys i appreciate it!
Mike