Ferment Q for Imperial Blonde

[snazo]

For my 2nd brew i went with Brewers Best Imperial Blonde. Brewed last saturday (30Jan11) So far so good, got alot of bubbling within 12 hours of racking, 68 per min and now down to 7 per min.

Ive read some guys will just leave it alone for 3 weeks, check the gravity and bottle. Good idea or get a reading when it looks like the ferment slows down? I dont want to risk getting all the air in there. My first was a witbier and did the whole secondary thing and it came out awesome, just want to try without this time.

Thanks all.

 

[RCCOLA]

I usually take a gravity reading a few days after airlock activity has stopped to make sure the beer finished where it was supposed to.

There is still a crapton of CO2 in solution from fermentation and it will be released for awhile and blanket the top of the beer , so no worries about oxidation as long as you don't go crazy in there. Do not return the sample to the beer--drink it, dump it, whatever suits you, just don't put it back in.

Like you've read--don't bother with secondary. Let 'er sit three weeks, check the FG over a few days and bottle if it's steady.

 

[1Mainebrew]

I usually take a gravity reading a few days after airlock activity has stopped to make sure the beer finished where it was supposed to.

Like you've read--don't bother with secondary. Let 'er sit three weeks, check the FG over a few days and bottle if it's steady.

Precisely, stick to checking your gravities and you'll be fine. Remember that airlock activity is NOT an indicator as to when to bottle your beer.

 

[snazo]

thanks guys, ill stick to that.

How do you suggest taking the FG if i dont have anything to put it in? Is it cool to just sanitize and drop it in the fermenter? It doesnt have to be mix up or anything does it? Sorry if all this sounds stupid..... thanks again.

 

[RCCOLA]

thanks guys, ill stick to that.

How do you suggest taking the FG if i dont have anything to put it in? Is it cool to just sanitize and drop it in the fermenter? It doesnt have to be mix up or anything does it? Sorry if all this sounds stupid..... thanks again.

Yeah, you can do that. Don't mix it though, the yeast did that for you already.

 

[1Mainebrew]

If you are going with that, tie a length of monofilament or something to the end of your hydrometer so you can easily remove it.

 

[BrknRun8]

Ironically, this is going to be my second brew also. I see a lot of guys saying, with Ales anyway, to NOT do a secondary, but to leave it set for 2-3 weeks. Why is this with an Ale? And should it be 2 or 3 weeks?

Also, I have just completed my primary rack and begun my secondary rack on my first batch...the FG was where Brewer's Best suggested (Kolsch). How long should it sit in the secondary before moving onto bottling? Thank you.

 

[1Mainebrew]

Leave ales in primary 3 weeks at least for most beers. Leave the kolsch in secondary for 4 weeks to really clarify and smooth it out.

 

[BrknRun8]

Thank you for your response!