Fermentation period

[kptbck]

Hi,
I’m new to the home brewing and have just made my first batch which is a nut brown ale. It was in a kit form and I just added water, brewing sugar and the yeast.
The instructions stated to ferment for 4-6 days and then bottle. I have been reading on google, YouTube etc and some suggest to leave it longer than this period even after the airlock stops glugging.
Any suggestions would be welcome.
Regards, Keith.

 

[trevelynzx]

Normally 7-10 days primary fermentation is enough, but if you’re not doing a secondary i’d recommend leaving it for 14 days prior to packaging. more time won’t hurt.

 

[camonick]

It’s best to measure the specific gravity a couple days apart to see if you get 2 or more equal readings which would mean fermentation is complete. 4-6 days is rushing it in my opinion. Typically closer to 14 days is recommended.

 

[kptbck]

Hi. Thanks for the prompt reply. What does the secondary fermentation involve and is this recommended?

 

[Qhrumphf]

The principle concern is stable gravity.

If fermentation isn't finished and you bottle anyway, excessive CO2 produced in the bottle can have dangerous consequences.

Is your kit instructing you to add sugar when bottling? If not, may actually be banking on bottling early to carbonate that way. While it's a functional approach I've done many times with cask ale, for a beginner that's exceptionally dangerous if you don't know what you're doing (for a new beer I haven't brewed a few times I wouldn't even think of doing it without a full forced ferment test and I've been brewing for a long time, including professionally)

"Secondary" fermentation as practiced by homebrewers (racking to another fermenter) is seldom worth the consequences. Just leave it in the original fermenter until it's done.

Get a hydrometer if you don't already have one. When the gravity is unchanged over 2-3 days then you can go ahead and bottle (with ~0.8oz/gal added sugar)

 

[brewfrog]

you are probably using turbo yeast?if not it takes 14 days.