FG Reached. Can I just Bottle it?

[AndDrink916]

General question, have a brew that's 7 days from brew day. Final Gravity reached. Can I go ahead and cold crash it overnight and bottle the next day? Tight on time and wouldn't mind quick turnaround to bottle.

Let me know your thoughts/questions.

Cheers!

Bobby

 

[ChelisHubby]

You Can but it might be better beer if it sets for a few more days. That said if you are planning to drink it quick it might not matter .

 

[pdxal]

Has it been at the same gravity for several days straight? How does it taste? If it is at a stable gravity and tastes good because the yeast have cleaned up after themselves, why not? If you have a theoretical final gravity you are aiming for that was reached, it may not be right. Check the gravity.

 

[Cyclman]

If FG is stable for several days, yes.

 

[AndDrink916]

Thanks Gents! yes, it has been stable last two days. TG was 1.020 and now its at 1.016. Also, it tastes great. Smells great. Think I am going to just cold crash it tonight and bottle it tomorrow. To be honest I am being impatient. But have a crazy week coming up and would like it done by tomorrow.

I used WLP002 yeast and it has been the weirdest yeast to date. But absolutely love how it pounded that wort to death.

thanks again, I will fill you in once its primed and hopefully delicious.

 

[DSorenson]

A terminal gravity that goes down 4 points isn't terminal or stable.

 

[jekeane]

Not sure cold crashing for 1 night is really worth it. I also assume you are saying it was stable at .016 for two days and not that it went from .020 to .016 from day to day because that would be the opposite of stable.

 

[AndDrink916]

You think it needs to cold crash a couple days? And I should have been more clear. It has been at 16 for a couple days.

An afterthought too. Does it matter if the fg is stable if it's already below my target?

 

[kh54s10]

it sounds like you had 1.020 then 1.016. That would not tell me you are at final gravity. If you bottle and it is still fermenting you risk bottle bombs.

Also for a few days after you reach final gravity the yeast will continue to work on the beer. They will clean up off flavors that are a result of the fermentation process.

I would say to leave the beer alone for at least 3 days after hitting final gravity. That is taking a gravity reading, skipping one day, taking another reading and getting the same gravity.

Personally I would still leave it alone for a minimum of 2 weeks from brew day and usually 3 weeks or longer.

You are far more likely to get good results from going longer rather than shorter.

 

[AndDrink916]

Target was 1.020 based off beersmith. And it's been at 16 for the last two days.

 

[kh54s10]

You think it needs to cold crash a couple days? And I should have been more clear. It has been at 16 for a couple days.

An afterthought too. Does it matter if the fg is stable if it's already below my target?

Yes it does matter if the fg is stable rather than below target. Target is just that. A prediction. If you bottle at target and it continues to drop you risk bottle bombs. That is not just gushing beer when you open them but actual exploding bottles.

Use a little patience and wait a couple more days.

 

[AndDrink916]

Great advise guys. Thank you. I am am so easily swayed. Going to give it a couple days and see what this yeast is up to.

 

[RM-MN]

You say you have a busy week ahead and want to hurry your beer. Why not be a bit more patient and bottle when you have more free time. It won't hurt the beer to sit for another week or even another month. Even if it sits in the fermenter for another 3 months it will be fine. The upside of leaving the beer longer is that the yeast will have time to settle out and compact on the bottom of the fermenter instead of going in your bottles to leave you with a lot of sediment and the beer will begin to mature giving you even better tasting beer when you do get it bottled.