First-ever batch

[Texas65]

I brewed my first ever batch this past Tuesday. I saw a lot of action in the airlock within 12 hours and this went on for about 2 days then stopped. Today I transferred it to a secondary fermentor. Was this to soon?

 

[Janx]

No. You did it just right. Rack in a week or sooner is what I recommend. If the airlock stops going crazy, it's a good time to rack.

Now let it sit there at least two weeks and bottle.

Relax, don't worry and have a commercial beer!

 

[Prost!]

Sounds more like a stalled ferment to me. I would pitch more quality yeast and keep the fermentor for another week.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Take a gravity reading. It's possible that it's done fermenting already. Not likely, but not unheard of. It'll need time to clear, though, so even if fermentation is done, don't bottle yet.

 

[davy]

Use your hydrometer they help avoid bottle bombs down the road.

 

[boo boo]

Rule of thumb for ales...1 week primary...2 weeks secondary..bottle and wait 3 weeks before drinking. Using a hydrometer is the best way to go.

 

[El Pistolero]

Sounds more like a stalled ferment to me. I would pitch more quality yeast and keep the fermentor for another week.

With all due respect to Prost, this doesn't make even a little bit of sense.

Personally I like to wait at least a week in primary, but as long as the Krauzen is gone there's no problem racking now. Take an hydrometer reading if you like, to assure yourself that it's near done, but fermentation can, and often does, finish in three days.

 

[Beer Snob]

How much fermentables do you have in the recipe. Depending on how much is in there it could be done very quickly.

 

[Texas65]

I brewed with a malt extract so I really don't know the amount of fermentables. My OG was 1.050. I took a reading before racking to the secondary and it read 1.008. Any additional advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Beer Snob]

Congrats! For your first batch ever thats pretty damm good

 

[SteveM]

The only adivce from this point until you bottle is to relax and have a beer. I agree with Pistolero - you are on your way.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Congrats! For your first batch ever thats pretty damm good

Forget first batch, that's pretty good period.

 

[Texas65]

Thanks for all the support. Now the only question left is what to brew next? So many to choose from.

 

[davy]

What do you like to drink?

 

[El Pistolero]

Now the only question left is what to brew next? So many to choose from.

Brew one of each.

 

[Texas65]

One of each is my long term goal. I've decided on a Blonde Ale.

 

[cweston]

If you like IPAs, that's a great confidence builder brew. Because of the high hopping level, small defects that might be noticeable in other styles are less detectable in an IPA. (Plus that's one of my favorite styles.)