Greetings from San Diego!

[Gremlyn]

Hello all, just wanted to introduce myself. I just started brewing this past weekend with a buddy, and our first red ale should be ready to bottle this weekend. I've already seen a lot of good info on this forum, so I look forward to seeing even more!

 

[Lefty]

I miss San Diego

At any rate, welcome to the boards and good luck on the brew. So you only fermented for one week??? Might wanna wait another week least you get the dreaded bottle bombs.

 

[Displaced MassHole]

Welcome! Where in SD are you?

 

[Professor Frink]

Welcome! I'll be moving out there in about a year.

 

[obezyana1]

Welcome! I used to live in SD when I was in high school. I went to Fallbrook Union High School. What part of SD are you in?

 

[Gremlyn]

I'm living in Hillcrest right now, though the wife and I are looking to buy a house, which means we'll likely be moving east a little. But who knows when that will be.

To the first responder... My bubbling finished Tuesday (right about the 48 hour mark, my temp was 72-74, which is what I assume made it a little fast). I did see that many people had their primary condition for a lot longer than I was going to (up to 14 days), but going by the directions with the kit I got it said just wait 3-4 days. Since I am new, I don't know any better, but if everyone thinks I should wait, I have no problem doing so for better tasting beer. But if for my first batch it won't make a HUGE difference, I might just bottle it, and get to making my first self-created recipe.

 

[Blender]

Hello and welcome.

I would wait for 2 weeks before proceeding further, it won't hurt and will likely help the final product. One thing you have to have is patience which is difficult with beer making becuase you want to drink it. It usually takes 6 weeks before you are ready to start drinking good beer so you might consider another fermentor to keep the beer flowing in the future. Good Luck with your brew.

 

[Gremlyn]

Patience I can do... I'll let you ask my wife about getting a second setup It's enough trying to convince her to let me build a chiller! I'm hoping she starts to come around more when she tastes the goodness that will result.

 

[Blender]

San Diego can get warm and one of the best things you can do is keep fermentation temps in the mid range of the recommended yeast temps. Coolers and water baths work pretty well though as a low budget option.

 

[Gremlyn]

My apartment manages to stay in the mid 70's up until the hotter part of the summer, so I should be good for a few more batches (albeit slightly fruity). I figure I can try the wet towel idea if I need to before I can get the chiller into action. I'm actually designing a modified version of the Ken Schwartz chiller, trying to make it a little more compact yet remain efficient.

 

[DragonTail]

Welcome
I would let it go for 2 weeks before bottling, you may be safe since you fermented at a high temp, but bottle bombs are no fun.

 

[Gremlyn]

I'm actually going to be using Party Pigs for my bottling, would I be correct in assuming those have a lower risk factor for blowing up with too much pressure?