How to know if it's time to bottle ?

[ernie00]

I did my first brew day 8 days ago. It's the Cincinnati Pale Ale From J. Palmer book. It doesn't seem to be any bubbles coming out form the air lock now. In the book it says bottle after 2 or 3 weeks. How do I know if it's 2 weeks or 3 weeks ?

thanks

 

[marubozo]

There is no set time and every beer and fermentation will be different. The only way you can know for sure it's ready to bottle is by taking a few hydrometer samples a few days in a row and make sure the readings don't change. That will tell you the fermentation is done.

That being said, fermentation can be "done" in a matter of days, but in most cases you still want to leave the beer in the primary for 2-3 weeks so the yeast can continue working and clean up after themselves, producing a better tasting final product.

 

[glenn514]

The only certain way of knowing when to bottle is to check specific gravity. Check it for three days in a row; if it is the same every time, it is ready to bottle.

glenn514

 

[KevinW]

+1 on checking SG.

I usually leave my beers in the fermentor for 3 weeks, even if fermenting is done.
After fermentation the yeast will "clean up" after themselves by absorbing some of the "stuff" they created during all their hard work making the beer. Kind of like if we got stuck in a desert with no food or water and we had to drink our waste to stay alive.(only not as gross as that)

 

[jalgayer]

I have stopped with the "3 consecutive hydro readings" as I feel that there is little benefit to doing that many. It just increases the risk of contamination - and often times the change in hydro can be so small its not noticeable.

That said, what I know do is essentially leave the beer in the primary for 3-4 weeks depending on the size of the beer - then take a hydro reading and compare it to my target FG. If it is within reasonable parameters, then I move to bottling. Most times the hydro I take at this time is at or below the target by a little.

I just feel like I want to mess with it less and less so I leave it alone and let it do its thing. If I notice something along the way, I can be prompted to take a hydro. If after 3 weeks the OG is significantly off, then I have some planning to do. It its just a couple points high I let it roll to the 4th week.

This all is of course if I am not using a secondary which I am now only doing to dry hop, add fruit and to age/condition a bigger beer (like the Tripel I got going and the Pliny I just bottled)

And, I agree with a previous poster... Fermentation can be done in even just a few days... But the "cleaning" the yeast do is just as important.

While a lot on this board hate generalizations ... I think that a

[*] primary for 3-4 weeks then check
[*] check hydro
[*] bottle if at/below target FG

... is a reasonable generalization as long as you are willing to adjust as your beer is giving you signs that you need to.

Again, that is for your standard 1.040-1.065 type of ale.

 

[ernie00]

Thanks for the info. That was my worry if I open it I risk contamination. I will wait the 3 weeks and then take the gravity. See where it is.