Its not clearing up, and still bubbling

[Beer is good]

Hello! I pitched yeast into my carboy (this is my first ever batch) and it has been in there for 4 full days now and it is bubbling every 17 seconds.. is that normal? also, the liquid doesn't seem to be clearing up at all, it looks like mud or coffee with milk in it or something... humm....

 

[Blender]

Some brews finish faster than others. Be patient as it may take 10-12 days. Keep the temp stable and all should be well. It is probably not clear because the yeast are doing their good thing.

 

[pariah]

It's completely normal. If you want your beer to clear up a bit, you should rack it to a secondary fermenter (probably a glass carboy) for about two weeks. This gets the beer off the old yeast and proteins and other crap (the trub) and lets the stuff floating in there continue to settle down. Another two weeks in the bottles and your beer should be crystal clear.

 

[Beer is good]

I was planning to bottle it wednesday after work, that would be 8 full days since brew day, but do you think it would be better to put it into a secondary at that time instead? would the final taste be different?

thanks for the help everyone!

 

[wup]

Yes, a secondary will help clear, and allow time for your brew to age and flavors mellow.

Wup

 

[pariah]

Well, the final taste should be better if you do the secondary since it will have an additional two weeks to age and let any stuff still in suspension (yeast, proteins, other crap) fall to the bottom. It will mellow, and the yeast in there is still working, changing the flavor.

However, since it's your first batch, you ought to just bottle it! I'm sure you're anxious to have a homebrew, and it probably won't have *that* adverse of an effect.

I would definately consider using a secondary fermenter if I were you for future brews, though.

 

[david_42]

Don't forget: green beer tastes like green beer. Nothing you can do as a homebrewer will change that. Six weeks is about the minimum, except for low alcohol browns and milds and even those take four.

One week to ferment, two to settle and three in the bottle. It's not the Law, but a good idea.

 

[Exo]

My primaries almost never run just one week. My secondaries seemingly take three weeks. I usually bottle around the one-month mark.

So, consider yourself ahead of schedule.

 

[Beer is good]

Humm... today is 6 full days and it is now bubbling every 15 seconds, and it isn't clearing up at all! is it rotten or something? :-o

 

[Blender]

I am afraid your beer is on schedule to be very tasty. You have to be patient and that can be trying on the first batch. There is no need for worry at this point, faster is not better. Keep the temp stable and start thinking about what you want to brew for your next batch. It helps.