I'll give an update on my batch. Unfortunately, we didn't take any other specific gravity readings other than the first. Our theif got a little damaged in the shipping process and it has been more trouble to try to get a sample for a reading without having the bottom clog up and the sample run right back out of the bottom. To prevent contamination, I've either let it run onto the floor or come prepared with another cup. Annoying! I digress...
We followed the instructions more or less. The instructions said to allow for a primary fermentation to go from 7-14 days: we brewed on July 13 and transferred to a secondary on 29 July. A bit more than 14 days, but we were out of town for the weekend and I'm hopeful a couple extra days won't hurt anything.
The instructions said to allow three weeks for secondary fermentation, which we started on 29 July. We added the dry hopes on 11 August, and then bottled on 16 August. This was our first time with a dry hopping step, so I appreciated the advice offered earlier in the thread! I didn't have any nylon bags at the time and wasn't able to locate a plastic strainer before bottling, so we also have a bit more sediment in the bottles than usual. However, the taste was amazing! I am so excited to have the final product! We are going to give it two weeks and then try, so I'll post an update here after it has had about two weeks in the bottles.
A couple of questions, though:
First, the instructions said to "...add the 2 oz. of Amarillo hops approximately 7 days before packaging." We chose to add six days out in order to maximize the aroma. What did everyone else do?
Last, our beer looks a bit darker than it should, at least according to the color chart on the side of the box. Going through the tubing from the secondary to the bottling bucket, it was more of a light amber and not the pale yellow we thought we'd see. Is this something that will change in the bottles, or is color more or less fixed early on in the brewing process?
