More to it than I thought.

[Altrez]

Should be fine. Many if not most people let their beer sit in primary for at least three weeks, so one more would not make a lot of difference. If it were mine I would probably put it in the fridge for the last week to cold crash is before putting it in the barrel.

The only real worry is the yeast breaking down and releasing flavors (autolysis) or if you have dry hopped, the hops releasing veggie flavors. But from reading this site for three years now the it seems the it take more than 4 weeks for autolysis. And it you didn't mention dry hopping so that should not be a problem.

Thank you so much for the post!



-Altrez

 

[kh54s10]

Question:

My heavy Oak'ed beer has been in the primary for 2 weeks. I would like to let it sit 2 more weeks with the Oak before going to barrel for 30 days. Would that cause any issues?

Thanks!

-Altrez

Should be fine. Many if not most people let their beer sit in primary for at least three weeks, so one more would not make a lot of difference. If it were mine I would probably put it in the fridge for the last week to cold crash is before putting it in the barrel.

The only real worry is the yeast breaking down and releasing flavors (autolysis) or if you have dry hopped, the hops releasing veggie flavors. But from reading this site for three years now the it seems the it take more than 4 weeks for autolysis. And it you didn't mention dry hopping so that should not be a problem.

I leave most of my brews on primary for 3-4 weeks. Mostly because of not getting around to bottling/kegging sooner. Your oaked beer will actually benefit from aging longer.

As to autolysis it would be more like 4 months....

I did an oaked Russian Imperial Stout. I did a primary for 3 weeks and secondary for another month I then added the oak chips for the last week. It was harsh at 3 weeks in the bottles and much better a few months later. I brewed it Aug 14 last year. They are still getting better. But they are also disappearing.......

 

[55x11]

Question:

My heavy Oak'ed beer has been in the primary for 2 weeks. I would like to let it sit 2 more weeks with the Oak before going to barrel for 30 days. Would that cause any issues?

Thanks!

-Altrez

what is the goal you are trying to achieve with those baby barrels?

You can impart oak flavor in beer pretty efficiently with cubed oak or chips.

The general perception from literature is that smaller barrels (yours is 2G?) are terrible for beer. Too much surface to volume ratio.

You end up oxidizing the beer, rather than imparting the type of flavor that is done using real barrels (43G or 31G or so).

 

[Altrez]

what is the goal you are trying to achieve with those baby barrels?

You can impart oak flavor in beer pretty efficiently with cubed oak or chips.

The general perception from literature is that smaller barrels (yours is 2G?) are terrible for beer. Too much surface to volume ratio.

You end up oxidizing the beer, rather than imparting the type of flavor that is done using real barrels (43G or 31G or so).

I am just experimenting. I have already added Oak to the primary.

-Altrez

 

[Altrez]

I am learning a lot each time I bottle or start a new brew. I think it would be just about the same amount of work to brew and ferment 5 gallons of beer as it is to brew 1.

Lots of updates coming!

-Altrez

 

[shelbymedic]

Hello All,

Well here I go....

I also bought a metal pot and spoon, stuff to sanitize everything and two gas cooking stoves so I can brew up stairs in my office.

Thanks!



-Altrez

Uhhhhhh. Am I the only one that read he'll be brewing indoors with a gas cooking stove. Do you mean propane burner? Because if so, you may die from CO exposure. Let me know if I misread it

 

[Altrez]

Uhhhhhh. Am I the only one that read he'll be brewing indoors with a gas cooking stove. Do you mean propane burner? Because if so, you may die from CO exposure. Let me know if I misread it

I moved to electric based on the advise of some of the fine people on this forum!

-Altrez

 

[Stillraining]

I am learning a lot each time I bottle or start a new brew. I think it would be just about the same amount of work to brew and ferment 5 gallons of beer as it is to brew 1.

Lots of updates coming!

-Altrez

And very little more to brew/ferment 10.

 

[kh54s10]

I am learning a lot each time I bottle or start a new brew. I think it would be just about the same amount of work to brew and ferment 5 gallons of beer as it is to brew 1.

Lots of updates coming!

-Altrez

1 gallon, 2 gallons, 5 gallons, 10 gallons, 15 gallons.....

They all take about the same time using the same recipe (scaled to fit) it just changes the amount of beer you get to drink. I have never done 1 gallon batches and won't unless I am experimenting WAY outside the box.

 

[khannon]

1 gallon, 2 gallons, 5 gallons, 10 gallons, 15 gallons.....

They all take about the same time using the same recipe (scaled to fit) it just changes the amount of beer you get to drink. I have never done 1 gallon batches and won't unless I am experimenting WAY outside the box.

Bottling on the other hand...

 

[kh54s10]

If you are going to bottle just 12, you have the same set up for the most part, I would rather have 50+ bottles. Not too sure about bottling 150 all at one sitting though.

 

[PADave]

1 gallon, 2 gallons, 5 gallons, 10 gallons, 15 gallons.....

They all take about the same time using the same recipe (scaled to fit) it just changes the amount of beer you get to drink. I have never done 1 gallon batches and won't unless I am experimenting WAY outside the box.

Yep, that's exactly why I only did about 4 one gallon brews till I realized how much work was going into 9 beers. Then I did 3 gallon, and now doing 5-6 gallons. I doubt I'll ever do one gallon again, and the 3 gallon is my "small" batch fermenter.

 

[FatDragon]

If you are going to bottle just 12, you have the same set up for the most part, I would rather have 50+ bottles. Not too sure about bottling 150 all at one sitting though.

In my limited small-batch bottling experience, I find I can get a gallon done from setup to cleanup in about half an hour, while it takes me around 1:45 for a 5-6 gallon batch. There are points of overlap between small and standard batch bottling, but aside from the actual filling, capping, and wiping down time, prep and cleanup are both bigger and take a longer time for a bigger batch as well. It's not linear by any means, and bottling two standard batches at once adds less than an hour to the total process, making a ten gallon bottling day significantly faster per bottle than a one gallon bottling day, but the difference between bottling ten bottles and fifty bottles is much more than just the 20 minutes it takes to fill and cap those extra forty bottles.

 

[Altrez]

Update:

I kegged and bottled my Oktoberfest today. It had a good color and tasted like light Apple flavored Oktoberfest. I hope it turns out ok.

I am going to leave the Oak beer siting for another week.

Also Plan to bottle my first IPA this week. It smells really strong in the fermenting chamber almost like a hop bomb went off inside.

-Altrez

 

[Altrez]

Update:

Distiller is out of the box and working on it's first gallon right now. Here are few pics! The first one is a calibrated TDS meter testing my tap water. The secound is a pic of the unit.

-Altrez

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Update:

I kegged and bottled my Oktoberfest today. It had a good color and tasted like light Apple flavored Oktoberfest. I hope it turns out ok.

I am going to leave the Oak beer siting for another week.

Also Plan to bottle my first IPA this week. It smells really strong in the fermenting chamber almost like a hop bomb went off inside.

-Altrez

Were you going for an apple flavor? I never tasted applely octoberfest. Just wondering.

 

[Altrez]

Were you going for an apple flavor? I never tasted applely octoberfest. Just wondering.

No I was not. I think it is because it's a young beer. I hope 3 weeks in the bottle will fix the flavor.

-Altrez

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Let us know how it works out, please.

 

[kombat]

Green apple is an off-flavour, it's acetaldehyde, it means the yeast didn't finish cleaning up. You rushed it into the bottles. It will likely age out a little if you store the bottles at room temperature for a while (i.e., while they carb up), but it will probably not go away entirely. Next time make sure you pitch enough healthy yeast, and give them ample time to finish fermenting and clean up after themselves (at least 3 weeks for a lager).

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Green apple is an off-flavour, it's acetaldehyde, it means the yeast didn't finish cleaning up. You rushed it into the bottles. It will likely age out a little if you store the bottles at room temperature for a while (i.e., while they carb up), but it will probably not go away entirely. Next time make sure you pitch enough healthy yeast, and give them ample time to finish fermenting and clean up after themselves (at least 3 weeks for a lager).

Funny how equiptment is no substitute for patience and knowledge. The good thing about things not turning out as planned or expected is we learn what not to do.

 

[Altrez]

Green apple is an off-flavour, it's acetaldehyde, it means the yeast didn't finish cleaning up. You rushed it into the bottles. It will likely age out a little if you store the bottles at room temperature for a while (i.e., while they carb up), but it will probably not go away entirely. Next time make sure you pitch enough healthy yeast, and give them ample time to finish fermenting and clean up after themselves (at least 3 weeks for a lager).

Hi Kombat,

I thought it was ready to bottle as the gravity reading had not changed in 4 days. Perhaps it will mellow out in another 3 weeks.

Thank you for the help!



-Altrez

 

[kombat]

The yeast continue working even after they've reached final gravity. Reaching final gravity just means they've all finished converting sugars into alcohol/CO2/other compounds. However, many of those "other compounds" they produced during fermentation are undesirable (such as the aforementioned acetaldehyde). Once they've run out of their primary food source (sugar), they'll get desperate and resort to processing those compounds further, reducing their presence in the beer. At this stage, the gravity does not change, but the yeast are still converting things in the beer. It's only once they've completely run out of things to chew on and process that they go dormant and fall out of solution.

You bottled after they'd converted all the sugars, but they were still processing those other compounds. By bottling too soon, you interrupted their process, and the compounds that would have otherwise been broken down or absorbed instead remain in your beer.

 

[Altrez]

The yeast continue working even after they've reached final gravity. Reaching final gravity just means they've all finished converting sugars into alcohol/CO2/other compounds. However, many of those "other compounds" they produced during fermentation are undesirable (such as the aforementioned acetaldehyde). Once they've run out of their primary food source (sugar), they'll get desperate and resort to processing those compounds further, reducing their presence in the beer. At this stage, the gravity does not change, but the yeast are still converting things in the beer. It's only once they've completely run out of things to chew on and process that they go dormant and fall out of solution.

You bottled after they'd converted all the sugars, but they were still processing those other compounds. By bottling too soon, you interrupted their process, and the compounds that would have otherwise been broken down or absorbed instead remain in your beer.

This is truly a more to it then I thought moment. As I have read countless posts to bottle after the FG has been stable for three days. I waited 4.

-Altrez

 

[PADave]

This is truly a more to it then I thought moment. As I have read countless posts to bottle after the FG has been stable for three days. I waited 4.

-Altrez

But you didn't listen to me when I said way, way back to give it 3 weeks. Guess you had to find out for yourself.

 

[Altrez]

But you didn't listen to me when I said way, way back to give it 3 weeks. Guess you had to find out for yourself.

Yeah but I wish people would not post that it is ok to bottle if the FG is stable for 3 days if that is not the case. I have read the same thing in other blogs and forums. One of my friends who brews says that 3 days of a constant FG is the perfect time to bottle.

Perhaps that is true and the beer will finish in the bottle. I am not sure.

-Altrez

 

[worlddivides]

Yeah but I wish people would not post that it is ok to bottle if the FG is stable for 3 days if that is not the case. I have read the same thing in other blogs and forums. One of my friends who brews says that 3 days of a constant FG is the perfect time to bottle.

Perhaps that is true and the beer will finish in the bottle. I am not sure.

-Altrez

It is SAFE to bottle if the FG is stable for 3 days, but that doesn't mean it's necessarily a good idea. It's theoretically possible that you could have a really fast fermentation finish your beer within 3 days, then have the gravity be stable for 3 days, and bottle it, but no one would suggest you should bottle that soon. 6 days wouldn't be enough for the yeast to clean up the undesirable off-flavors/byproducts.

The basic principle is that you should give 1 to 1.5 weeks for fermentation and 1 to 1.5 weeks for the yeast to "clean up." So, essentially 2-3 weeks before bottling. (Of course, it doesn't hurt to wait longer than 3 weeks if you want to be safe)

All beers produce some amount of acetaldehyde (green apple flavor), but if you have a lot of it (especially if you have a lot of it at 2-3 weeks), that could mean that you didn't pitch enough healthy yeast. Acetaldehyde is produced in larger amounts when the yeast is stressed. Either way, the yeast will clean it up if you give it time to do so. By the time you bottle the beer, you're not supposed to be able to taste any of that.

 

[Altrez]

It is SAFE to bottle if the FG is stable for 3 days, but that doesn't mean it's necessarily a good idea. It's theoretically possible that you could have a really fast fermentation finish your beer within 3 days, then have the gravity be stable for 3 days, and bottle it, but no one would suggest you should bottle that soon. 6 days wouldn't be enough for the yeast to clean up the undesirable off-flavors/byproducts.

The basic principle is that you should give 1 to 1.5 weeks for fermentation and 1 to 1.5 weeks for the yeast to "clean up." So, essentially 2-3 weeks before bottling. (Of course, it doesn't hurt to wait longer than 3 weeks if you want to be safe)

All beers produce some amount of acetaldehyde (green apple flavor), but if you have a lot of it (especially if you have a lot of it at 2-3 weeks), that could mean that you didn't pitch enough healthy yeast. Acetaldehyde is produced in larger amounts when the yeast is stressed. Either way, the yeast will clean it up if you give it time to do so. By the time you bottle the beer, you're not supposed to be able to taste any of that.

Thank you!!!!!



-Altrez

 

[jstaas]

Bump. Making sure this gem doesn't get lost in the shuffle.

 

[Altrez]

Update:

So after talking to several people. I have figured out that if I buy a Stainless Steel 15 gallon fermenter with a glyco cooling system and a fully computerized monitoring rig that it will help with the green apple taste of my Mr. Beer kits!!!



Anyway what they really said is that it will clean up in the bottle. Give it 3 weeks and a week in the fridge.

-Altrez

 

[kh54s10]

There is really no need to ferment a beer for 3 weeks or a month as a lot of people will say. The few days after you have reached final gravity should be enough for the yeast to "clean up". I have done a few for only 14 days. I couldn't tell a difference from the ones that I have fermented for 3 weeks or longer. Usually it is that long mostly because I get lazy about kegging or bottling it.

I have found that quite often the beer tastes quite a bit different between bottling day and when they are fully bottle conditioned. It usually takes at least 2 weeks to fully carbonate at about 70 degrees. I find that even if they are carbonated at 2 weeks drinking them that soon is just drinking beer that is not quite done. After 3 weeks they taste better.

Also some beers need some age to them. My Russian Imperial Stout took 4 months in bottles to get right. They are now 10 months from brew day and still getting better.