Newbie Brewing - Fermentation Question

[alby44]

Hello All:

Brewed my 1st batch ever, a Belgian Ale, which has been in primary fermentation since Saturday afternoon, 1/18. Here is the airlock around day 2 or 3, with plenty of bubbling going on. Since then, there's only a few bubbles left at the bottom rim of the airlock. The 'bulb' is still pumping away regularly (once every 3-5 seconds or so).

Is this all normal to the brew process? Additionally, when should I look to rack to secondary? I'm aware that I do not have to and can keep in primary, but I am looking to do so as I have an IPA kit that I has hoping to start on.

Thanks!

 

[MrHadack]

Congrats on your first batch!

Are you familiar with how to take a gravity reading with a hydrometer? If you took an original gravity reading, what was it?

 

[alby44]

Thanks for the reply! Initial OG rating came out at: 1.060 (added a 1% alcohol boost, which I'm sure contributed to the higher OG).

 

[MrHadack]

I'd say everything seems fine. Just let it do its thing and check on it again after 10 days. What you'll do is take another gravity reading at that time (make sure to keep everything sterile) and see where it is at.

Was this a kit, or a recipe? Do you have any expectation yo what the final gravity should be? If not, can you tell me what type of yeast you used?

 

[alby44]

I'd say everything seems fine. Just let it do its thing and check on it again after 10 days. What you'll do is take another gravity reading at that time (make sure to keep everything sterile) and see where it is at.

Was this a kit, or a recipe? Do you have any expectation yo what the final gravity should be? If not, can you tell me what type of yeast you used?

It was a kit through Austin Home Supply. FG is expected to about 1.010, but again factoring in 1% boost, I 'd expect slightly higher. Yeast was White Labs Belgian Wit Ale WLP400.

 

[bbohanon]

You are fine..Sometimes my fermentation period only last 24 hours depending on the yeast used. Overall, I would leave it in primary for 3 weeks, take a FG reading, and then bottle it.

 

[MrHadack]

Well, here's a good way to tell where it will end up. If you look up WLP400, you'll see they tell you the apparent attenuation for that yeast strain is 74-78%. This means the yeast will typically consume 74-78% of the sugars. So take your original gravity of 1.060 (60) and multiply it by something in that range, like the high number of 78% (0.78) and you get 46.8 (we'll call it 47). Subtract that number from your OG and you get an estimation of what your final gravity might be (1.013).

So in this case, anything from 1.016 - 1.013 means the yeast are close to done. So like I said, wait 10 days and check it. After that, wait 2 days and check it again. If the number doesn't change in those two days, you are finished fermenting.

 

[alby44]

I'd say everything seems fine. Just let it do its thing and check on it again after 10 days. What you'll do is take another gravity reading at that time (make sure to keep everything sterile) and see where it is at.

Was this a kit, or a recipe? Do you have any expectation yo what the final gravity should be? If not, can you tell me what type of yeast you used?

Well, here's a good way to tell where it will end up. If you look up WLP400, you'll see they tell you the apparent attenuation for that yeast strain is 74-78%. This means the yeast will typically consume 74-78% of the sugars. So take your original gravity of 1.060 (60) and multiply it by something in that range, like the high number of 78% (0.78) and you get 46.8 (we'll call it 47). Subtract that number from your OG and you get an estimation of what your final gravity might be (1.013).

So in this case, anything from 1.016 - 1.013 means the yeast are close to done. So like I said, wait 10 days and check it. After that, wait 2 days and check it again. If the number doesn't change in those two days, you are finished fermenting.

Great, thank you for the insight!

 

[WileECoyote]

After 2 to 3 weeks, take gravity readings 3 days in a row, if they are all the same beer is done, if not let it sit longer.

Or after 2 to 3 weeks take a gravity reading wait 2 days take another one and compare them, if the same beer is done, if not let beer sit longer then try gravity readings again.

Cheers

 

[Upthewazzu]

It was a kit through Austin Home Supply. FG is expected to about 1.010, but again factoring in 1% boost, I 'd expect slightly higher. Yeast was White Labs Belgian Wit Ale WLP400.

Let it ride, man, let it ride. But seriously, let it sit on that Belgian yeast cake for at least 2 weeks, I'd go 3 or 4. It imparts some delicious Belgian goodness.