Newbie here! Need some advice

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Nathan102

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Good afternoon,

My name is Nathan and I'm a new brewer. I brewed (extract) my first batch last Saturday evening. It's been sitting in primary for 5 days, and I noticed that the air lock is done bubbling. Is this the indicator that it can be moved to secondary? Or should I take another SG reading? Below is a link to what I brewed.......

Thanks for your help....looking forward to learning from all of you!

Nathan

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_452_42_166&products_id=12185
 
Hi Nathan,
many here leave their beer on the yeast cake for ~3 weeks and move straight to bottling/kegging.

The airlock is not a good or accurate instrument to measure whether a beer is finished fermenting or not. In hydrometer we trust.:D

If the hydrometer reading is within a point or two of the indicated FG, feel free to rack to conditioning vessel.
 
Just because the airlock stopped bubbling doesn't mean fermentation is done. I would definitely take a reading or two over the next few days before doing anything. I know its exciting, but making sure you've finished fermentation before doing anything will yield better beer which will much better than drinking worse beer early.

Make sure you sanitize and be careful when you take a reading.

-R
 
Ahh, welcome! As everyone will tell you, to make sure fermentation has finished, check your final gravity today, wait 3 days, and check it again. If it's the same, it's probably ready. However, with that batch I don't believe a secondary would be necessary, also something you'll see and read a lot about. I would just leave this in the primary fermenter for 3 weeks or so total, then bottle the bad boy!:mug:
 
Nathan, welcome to brewing.

These points have been argued ad nauseum.

In the early days of your brew career, it is probably best for you to leave your beer in the carboy for about three weeks and then go straight to bottles.

There are reasons for secondaries, and there are reasons for moving beer, but you don't need to do it unless you know why.

While you're waiting read this,

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/aging-beer-facts-myths-discussion-84005/

and search the forums for using secondaries.

Read, learn, brew.

There is no need to over complicate at first. In the beginning, time is your friend.
 
Wow, you guys are awesome! And fast!

Thanks for the great feedback. I want to run, run, run....but understand I need to crawl first......ggrrr....its hard at times!
 
Nathan,

I second Manoaction's advice, especially the bit about keeping things simple at first.

I say don't bother with taking hydrometer readings during the three weeks it sits in the carboy. That is an advanced brewing technique.

Welcome to home brewing!
 
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for you running as fast as possible. We're just advocating that you pick the right direction.

Search for Revvy's posts to get sorted out on what fermentation actually means to you, then get yourself over to the DIY forum and build a mash tun, then get a second job so can buy more gear, then proceed to www.theelectricbrewery.com and copy what they've built.

I'm not advocating patience, I'm saying you don't have time for secondaries. You've got too much work to do. :)
 
Muddymo, I have to disagree with the opinion the taking gravity readings is an advanced technique, it's a basic analytical tool that is simple to do and should be practiced just like sanitation and boiling. And as suggested above the it is the ONLY way to KNOW that your fermentation is complete. Two readings, at least three days apart, that are the same will let you know the yeast is done and it is safe to bottle.

Can you be pretty sure your brew is done by just waiting? Yes.
Will you always get bottle bombs if you don't do it this way? No.
But you still are just guessing unless you take those readings!

It is really quite simple and easy to do and it allows you to know with certainty where your brew is at. Start practicing now, and get comfortable with it. Once your used to it you wont have to think twice about it and will be using it all the time.
 
I took the lid off the primary and the reading was 1.016. The final gravity for this beer is 1.014. It's only been in primary for 5 1/2 days??? Good? Bad? Indifferent? Sorry for all the questions....just trying to learn:cross:

Thanks!
 
Indifferent.

There is primary fermentation and secondary fermentation (better referred to as conditioning).

If you search the forums for Revvy's numerous posts on this topic, you'll find that the reaching final gravity frequently only takes a few days, but this in no way means that the yeast is done doing its job.

After fermentation, the yeast is going to spend time cleaning up off flavors and what not. The recommendation to let it sit for three weeks still stands.

How does it taste? Delicious or a little funky? If it is delicious, you might be able to bottle very soon. If it is funky, that's why you wait.

Wait a couple days and do another reading.
 
Nathan102 said:
I took the lid off the primary and the reading was 1.016. The final gravity for this beer is 1.014. It's only been in primary for 5 1/2 days??? Good? Bad? Indifferent? Sorry for all the questions....just trying to learn:cross:

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Your beer is fine. 5 1/2 days is not a strange amount of time for fermentation to be complete. All your reading tells you is that your beer has been fermenting normally. That's great.

Try to leave it alone if you can.
 
Nathan102 said:
I took the lid off the primary and the reading was 1.016. The final gravity for this beer is 1.014. It's only been in primary for 5 1/2 days??? Good? Bad? Indifferent? Sorry for all the questions....just trying to learn:cross:

Thanks!
Click to expand...

GOOD! It could be finished or nearly so. Now close the lid, seal it, walk away for 3 weeks, then bottle as prescribed in this thread.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/bottling-tips-homebrewer-94812/

In all actuality, your job was mostly finished when you pitched the yeast. After that, they're in charge. Your next job is to put that final product into packages, wait 3 weeks and enjoy.

If you're looking for something else to do, brew another batch.
 
Doing well... if you want to wait for those two points you can. When I first started brewing simple batches I would do one week in primary (assuming it bubbled out) and one week in secondary. It helped keep my schedules straight and I got pretty good final gravity readings. Since I never used Spanish moss or whirlfloc, it also helped me separate the wort from everything else. I used my bottling bucket as the secondary, so all I had to do was pour in the primer, wait 10 minutes or so, and start bottling. I just wanted beer to drink that was quick, easy, and didn't look like milk. Of course as you move on, your practices will change as mine did.
 
I've moved it to secondary....its going to sit until after Christmas. I have the week after Christmas off work......sounds like a good time to bottle and brew another batch!

Shoot....now after reading....I maybe should have skipped secondary.....oh well...no turning back on this batch......hopefully it will still turn out fine!
 
It will be fine. And the only way to know if you like it better sitting on a yeast cake for 3 weeks it to try it that way next time. If you don't experiment and find these things out for yourself, you wont learn anything. It helps to come looking for opinions and advice, but that doesn't make a good brewer. Experience and experimentation will make you better.
 
D0ug said:
Muddymo, I have to disagree with the opinion the taking gravity readings is an advanced technique, it's a basic analytical tool that is simple to do and should be practiced just like sanitation and boiling. And as suggested above the it is the ONLY way to KNOW that your fermentation is complete. Two readings, at least three days apart, that are the same will let you know the yeast is done and it is safe to bottle.
Click to expand...

It is his first brew! Jeez, we don't even know if he has a fetch. Relax man.
 
Well, the OP implied in his first post that he had taken at least one reading, probably the original gravity, and was wondering if he should take another.

You said it was an ADVANCED technique. I was just saying that I don't think it's an advanced technique, it's rather simple. Advanced techniques might be adding fruit to secondaries, lambic fermentations, or decoction mashing. Taking a SG reading is not. (IMO)

It's as basic as sanitation, and less complicated. And his first brew is the perfect time to start practicing these basic techniques. And it will tell him if the fermentation is done and if it is safe to move or bottle.

You don't want to set him up to start a Green apple/ High FG/Bottle Bomb thread, right? :D

Sorry to come off heavy handed and arrogant, I don't know why but I've come across that way my whole life. Apparently even when I'm typing. :(

I will definitely take your advice and try to relax though :mug:
 
DOug, I dont know ya but I like ya bud. I get that same thing all the time and all Im really trying to is be helpful and friendly! It has gotten so bad that nowadays I try to keep my mouth shut but it slips from time to time. Here's to you brother!!!
 
D0ug said:
Well, the OP implied in his first post that he had taken at least one reading, probably the original gravity, and was wondering if he should take another.

You said it was an ADVANCED technique. I was just saying that I don't think it's an advanced technique, it's rather simple.
Click to expand...

I re-read the OP and it does seems to imply he is equipped to take a reading from the carboy.

Then I re-read my post and I would agree that using the term "advanced" without any further context was lazy posting.

So, it looks like I need to take some of my own advice. :mug:
 

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