Noobie question about bottling and conditioning

[BeerLeBaron]

Hello all,

I recently brewed my 1st batch of American Wheat and bottled it about a week and 1/2 ago. It's primary fermentation was 1 week then I primed and bottled it as per the kit's instructions. It said to bottle and condition in a cool space for about a month. I did the primary fermentation in a 68 F environment, but have been conditioning the bottles in my basement which is about 60, 62 degrees.

After looking at some forums, I am worried that the basement might be to cool and not sure if moving them back upstairs would help or hurt at this point.

I have the batch split between a 1/2 gallon grolsh top growler, 1 case of 22 oz and 1 case of 12 oz caps.

Am I safe leaving in the basement or should I move to a warmer environment? Any recommendations and knowledge on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again.

 

[Kaz]

60F is kind of cool for carbonation. I would've put them someplace in the 70's for about 2-3 weeks and then moved them to the celler to condition. The probably still carb up at 60F, it will just take longer.

 

[OHIOSTEVE]

I would move em back to the warmer environment. turn the bottles upside down then back upright when you move em to get the yeast back up in suspension. ALSO on your next brew don't bottle by a time line. Let the beer finish fermenting THEN bottle. A week may have been too quick. For example, let's say the yeast had a long lag time ( up to 72 hours I am told) that means you bottled beer after only 4 days of fermenting possibly. Also next time ferment in the basement and condition in the 68 degrees lol.

 

[birvine]

I would move em back to the warmer environment. turn the bottles upside down then back upright when you move em to get the yeast back up in suspension. ALSO on your next brew don't bottle by a time line. Let the beer finish fermenting THEN bottle. A week may have been too quick. For example, let's say the yeast had a long lag time ( up to 72 hours I am told) that means you bottled beer after only 4 days of fermenting possibly. Also next time ferment in the basement and condition in the 68 degrees lol.

+1. You don't want to get bombs.

 

[PIGMAN]

Agree with the previous posts. You may have bottled too soon. I would put the bottles in a rubbermaid bin, with a towel or some other cover on top, just in case you get a bottle bomb. Once they're conditioned, I would get them in a fridge.

 

[Hang Glider]

kits are notorious for suggesting that your beer is ready in a week -

I don't make wheats, so I can't speak to those, but all my beers ferment / condition for 4 weeks or more before bottling / kegging.

welcome to brewing !

suggested points -
1) time
2) yeast pitching rates
3) temperature control for specific yeast strains

 

[BeerLeBaron]

Thanks for the responses, by bombs I am guessing that you mean bottles that explode while conditioning? Haven't had that problem. When I 1st fermented the yeast went right to work, I had good fermentation within 10 to 12 hrs. (Foaming and bubbling airlock that I could see), that went on for about 2 to 3 days, so after a week, I figured I might be good.

As for now I do have them in a plastic bin, but I think basement may have been to cool. Going to bring them up, turn upside down as someone suggested and let them go for another 2 weeks or so, then I was thinking of refrigerating some of the 12 oz for a week or so and test them out.

Also, another quick question, when filling the bottles, this being my 1st time the head room that I left wasn't exact in each bottle, maybe about 2" in the 12's, 2" 1/2 in the 22's and probably 3" in the growler, do that sound about right? I think I left too much space, hope I didn't screw this up.

 

[Taypo]

Also, another quick question, when filling the bottles, this being my 1st time the head room that I left wasn't exact in each bottle, maybe about 2" in the 12's, 2" 1/2 in the 22's and probably 3" in the growler, do that sound about right? I think I left too much space, hope I didn't screw this up.

Did you use a bottling wand? The amount of liquid displaced by the wand is just the right amount of headspace. Fill it to the brim, remove wand and you should be golden...

 

[birvine]

I don't have or make growlers, but from anything I have read, they are meant for carbonated beer not for carbonatING beer. HUGE difference. Once again - don't make bottle bombs. If your growler is not made for high pressures, open them up before someone gets hurt or a mess happens.

 

[solbes]

A little too much head space, but don't sweat it. It'll turn out fine. I generally fill mine to within 1/4" from the top. When I drop the bottle to remove the bottling wand, I end up with my desired 1.5" headspace.

Just in case it wasn't done fermenting, you might want to keep them in the plastic bin when you bring them upstairs. Sounds like a good first batch!

 

[BeerLeBaron]

Yeah, I used the wand, but I stupidly was thinking I might need more room for the 22's and growler, so I wasn't going all the way to the brim. Also, from the 12's I was afraid of spillage, so I may have not have been going all the way to the brim, but pretty close, just hoping I don't have too much head room.

I def. should have read a lot more forums before just jumping into. Was hoping you guys could help set my mind at ease, lol.

 

[BeerLeBaron]

Oh, and I think I left a little extra head room because i figured it might help avoid exploding bottles, would that have any effect? Or if it's not done fermenting when you bottle you'll get a bomb no matter how much head room you leave?

 

[Taypo]

I'm sure you'll be fine, my first batch of bottles was all over the place too. No bombs, carbed well.

 

[Revvy]

Oh, and I think I left a little extra head room because i figured it might help avoid exploding bottles, would that have any effect? Or if it's not done fermenting when you bottle you'll get a bomb no matter how much head room you leave?

Actually the opposite, some folks have noticed that too much headspace has resulted in bottle bombs...but that's usually iic if you had a half bottle left over and capped that.

 

[BeerLeBaron]

Thanks for all the responses, finding the toughest part of the brew process being the waiting and anxiety that it's either going to explode or come out flat when I taste it. I feel like a kid with his count down to Christmas!

Oh, and the guy at my LHBS told me to go ahead and use my growler, wasn't planning to originally, but figured if he said it was ok, couldn't hurt to try.

 

[Revvy]

Oh, and the guy at my LHBS told me to go ahead and use my growler, wasn't planning to originally, but figured if he said it was ok, couldn't hurt to try.

He gave you potentially bad advice....

Growlers aren't meant to hold carbonating beer, only Carbonated beer, there is a difference, read this.

And

This is direct from northern brewer website:
Standard issue 64 oz liquid libation transport vessel for the Civilian Brewing Division. This growler features a blank white space for adding in details on the beer inside and date bottled; using a dry-erase marker allows you to change it at any time. Takes a #6 stopper or a 38 mm screw cap. Pressure capable to 2.4 volumes of co2, not recommended for highly carbonated beers. Avoid bottle carbonating or priming with these growlers, as an unintentionally high level of carbonation could cause the glass to break.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/civilian-brewing-division-growler.html

I would hate to see you have a mess.

 

[birvine]

When we say bottle bombs we mean the bottles literally exploding with shards of glass going everywhere. Potential for extremely serious injury. Don't take these warnings lightly.

 

[BeerLeBaron]

Good to know, in the future I will give more time than just a week before i bottle. Are there any signs that will let you know if primary fermentation has run its course before bottling? Or is the key just giving it time?

 

[Revvy]

Good to know, in the future I will give more time than just a week before i bottle. Are there any signs that will let you know if primary fermentation has run its course before bottling? Or is the key just giving it time?

You should take 2 gravity readings over a span of three days, if the numbers are the same it's done...but that doesn't mean it's time to bottle.

Many of us leave our beers in primary for a month to condition and clear, and feel it lifts our beer to the nth level in terms of flavor and clarity. Other' opt to rack to a secondary. If that's the case I recommend folks don't rack til the beer is done, and take their first reading one day 12 and the other is on day 14...

Nothing else besides a gravity reading is an accurate way to know if the beer is done or not.

 

[WortIfied]

Good to know, in the future I will give more time than just a week before i bottle. Are there any signs that will let you know if primary fermentation has run its course before bottling? Or is the key just giving it time?

Taking gravity readings with your hydrometer over a course of several days. If the reading shows the same results over that time period then you are gtg.

The general census is that 3 weeks in the primary is standard for most, some dont take readings until 3 weeks have passed.

 

[BeerLeBaron]

Thanks, I will def. give it more time and use the hydrometer readings for my next brew. Also, is there a time frame of when bottle bombs are no longer a concern, say if they've been bottled for a month, if it hasn't exploded by then it should be safe, and is it still possible to have this happen after you've given it several weeks and started to refrigerate?

Sorry, but I feel like I have many, many questions.

 

[BeerLeBaron]

Moved my bottles from the basement, my 1st floor stays between 65 and 70. Turned each bottle upside down and back gently to activate the yeast. Each bottle had white sediment at the bottom of the bottles, when I turned bottle upside down and back gently you could see it get cloudy in the beer. Figure I will let it condition for a few more weeks.

Does all this sound like everything is going well, is that sediment just the yeast settling at the bottom?

 

[Taypo]

Sounds normal. I aint fancy, and I rather enjoy a lil bit of yeast in my beers but some folks learn to pour homebrew to leave that sediment in the bottle. Plenty of threads on it here, too.

Welcome to the obsession.

 

[PIGMAN]

Thanks, I will def. give it more time and use the hydrometer readings for my next brew. Also, is there a time frame of when bottle bombs are no longer a concern, say if they've been bottled for a month, if it hasn't exploded by then it should be safe, and is it still possible to have this happen after you've given it several weeks and started to refrigerate?

Sorry, but I feel like I have many, many questions.

I recall a poster stating that he had a bottle bomb after a year, so I guess it isn't an exact science. Refrigeration should mitigate the problem, because the carbonation slows or stops completely at refrigerator temps. Just make sure they're conditioned first, because you don't want cold flat beer. Also, there are different types of growlers. The ones with the Grolsch tops are stronger than the typical growlers that you get filled at breweries, and they cost a heck of a lot more, probably for that reason. Double check, but I think those particular growlers are safe to condition in.

 

[BeerLeBaron]

Hey, thanks Pigman. How can you tell by looking at it if the beer is conditioned or not? It's been bottled for almost 2 weeks now, curious to know what I should be looking for before I place in the fridge.

Also, it is one of those grolsch type growlers, its pretty substantial, hoping it conditions well.

 

[solbes]

Only way to find out is to open one. It's your first brew, I think you owe it to yourself to drink one a tad early. Put one or two in the fridge for 3 days or so, then HAHB.

 

[Revvy]

Hey, thanks Pigman. How can you tell by looking at it if the beer is conditioned or not? It's been bottled for almost 2 weeks now, curious to know what I should be looking for before I place in the fridge.

Also, it is one of those grolsch type growlers, its pretty substantial, hoping it conditions well.

You can't tell by looking at it. Give it three weeks at 70 degrees, take 2 bottles, one from each bottle box or not near each other. Chill them for at least 48 hours and drink them...if both are carbed and taste good more than likely they're ready. If only one is ready, that means the bottles aren't quite there yet, and the one that was carbed was a tad warmer than the other. Wait another week or two and try again.