Ready to bottle ??

[kiwiguy]

Hi This is only my second brew so I apologise if this is a very simple question.

The brew has been fermenting for two weeks, I read somewhere not to leave it in the drum to long.. It is still bubbling every 30 seconds or so. is it still not rady to bottle ?

 

[Irisndfan2]

i Have bottled after only two weeks in fermentation. Only true way to tell is to take a hydrometer reading. Alot of people let it sit in the fermenter for up to a month before bottling, but if fermentation is done based on gravity readings, then you could bottle.

 

[dcp27]

what you read was out-dated. you can leave it in the fermenter for very long periods (months) with no side-effects. the current standard is leaving it in the primary for 3+ weeks. also, even if the beer is completely fermented, you want to leave it on the yeast for at least an additional week to clean up some of its byproducts and clarify

 

[kiwiguy]

what you read was out-dated. you can leave it in the fermenter for very long periods (months) with no side-effects. the current standard is leaving it in the primary for 3+ weeks. also, even if the beer is completely fermented, you want to leave it on the yeast for at least an additional week to clean up some of its byproducts and clarify

thanks for the helpful info guys I appreciate it alot

 

[Pezman1]

Never bottle if the airlock is still bubbling at all....ever! You will make bottle bombs.

You have been given good advice by the above posters.

Your best bet is to buy a hydrometer as suggested and only bottle after taking two identical readings at least 3 days apart.

If not, let the beer sit in primary AT LEAST 3 weeks before bottling. My best beers to date have sat in primary for a month, so don't fear.

Pez.

 

[rjwhite41]

Airlock activity doesn't necessarily mean bottle bombs. A lot of things can cause airlock activity. Buy a hydrometer.

 

[Pezman1]

Airlock activity doesn't necessarily mean bottle bombs. A lot of things can cause airlock activity. Buy a hydrometer.

Only two things cause airlock bubbling that I am aware of. They are unfinished fermentation or an infection.
If you bottle something that is still causing a bubble every 30 seonds, you WILL create a bottle bomb....quickly. Pez.

 

[dcp27]

Only two things cause airlock bubbling that I am aware of. They are unfinished fermentation or an infection..

and trapped CO2, temperature changes, dry hopping, settling, vibrations, ... without a hydrometer reading, bubbling is meaningless, theres too many things that can cause it

 

[rjwhite41]

Only two things cause airlock bubbling that I am aware of. They are unfinished fermentation or an infection.
If you bottle something that is still causing a bubble every 30 seonds, you WILL create a bottle bomb....quickly. Pez.

Just because CO2 is escaping doesn't mean it's being created. See above post.

 

[Pezman1]

and trapped CO2, temperature changes, dry hopping, settling, vibrations, ... without a hydrometer reading, bubbling is meaningless, theres too many things that can cause it

Well, all those things would cause just a few temporary bubbles to equalize the pressure - not a continuous bubble every 30 seconds. I was not refering to a bubble in the airlock if you bumped your carboy.

The one thing I have no experience with is dry hopping, but I can't see how that would start such a large, continuous volume of Co2. If it does, then I've learned something new.

I have to disagree with your statement about bubbling being meaningless. Something is causing that steady stream of gas bubbles every 30 seconds. Put that into a bottle and cap it.... boom.
Pez.

 

[rjwhite41]

While I don't necessarily disagree with you Pezman1, I do believe that if you have a steady gravity then you will not have bombs, regardless of the bubbling. If you have an unfinished ferment or an infection that is fermenting than that would be apparent in gravity readings.

 

[Golddiggie]

In addition to needing a stable SG reading (spanning multiple days) I would suggest tasting the hydrometer sample... Start testing at 2-3 weeks from fermentation start (post lag-phase of the yeast) and continue every few days until it actually tastes right. Right as in no off flavors (or unintended flavors), jet fuel, 'hot', etc...

Given enough time on the yeast 95% of off flavors will go away. The remaining flavors will need additional effort to resolve. Since this is only your second brew, and you're probably not doing anything too wild, chances of you running into that other 5% is really small.

Most of us are using 3-4 weeks on the yeast (in primary) for 'moderate' gravity brews... Such as something with an OG of under about 1.070/1.075... Above that, you'll probably want more time on the yeast... It's safe to go a few months on the yeast cake (there are cases of people, here, going 6 months, or more on the yeast without any ill effects)... Lower gravity brews, usually finish faster. But, if you ferment too hot (for the yeast) you'll need more time to reduce/eliminate off flavors produced during fermentation. The yeast does a really good job of cleaning up after itself, if you give it time (in primary)...

Above all else, yeast won't adhere to human wishes for when it's done (time frame)... It will be done, when it's done, and not before then... Remember, RDWHAHB...

 

[JoeBronco]

I dont understand why everyone is on the "three week minimum" bandwagon. When the beer is done, its done. Yeast is a living organism and can not be controlled. Yes, keeping the beer on the yeast clears it up, but if fermented at the correct temperature you should not have any off flavors that need to be "cleaned". Clarity can be had with good form and temperature control. Why is it that GREAT commercial/craft beers can be made in 21 days but homebrewers cant make a good beer in under two months?

I have fully fermented a beer in 8 days, dry hopped for 5. Bottled aged for a week and had VERY good beer that was ready to drink in under 21 days. I have friends that got into beer making because they thought that that particular beer was amazing. Yes some beers take longer to ferment out. As long as the hydro reading stays SOLID for at least 3 days your beer is done and ready to bottle/rack to secondary or dry hop.

 

[Golddiggie]

JoeBronco... Commercial breweries have super tight control over their beer from start to finish. Temperature control down to the degree F, the brews are typically fermented under CO2 pressures too. They also have perfect amount of yeast pitching for each and every brew. Can you do that at home?? Sure, if you want to spend the money to get all the hardware to do that. Most of us are not at that level (yet)...

Sure, you COULD get a beer from boil to bottle in under 2 weeks, provided you do many things perfectly. If you carbonate with CO2 (kegging) you can have beer ready to drink, once kegged, in just a few days.

Personally, I don't have a fermentation chamber (yet) so I'm at the mercy of the weather when it comes to what temperature the wort is fermenting at. So, some of the brews I've made needed longer to get rid of flavors I didn't care for. When I do get the chamber, my brews might be done sooner... Or I might just let them go for the 2-4 weeks anyway... Theres ZERO HARM in letting the wort sit on the yeast like this. Hell, there are more than a few people that have let the wort sit on yeast for 6 months, or longer, with zero ill effects...

Letting beer sit on the yeast for 2-4 weeks by no means makes us bad home brewers. It just means we're NOT RUSHING THINGS... I don't care if I'm grain to glass in 6-8 weeks for my normal brews. Bigger ones being longer. I'd rather BE PATIENT and let things go at their own pace.

My first two brews I racked to secondary, when I could have just left it on the yeast cake. I was going by the directions provided (before knowing better)... I still got good beer, but I can only imagine (now) how much better they could have been had I not followed the directions like that. I do plan on making one of them again, as an all grain brew, and let it do things at it's own pace.

Be patient with your brew, and the yeast... Give them the amount of time they need to make really great beer for you. NOT racking to secondary means you have less work to do, and will get a great brew. Racking to secondary opens you up to contamination (unless you live in a sanitized environment that is)... Sure, most of the time it won't be an issue, but you remember Murphy's Law right?

Brew as you like, racking as you like, but if you ask for advice on if/when to rack to secondary, the majority of people (now) will advise not doing it. Revvy has posted about this more times than you can count. He has the first hand experience (as many of us do now) with making really great brews by NOT racking to secondary just to clear up a brew.

Racking to secondary as a 'necessary' process is a carry over from a decade (or more) ago... Things have vastly improved since then, making it completely unnecessary for the reasons it was originally done. Sure, if you want to get the brew off of flavor elements (to stop their contribution) and add new ones, racking makes sense... If you want to age for a long time, and also add other elements, racking makes sense. Especially if you want to age in something like a corny keg (and fermented in a carboy/bucket)...

I don't live in a world where I can go grain to glass, properly carbonated, with a brew in 21 days... Even when I'm kegging, It will be a 2 week carbonation time frame (not going to rush carbonate) on CO2... Nothing I have made, so far or plan to in the future, is a low enough OG to be done fermenting in just a week (and ready for bottles)... Even if it was, I'd let it ride for longer to ensure that I'm getting the best possible brew I can...

I don't mind waiting for the brew to be ready... Maybe that's partially due to the fact that I'm also making mead, which takes MONTHS before it's bottled. Even then, it's typically a year, or longer, before it's actually ready for drinking... I also have a brew that was on the yeast for a solid month, and has been on oak chips for over a month. It's slated to be bottled before the weekend is out. Chances are, it will take another 3-4 weeks to carbonate (about 8% ABV) and even then, might not really be ready for drinking for another couple of months...

Using patience, you can make truly great beer at home... Just don't rush things, or think that every brew can go grain to glass in 21 days, like BMC does... Unless you want to make what BMC does, and have all the hardware to do it... Which, to me, seems rather foolish... Considering how every person, I know, that home brews wouldn't use BMC to pre-rinse their dishes...

 

[dcp27]

Why is it that GREAT commercial/craft beers can be made in 21 days but homebrewers cant make a good beer in under two months?

I don't think anyone is saying that you can't make great beer in less time, just that, chances are, it'll be better beer if given more time.

 

[Vuarra]

I dont understand why everyone is on the "three week minimum" bandwagon. When the beer is done, its done. Yeast is a living organism and can not be controlled. Yes, keeping the beer on the yeast clears it up, but if fermented at the correct temperature you should not have any off flavors that need to be "cleaned". Clarity can be had with good form and temperature control. Why is it that GREAT commercial/craft beers can be made in 21 days but homebrewers cant make a good beer in under two months?

I have fully fermented a beer in 8 days, dry hopped for 5. Bottled aged for a week and had VERY good beer that was ready to drink in under 21 days. I have friends that got into beer making because they thought that that particular beer was amazing. Yes some beers take longer to ferment out. As long as the hydro reading stays SOLID for at least 3 days your beer is done and ready to bottle/rack to secondary or dry hop.

I am not going to say you were lucky (but I'm thinking it ), and I am not going to say that you are any better than I am or even the next guy. What I will say is that I have had batches ready in three days, and the same recipe, different circumstances, ready in 2 months. We advocate "three week minimum" as a rule of thumb only because it will not hurt the beer to stay sur lees that long (I've gone as far as six months, but that's just me).

You sound like you know what you are doing, and if you know your brew is done in 96 hours, I am truly glad for you. The minimum is a recommendation for the newer brewers, until they get to a better understanding of brewing, no more and no less.

 

[JoeBronco]

JoeBronco... Commercial breweries have super tight control over their beer from start to finish. Temperature control down to the degree F, the brews are typically fermented under CO2 pressures too. They also have perfect amount of yeast pitching for each and every brew. Can you do that at home?? Sure, if you want to spend the money to get all the hardware to do that. Most of us are not at that level (yet)...

Sure, you COULD get a beer from boil to bottle in under 2 weeks, provided you do many things perfectly. If you carbonate with CO2 (kegging) you can have beer ready to drink, once kegged, in just a few days.

Personally, I don't have a fermentation chamber (yet) so I'm at the mercy of the weather when it comes to what temperature the wort is fermenting at. So, some of the brews I've made needed longer to get rid of flavors I didn't care for. When I do get the chamber, my brews might be done sooner... Or I might just let them go for the 2-4 weeks anyway... Theres ZERO HARM in letting the wort sit on the yeast like this. Hell, there are more than a few people that have let the wort sit on yeast for 6 months, or longer, with zero ill effects...

Letting beer sit on the yeast for 2-4 weeks by no means makes us bad home brewers. It just means we're NOT RUSHING THINGS... I don't care if I'm grain to glass in 6-8 weeks for my normal brews. Bigger ones being longer. I'd rather BE PATIENT and let things go at their own pace.

My first two brews I racked to secondary, when I could have just left it on the yeast cake. I was going by the directions provided (before knowing better)... I still got good beer, but I can only imagine (now) how much better they could have been had I not followed the directions like that. I do plan on making one of them again, as an all grain brew, and let it do things at it's own pace.

Be patient with your brew, and the yeast... Give them the amount of time they need to make really great beer for you. NOT racking to secondary means you have less work to do, and will get a great brew. Racking to secondary opens you up to contamination (unless you live in a sanitized environment that is)... Sure, most of the time it won't be an issue, but you remember Murphy's Law right?

Brew as you like, racking as you like, but if you ask for advice on if/when to rack to secondary, the majority of people (now) will advise not doing it. Revvy has posted about this more times than you can count. He has the first hand experience (as many of us do now) with making really great brews by NOT racking to secondary just to clear up a brew.

Racking to secondary as a 'necessary' process is a carry over from a decade (or more) ago... Things have vastly improved since then, making it completely unnecessary for the reasons it was originally done. Sure, if you want to get the brew off of flavor elements (to stop their contribution) and add new ones, racking makes sense... If you want to age for a long time, and also add other elements, racking makes sense. Especially if you want to age in something like a corny keg (and fermented in a carboy/bucket)...

I don't live in a world where I can go grain to glass, properly carbonated, with a brew in 21 days... Even when I'm kegging, It will be a 2 week carbonation time frame (not going to rush carbonate) on CO2... Nothing I have made, so far or plan to in the future, is a low enough OG to be done fermenting in just a week (and ready for bottles)... Even if it was, I'd let it ride for longer to ensure that I'm getting the best possible brew I can...

I don't mind waiting for the brew to be ready... Maybe that's partially due to the fact that I'm also making mead, which takes MONTHS before it's bottled. Even then, it's typically a year, or longer, before it's actually ready for drinking... I also have a brew that was on the yeast for a solid month, and has been on oak chips for over a month. It's slated to be bottled before the weekend is out. Chances are, it will take another 3-4 weeks to carbonate (about 8% ABV) and even then, might not really be ready for drinking for another couple of months...

Using patience, you can make truly great beer at home... Just don't rush things, or think that every brew can go grain to glass in 21 days, like BMC does... Unless you want to make what BMC does, and have all the hardware to do it... Which, to me, seems rather foolish... Considering how every person, I know, that home brews wouldn't use BMC to pre-rinse their dishes...

Great response. Im not saying that every beer can be done that fast. It just seems that every time this question is asked the "shotgun" approach is to just say 3-4 weeks. I am not saying and will never say that you shouldn't keep you beer on yeast longer. But its not always needed. I agree about 95% of the time my beer stays in the conical for about 4 weeks before i drop trub and dry hop. I do agree with you on racking to secondary, only as needed when new flavors are introduced. My conical helped me get over the need to rack to secondary.

When you get into this hobby you want beer fast. As we mature in our beer making skills we realize the importance of patience and form. If a new brewer doesn't care about clarity or if his beer is perfict or not, than a beer can be made quickly (relatively speaking).

 

[NorthRiverS]

Pez,

EVERY beer that I have bottled has had slight airlock activity. The hydrometer reading was the steady for a week. I have NEVER had a bottle bomb or even over-carbonation.
NRS