Secondary fermentation

[Zippster75]

I just brewed my first batch! The fermentation had slowed in the primary, and it now seems to have stopped in the secondary. The directions (Brewers Best) tell me to leave the beer in the secondary for 2 weeks. My question, should I bottle now, or wait the 2 weeks? What are the pros or cons of waiting or bottling now? The batch is an English Brown Ale.

 

[BargainFittings]

Do you have a hydrometer?

How long was it in the primary and secondary?

 

[Zippster75]

Yea I have, and was in the primary for 4 days

 

[Zippster75]

Reading 1.045 at start and is now at 1.012

 

[nefarious_1_]

4 days seems kinda short for a primary, but have no fear, it is your first brew and I'm sure it will be good regardless.

Many brewers leave their beer in primary for 3 or 4 weeks to allow the yeast to clean up after themselves, then go straight to bottle bypassing secondary entirely. Others keep the beer in primary until final gravity is reached (or very close to it,) THEN rack to a secondary. Keep this in mind for future brews as you have a couple options. I choose the former.

For now, take a couple hydrometer readings spaced apart by a few days. When you get 2 or 3 consecutive readings that are the same, fermentation is complete and you can bottle. Since you've already racked off the yeast, I'd say you can go straight to bottle once it's done fermenting since you can achieve virtually the same thing in a bottle as you can in secondary (again, making sure that fermentation is actually complete.)

Enjoy your first beer!

 

[Germelli1]

It is up to you to do the research and learning then decide your own views, but the use of a secondary on typical beers is heavily debated. I personally never use one unless I am dry-hopping or adding an ingredient at the latter stages of fermentation.

You should also research when you should move the beer over to the secondary if you chose to do this. Since I don't practice this regularly I don't have an answer but I think it is either after fermentation is complete or towards the end. But when I do and am not adding sugar to the secondary(like fruit, honey, maple syrup, etc), I like to move it before fermentation stops completely. This is so the beer produces C02 by continuing to ferment and that drives out any oxygen and airborn particles. Makes sense in my own head

Many here will disagree with me on this but I recommend you bottle it ASAP if your hydrometer reading doesn't change by tomorrow.

If it DOES drop tomorrow than wait until it stays stable for 2 or 3 consecutive days, then bottle.

Since it is your first beer it will be very beneficial for you to observe first hand how the beer matures as it ages and conditions. As long as you don't drink the entire batch right away, you will be able to taste and make notes on your beer as it progresses in the bottle and be able to decide for yourself how long you want it to condition in the fermentor!

Also start another batch right away if you enjoyed making the first one. Once your first batch is in the bottles I bet it will have a little easier to be patient with leaving for second batch fermenting for longer than 4 days!

 

[nefarious_1_]

1.012 is pretty low and is most likely done. Of course, the only way to tell is to take another reading in a couple days to see if it's the same.

 

[Zippster75]

Thanks for the advice, I look forward to chatting with mor folks as I gain experience.

 

[Dons]

Having had cases of bad stuff, I'm loath to bottle too early. You really can wait for up to about 4 weeks in the primary until you HAVE to bottle. Be sure. Also, I would heartily recommend getting something like Beersmith to find out what your OG and FG should be, given your ingredients/process. Not a lot of point to having a hydrometer unless you know this stuff. I hate going into my fermenter day after day checking FG. Opening myself to contamination at a bad time and - more importantly - reducing quantity of beer I will be getting. So I minimize it as above - I wait plenty of time and check FG when I am confident it's about time.