This is killing me

[asidrane]

It doesn't need that much time normally. That 3-4 week thing is a mind virus around here. It really depends on the beer, the yeast, the temp. A consistent hydrometer reading over a period of days and an FG that is close to what's expected is the only real way to know if it's done. If you want super clear beer, leave it for a couple of weeks. I get the same result in two days by cold-crashing my fermenter and have ** bottled moderately strong ales after 8 days in primary.

I'm still not clear. Do I wait for steady hydrometer reading before I move to the carboy, or before I bottle? If before I bottle, then when do I know I'm ready to transfer to the carboy?

 

[smizak]

I'm still not clear. Do I wait for steady hydrometer reading before I move to the carboy, or before I bottle? If before I bottle, then when do I know I'm ready to transfer to the carboy?

Both. However, I strongly recommend you don't secondary. You can if you feel you must, but I find no reason to do it and either do some highly respected and highly awarded homebrewing experts. It's just another chance for infection or oxidation to ruin your work. Bottle straight from primary after you get a stable hydrometer reading and the yeast have dropped out.

 

[asidrane]

Both. However, I strongly recommend you don't secondary. You can if you feel you must, but I find no reason to do it and either do some highly respected and highly awarded homebrewing experts. It's just another chance for infection or oxidation to ruin your work. Bottle straight from primary after you get a stable hydrometer reading and the yeast have dropped out.

OK, that makes sense. I decided to do my primary in my bottling bucket (the lid has a whole in the top for the airlock) with the intention of moving to a 6.5 gallon carboy for my secondary. If I don't do the secondary, will I be OK to bottle straight from the primary? In the future, should I just do my primary in the carboy and then transfer to the bottling bucket, or is my carboy unnecessary altogether?

 

[mixedbrewer]

Finally, someone else not telling him to wait forever.

 

[Acoma]

I am more anxious to brew my next batch than to taste my first.

 

[smizak]

OK, that makes sense. I decided to do my primary in my bottling bucket (the lid has a whole in the top for the airlock) with the intention of moving to a 6.5 gallon carboy for my secondary. If I don't do the secondary, will I be OK to bottle straight from the primary? In the future, should I just do my primary in the carboy and then transfer to the bottling bucket, or is my carboy unnecessary altogether?

Primary in your 6.5 gallon carboy if you are comfortable with glass. It can be dangerous if handled improperly. Think severed arteries and tendons with permanent nerve damage. I keep mine in milk crates when full always and never handle them empty without work gloves. That being said, it can't be beat for the volume they offer, transparency to watch the ferment, and ability to be cleaned without question. Plastic can always harbor bacteria in scratches if you're not careful.

There are times when a secondary is needed, such as adding fruit or aging with secondary yeast or bacteria strains. For plain old beers, I would just bottle straight from primary.

BTW, if you do plan on using a secondary, get a 5 gallon carboy. A 6.5 gallon carboy will leave way too much head space and you will oxidize your beer. For a typical 5 gallon batch, I'm assuming.

 

[asidrane]

Primary in your 6.5 gallon carboy if you are comfortable with glass. It can be dangerous if handled improperly. Think severed arteries and tendons with permanent nerve damage. I keep mine in milk crates when full always and never handle them empty without work gloves. That being said, it can't be beat for the volume they offer, transparency to watch the ferment, and ability to be cleaned without question. Plastic can always harbor bacteria in scratches if you're not careful.

There are times when a secondary is needed, such as adding fruit or aging with secondary yeast or bacteria strains. For plain old beers, I would just bottle straight from primary.

BTW, if you do plan on using a secondary, get a 5 gallon carboy. A 6.5 gallon carboy will leave way too much head space and you will oxidize your beer. For a typical 5 gallon batch, I'm assuming.

OK, that's what I will do for my next batch, but what about this one? It is currently fermenting in my bottling bucket. Can I just bottle form there?

 

[edmanster]

I live with 5 women...hence the need for a lot more brews!

Ditto.....

 

[RM-MN]

OK, that's what I will do for my next batch, but what about this one? It is currently fermenting in my bottling bucket. Can I just bottle form there?

If you like your beer flat, without carbonation or if you like your beer with lots of yeast sediment and pieces of hops, sure you can bottle right from the fermenter. Most of us like to siphon the beer into a separate container so we can leave the spent yeast and hop pieces behind trapped in the yeast cake at the bottom of the fermenter and then mix our priming sugar that will create the carbonation in the bottles into that second container and then bottle from there. A second bottling bucket with spigot should cost under $25 and will be well worth it over the years you can use it. It will allow you to ferment one batch in the bucket you now have and a second one in the large carboy.

 

[RM-MN]

Why does it need so much time in the primary? And if I can go straight to bottles, what purpose does the secondary serve? Also, I wasn't able to get an OG reading due to a thermometer mishap, is this going to be an issue?

It doesn't NEED that long. I've bottled with the beer in the fermenter only 1 week. The problem with that is you get a huge amount of sediment in the bottle because you didn't give the yeast time to settle out and the beer takes so much longer to mature without the time on the yeast cake. By going to a longer time in the fermenter, my beer tastes really good about 2 to 3 weeks sooner than that which I bottled after only a week. I don't know about you, but I prefer good beer to fast beer. Why if I only wanted fast beer, the store is only 10 minutes away and they sell it in 6 packs, 12 packs, and cases.

 

[asidrane]

Thanks to everyone, this has all been very helpful.

 

[astropunk]

Since Im waiting....waiting....waiting.....

I am trying to get my keg prepared. I have an empty co2 bottle, but cannot find anywhere locally that will fill it! I only found 3 places that even sell co2, but they only do tank exchanges, and only 1 of them has the 5lb size! They want $30. Seems high to me. What are you all paying for a tank exchange?

 

[tbel]

A second bottling bucket with spigot should cost under $25 and will be well worth it over the years you can use it. It will allow you to ferment one batch in the bucket you now have and a second one in the large carboy.

+1 to that. I did the same thing. Got my first batch going in the 6.5gal carboy and doing a second in a brewbucket I picked up for $12. I'll keep the
bottling bucket with a spigot free for bottling. Maybe even get another bucket.
My wife might start to question my need for so much beer though Not that that will stop me.

 

[asidrane]

I've noticed that a lot of liquid has drained out of my airlock. Should I be concerned?