To Bottle Now or Wait?

[impact.walter]

My glass hydrometer came in a plastic tube to protect it. That tube is the perfect size for taking a sample with minimal amount of beer. I pull the cap off one end to put the beer in with the hydrometer, take the reading, remove the hydrometer from the tube and drink the beer remaining as a quick quality control.

Same here. But, you might keep a finger under the bottom cap. No need to ask why I now always do this…

 

[mac_1103]

you might keep a finger under the bottom cap. No need to ask why I now always do this

Mine only has a cap on one end.

 

[DuhokBrewer]

Any recommendations for medium size plastic fermenters? If I get a plastic bucket or one of the plastic big mouth bubblers, is there any downside to getting one that is too big? I anticipate probably making mostly 1 gallon batches, maybe 2 gallon but probably not bigger. Does that mean a 5 gallon would leave too much headspace?

 

[mac_1103]

I wouldn't ferment one gallon in a five gallon bucket. Your should be able to find 2 gallon food grade HDPE buckets at big box or online retailers. The little big mouth bubbler is 1.4 gallons, which is a good amount of headspace for a one gallon batch. A 3 gallon BMB FerMonster is just about perfect for 2 gallon batches.

 

[jsphlynch]

Any recommendations for medium size plastic fermenters? If I get a plastic bucket or one of the plastic big mouth bubblers, is there any downside to getting one that is too big? I anticipate probably making mostly 1 gallon batches, maybe 2 gallon but probably not bigger. Does that mean a 5 gallon would leave too much headspace?

Speidel makes a 12 L plastic fermenter. Seems like that ought to be about perfect for 2ish gallon ferment. I don't have any experience with their products, but I've only heard good things about them.

 

[redrocker652002]

I have read most of the posts here and can only add what has been said. Number 1, get a hydrometer. They are cheap and definitely needed to judge when fermentation is done. Also, in calculating ABV you will need it. I have a refractometer that I just started using. There are calculators in Brewfather and other sites to help convert the numbers once the wort is fermented. I want to get better with the refractometer as it wastes way less beer. A few drops versus more than that. LOL. Also, and I am guilty of this as well, patience is a virtue. Either way, enjoy the hobby, and keep reading here. These folks have some great info and are not afraid to share it with anybody and everybody. Good luck.

 

[DuhokBrewer]

Well I got tired of waiting so I bottled it and waited 2 more weeks. We had a friend over and opened the first ones yesterday. I'll have to say, it was pretty pleasing to drink a hefeweizen I made myself. Was it the best I've ever had? Maybe not. But it was genuinely good. At least on par with a good commercial version.

My friend and I are trying to work out a day to brew batch #2 (an Oktoberfest). We're okay waiting til after October to drink it because it is still over 100F her every day. I'm hoping to leave this one in the fermenter 4 weeks.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

Not to rain on your parade, but Oktoberfest is traditionally a lager. You'll need cooler temps for fermentation to do a lager. However, you can do an Oktoberfest as an ale. It may not be exactly like a traditional Oktoberfest, but it will be close. And who says that Oktoberfest needs to be drunk in October? It's always beer o'clock somewhere.

 

[DuhokBrewer]

Not to rain on your parade, but Oktoberfest is traditionally a lager. You'll need cooler temps for fermentation to do a lager. However, you can do an Oktoberfest as an ale. It may not be exactly like a traditional Oktoberfest, but it will be close. And who says that Oktoberfest needs to be drunk in October? It's always beer o'clock somewhere.

Yeah, it's an Oktoberfest Ale recipe kit. So not quite the same.