to soon to bottle?

[DaytonFlyer]

Ok i just made my first batch of beer and am loving every molment of it. Got my kit for christmas along with a kit to make a hefeweizen beer. The recipe call for NO addional sugar just that that was in the included malt mix. It was a Cooper kit and i have just a few questions. It started to ferment within 24 hours more like within 12 hours and bubbles vigously for many days. however within 4-5 days it stopped bubbleing from the air lock. Now in the instructions it said that i must wait for 2 weeks before i bottle. I have taken the sg before and that was 1.050 (standard) and i just took it again and was about 1.018 which i beleive makes it 4.1% to 4.3% alcohol content. I also took a little taste and did taste a light sweetness but not much at all.

Does this mean i can now bottle since it seems that the fermenting is finished?

 

[avidhomebrewer]

A final gravity (fg) of around 1.018 or 18 seems a bit high for a batch that had on og of 1.050 (50). What type Coopers kit did you brew? If you have another fermenter, rack to that one and let it sit for about 2 more weeks, or when the hydrometer tells you. I would think you should easily get that batch below 1.010. Also, maybe rousing the yeast (gently rolling the carboy around) will help in getting the yeast back in suspension where it can contact the wort and help in finishing fermentation.

 

[Yooper]

I'd wait two weeks to bottle. There isn't any benefit to rushing it to the bottle.

I'd also check the sg and make sure it was completely done before bottling, unless you really want to have bottle bombs. That would not be good!

 

[DaytonFlyer]

Thanks for the speedy responce

I used a Coopers Malt extract syrup for a wheat beer and i also a bag of dry wheat (some sort of poweder wheat i threw the bag out so i can;t remember exactly what it was)

I'm using the Brewer's Best kit so i do not have a second carbod to put it in, should i take the lid off and give it a gentle stir avoiding any splashing (as i know airrating at this point is bad) and let it sit for the additional week as it says in the directions. Because as of right now for 2 days i have not seen any CO2 excape from the airlock. I'm am slightly impatient, but i know the first rule to a good brew is patients, and i don;t want to screw up my very first brew.

 

[TheJadedDog]

+1 on waiting the full 2 weeks. Personally I would never consider bottling a beer with less than 14 days of fermentation time even if it looks done. Time will only improve your beer and bottling early could risk bottle bombs.

 

[DaytonFlyer]

should i give it a gentle stir? or just leave it be?

i don't have a carboy so i can;t really roll it. my kit is a 6 gallon bucket with a lid and a air lock? still try to roll or give it a stir?

 

[DaytonFlyer]

i need a response as to not to ruin my first brew

 

[EvilTOJ]

Dayton, some people sleep through the night. And yes, you're being impatient. To rouse the yeast back into suspension, don't stir it. Rock the bucket around in a circle a few times. There's only CO2 in the air above the beer at this point so you won't be aerating with oxygen again. Then leave it alone for at least a week so the yeast can finish working.

 

[Bob]

I'd leave it alone and muck about in it as little as possible. Leave it for a total of 14 days. Check the gravity again in a week.

What yeast came with the kit?

Cheers,

Bob

P.S. Relax. You and your beer will be fine!

 

[Ridge Runner]

Everything you described sounds perfectly normal. Probably don't need to stir. I've had no bubbles after 3 day fermentations. Airlock activity is hit or miss indicator of fermentation progress as brewing buckets aren't 100% airtight. 3 days of stable gravity readings is a good indicator for a complete fermentation. Let it sit for 3 weeks(total from brewday) in your bucket then bottle. You'll enjoy your final product much more. Welcome to HBT

 

[DaytonFlyer]

Thanks A lot guys,

I did do what one of you said and gave it a little role. It did some vigorous bubbling for a couple mins and is now blubble slowly again maybe a "blurp" every 2 mins.

I hate checking the sg because that involves taking off the lid and letting air in. But in another week it'll probally be done and i'll check it again (right now is day 9)

As for the type of yeast i really have no idea. It was a packet in with the coopers malt extract syrup it said Coopers Yeast on the front. It was a dry yeast sort of looked like a course sand.

This forum has really helped and i thank all of you now and in advanced for all your help. Brewing your first beer is really exciting probally after this first batch i'm probally going to try a pilsner.