Too soon to bottle & party pig?

[smellslikebeer]

Hello all.
I have an AHB Kolsch and a clone Oberon Ale that started fermentation on Thursday 5/13. They are both in primary fermenters and I am not intending to secondary ferment them. They both seem to be clarifying nicely and are still bubbling since 5/13. Right now about 1 per 8-12 seconds. I have not taken a final gravity yet. Assuming they measure out as on target, am I good to transfer to bottling? Or am I pushing it?

Thanks.

 

[TipsyDragon]

only bottle when the FG stops falling. just because you hit your target FG doesn't mean that it is done.

 

[smellslikebeer]

I guess I had better start logging some gravity levels now. Thanks.

 

[bguzz]

10 days is usually plenty unless it is a really big beer. I've never seen the benefit of waiting more than 2 weeks for any reason other than being lazy or convenient. The advice is right on...make sure you have 3 days of no FG changes and your should be good to go.

 

[smellslikebeer]

That sounds great if I can bottle before Friday. Am I sacrificing clarity by cutting into the settling time?

Thanks for all responses.

 

[wcarter1227]

That sounds great if I can bottle before Friday. Am I sacrificing clarity by cutting into the settling time?

Thanks for all responses.

I know your probably anxious to drink this beer but you are sacrificing a lot of things by bottling this now. 1, being clarity. There are a number of reasons why i wont touch my beer before its even had close to a month in the fermenter is that the yeast will settle more out and the trub compacts very tight leaving a very clear beer, 2, yeast produces some off flavors from the byproducts they make when fermenting, giving them the extra time in the primary will give them a chance to clean the beer up improving flavors.

When i started brewing i rushed the process along and made several beers that no one would drink, when i learned about the extended primary i suddenly became the person that everyone wanted to drink my beer, they couldnt believe me that i made it and it wasnt from the store,

just my 2 cents

Its your beer so do what you want but i personally woudlnt.

 

[smellslikebeer]

My previous batches I have been in no hurry to do so. I am fighting a deadline for a upcoming weekend outing in this case. Thanks for the words of caution. Crap beer delivered "on schedule" is not considered a success.

 

[wcarter1227]

My previous batches I have been in no hurry to do so. I am fighting a deadline for a upcoming weekend outing in this case. Thanks for the words of caution. Crap beer delivered "on schedule" is not considered a success.

Even if the beer tastes wonderful your deadline is this weekend, its not gonna be carbed by then anyway so at best youll have some flat beer which will taste a bit sweet due to the priming sugar not being totally consumed by the yeasties. unless you can keg and force carb id say that youd be better off buying some craft beer and bringing that.

 

[smellslikebeer]

Even if the beer tastes wonderful your deadline is this weekend, its not gonna be carbed by then anyway so at best youll have some flat beer which will taste a bit sweet due to the priming sugar not being totally consumed by the yeasties. unless you can keg and force carb id say that youd be better off buying some craft beer and bringing that.

Agreed on the flat beer. June 11th weekend. No forced carb. Only priming sugar and bottle conditioned. My last batch took nearly 6 weeks in bottles before the carbonation was acceptable. I continue to talk myself out of forcing this!

 

[bguzz]

Keep in mind that when you bottle, you still have yeast in suspension which contribute to conditioning. If you pitch a couple grams of rehydrated nottinham or us05 at bottling you will carb very quickly if you keep the bottles at 75F. I would say a week to 10 days wouldn't be unusual.

Still you will have green beer and depending on your brewing process is what will determine whether it is acceptable or not. I think the Kolsch might be a longshot.

 

[demonrichie]

you could hope for a june 11 finish which it may be drinkable and carbed but i wouldnt bet on it if you can get a way to force carb and let the primary sit till june then force carb that may be your only hope