When is my brew ready to bottle

[ASXL41]

I'm working on my first beer (A brown ale) and the fermenting seemed to be going really well the first couple of days. However now it seems to hardly be bubbling after only 4-5 days in the fermenting bucket. I still see pressure from the airlock as well. I just want to make sure that it's still going well. The recipe said to let it ferment for 10-14 days too. Any suggestions? I don't want to jump the gun and bottle too soon, but I also don't want to leave it in the bucket if nothing is going on.

 

[temptnmonkey]

Let it stay in the bucket for at least the 10-14 days (perhaps even longer--like 21 days). At the absolute minimum, take SG readings and if they don't change over 2-3 days, then fermentation is complete.

 

[BillyBock]

The gold standard around here seems to be at least 3 weeks in the primary fermenter. 2 weeks should be enough to start bottling, but you will have better beer if you wait. Airlock activity is not a reliable way of telling if fermentation is done. A steady hydrometer reading over three or four days would tell you your beer is done and ready to bottle. Bottle before fermentation is done risks bottle bombs.

 

[shawnbou]

There are a lot of threads on this board about this, but the most important things you need to know are:

Most beers should be fermented in primary for 3-4 weeks before bottling. Many people use a secondary fermenter, but it's a matter of personal preference.

You shouldn't bottle any beer until you know it's finished fermenting. But even after fermentation is finished, it's recommended to let the beer sit on the yeast for the remainder of the 3-4 weeks to let the yeast clean up after themselves. This is the advantage of a longer primary time as opposed to a secondary.

Bubbles in the airlock are not an accurate indicator of whether fermentation is done. Only a hydrometer reading can tell you that for sure.

If you don't have a hydrometer yet, you should get one. Anything else is guesswork.

 

[Hoppus_Poppatopolis]

Patience my friend! I routinely ferment four weeks or so. Your beer will not be harmed and will, in fact, be improved. Just because there are no bubbles does not mean there is no activity.


I see that your question was more than adequately answered in the time it took me to type that! Brew on....

 

[ASXL41]

Thanks everyone for your help! This is a test of patience because I'm very anxious to try out my first batch of homebrew.

Thankfully I have a hydrometer and I'm currently using a fermenting bucket as opposed to a carboy. So it should be safe for me to open the lid every few days or so to check the gravity with the hydrometer? Would you recommend that I take a sample out or would I be okay with sanitizing the hydrometer and placing it in the bucket?

I've got so many questions as I go along. It's fun just starting off. I look forward to taking this further and developing more with each batch I make.

 

[ASXL41]

So the longer I let it ferment the better. I will be sure to leave it sit for at least 14 days. I think once I reach 10 days, I'll start to measure it as well with the hydrometer.

I did see a thread about hydrometers that leads me to believe that if I sanitize the hydrometer, I should be safe to set it in the fermenting bucket and then take out once I have a reading.

 

[jcdouglas]

I take a sample using a Turkey baster, but that's mainly because I use a glass carboy.

I found this on John Palmer's How to Brew website:

"Beginning brewers often make the mistake of checking the gravity too frequently. Every time you open the fermenter, you are risking infection from airborne microbes. Check the gravity when you are ready to pitch the yeast, then leave it alone until the bubbling in the airlock stops. Checking the gravity in-between will not change anything except to possibly contaminate it. Also, always remove a sample of the wort to test it. Don't stick the hydrometer into the whole batch. Use a sanitized siphon or Wine Thief (turkey baster) to withdraw a sample of the wort to a Hydrometer Jar (tall, narrow jar) and float the hydrometer in that. There is less chance of infection and you can drink the sample to see how the fermentation is coming along. It should taste like beer even though it may taste a bit yeasty."

 

[Sacreddog717]

Take a sample out to measure the gravity. Then drink your sample, don't put it back. You'll get a little taste of your brew and you'll get a nice visual look at it. Check it again a few days later and if it's reading the same gravity, it is good to bottle.

 

[ACbrewer]

gernally your first beer will be at FG within a 7 days if you are at 70F - longer if colder, less if hotter. Yeast viablity and a high OG also affect this.

Give it at least 2 weeks as stated. Check maybe at 12 days and then at 14 days - if these 2 numbers are the same then the fermentation phase is done. Why not check day 13 you ask? well 1, you will follow the advice and go atleast 14 days right? and you want the number consistant over a 2 to 3 day period, so 12+48hours=14 days. no need for testing on day 13.

And yes, just take a sample and drink it. If you can let it stay til day 28 the flavor will be improved over day 14. Same the longer you let it go in the bottles. Speaking of which 21 days at 70F for carbonation.

And on bottle day+1 =brew day if you don't have any other beer.

 

[ASXL41]

I will be sure to let it go at least 14 days, if not longer. And that makes sense to wait 2 days between readings as well.

But if I let it sit and ferment longer, like another week or two, I should end up with a better end result? I'm loving all the pointers here. I really appreciate it.

 

[ACbrewer]

Quick answer to ASXL in #11 - yes sitting an extra week or 2 will get you a better beer. At some point, it is deminishing returns, but as yet, nobody on the forum has said 'at x weeks in the primary good at x+2 no difference or it got worse'

The reason for this is mostly yeast cleanup note times below varry on a few things, OG of beer, amount of yeast pitched, temp of ferment, etc. but ingeneral for up to OG about 1.050 or 1.060 and at about 70F
In the first 12 to 18 hours after a yeast take up Oxygen, oils and such and start making more yeast- aka growth phase
between about 12 hours and about 3 to 4 days(overlaping some with the gowth phase) the yeast run out of oxygen and produce energy by turning sugar into alcohol and CO2 (ferment phase)
overlaping with the end of the ferment phase is the clean up phase running from about 3 or 4 days until you bottle and drink. During the clean up phase the yeast takes up varrious compounds trying to keep it's life cycle going. This clean up picks up flavors that are undesirable and keeps them in the yeast cells.

Additionally, like a stew that is left to have it's flavors blend, a certian amount of that occurs with the beer over all where the flavors come together.

Thus a recomendation that you go 4 weeks in primary and bottle and it takes 2 to 3 weeks (most will tell you 3) to get a good carbonation. I've had things carb up in as little as 1, but that is more common for 3 weeks at 70 degrees. So while you can open one any time you want, if you come to us before 3 weeks at atleast 70 for your beer, you will get told 3w@70F
And with that said, I'm anxious to try a beer I bottled last weekend, and will sample it tonight know it is probably only slightly carbed.

 

[rjsnau]

A trick that I learned is right after you pitch the yeast, shake the bucket/carboy to mix up the yeast (and get a bit more O2 in there) and then open up the fermenter and use whatever you use to get a sample (make sure it is sanitized as always). Take you OG reading but then don't dump it. Pour it into a empty beer bottle and keep it next to your fermenter. Even though it will get contaminated it will still ferment at pretty much the same rate. Then you can take as many readings as you want without worry of contaminating your beer.

As for when to bottle, I have bottled as soon as right after 3 days of getting the same FG readings. The only thing is that even after it is carbonated it is still too green to drink so you still have to give it another two weeks at least anyways. So now I just leave it in the primary for 2-3 weeks and then bottle/keg, let sit for another 2 weeks.

 

[jd3]

Don't bother opening it until 2.5 weeks. I honestly wait the 3 weeks, take a sample, and test again.

My caffeinated coffee stout was opened at one month, moved to secondary to rack off the coffee, and now at month 3. I don't plan to touch for another 2 weeks.

Give your beer 3 weeks, take a test, then 3 days later test again. THe less you open it, the less you screw up. Every time you open you risk getting some crap in their. It is hard to infect a beer, but why risk it.

Just step back and have a (albeit expensive or crappy commercial) beer and relax.

 

[Grumpybumpy]

May as well keep my question to this thread...

Tomorrow will mark my first batch's 2nd week anniversary

So, I checked my gravity on 8/2 (tuesday night) and got a reading of 1.014. Tonight (8/5 Friday), I'm down one one thousandth of a point to 1.013. It actually tastes a little better tonight. Do gravity readings typically taper off very slowly like this? The first hydrometer reading resulted in a couple days of very infrequent airlock activity (I know this is a bad indicator... but 2 days out?). I'm beginning to think I should give it another week.

OG was 1.047

 

[BillyBock]

May as well keep my question to this thread...

Tomorrow will mark my first batch's 2nd week anniversary

So, I checked my gravity on 8/2 (tuesday night) and got a reading of 1.014. Tonight (8/5 Friday), I'm down one one thousandth of a point to 1.013. It actually tastes a little better tonight. Do gravity readings typically taper off very slowly like this? The first hydrometer reading resulted in a couple days of very infrequent airlock activity (I know this is a bad indicator... but 2 days out?). I'm beginning to think I should give it another week.

OG was 1.047

Assuming you are using a plastic bucket, when you open the lid and take a reading, you are equalizing the pressure inside and outside the bucket, as the inside has a positive pressure due to the build up of CO2. The yeast have to keep producing CO2 to get the pressure back to the point your airlock is bubbling. Atmospheric pressure changes and ambient air temp changes can effect how much your airlock bubbles, that is why it is not a good gauge of fermentation.

Hydro readings will slowly go down towards the end of fermentation. Wait another week then check gravity. If it get to 1.010 or less, I say bottle it, IMO.

 

[ACbrewer]

Grumpy -
yes there during the first few days there is a hugh consumption of the sugars, and then at the end you get a .001 changes from day to day until it stops.

As to your quesiton, what you need is the attenuation value of your yeast. Typically it is in the 75% range. Some yeasts go as high as 85% in beer and some go as low at 60% If you go to the wyeastlabs or whitelabs webpages you can see that they list the 'attenuation 73-77%' or similar depending on the particular yeast.

Ok, so I use 75 becasue normally that is a good value to just use, very common, etc. so 47*25%=11.75 or 12 - thus .012 At 13, you could be done, or you might get 1 more point decrease. Is it worth waiting for that? probably not. Is it worth waiting for the reasons stated above? See my post #12 and other posters comments yes.

It comes down to this. On your first beer you really want to know what you have, and want to rush it. I get that. We've all been there. 2weeks is sufficent for the beer, but waiting will get you a better beer.

 

[kenpotf]

Check your gravity with a hydrometer 3 days straight. If you get the same reading, then fermentation is done. Bubbles in the airlock are only an indication that CO2 is present, but it doesn't tell you what's going on with the beer. I would leave the fermented beer in your primary for at least 2 weeks. You can leave it for three. What happens after fermentation is done? It starts to clear. Once there isn't any more sugar for the yeast to eat, they start to fall to the bottom of your fermenter. If you're using a secondary, you'll rack to it to let it clear even more. If you're not using a secondary, then you'll siphon to a bottling bucket on top of your priming sugar and then bottle (if you're bottling).

 

[koerd85]

ii remember that time i made a lager. i used 50% corn sugar. i put it in the primary for 2 weeks and put it straight into bottles. so as a result it took 3 months to mature. should have racked it and mixed it up more with the yeast and it would have matured alot faster in the secondary. dooouuuu!!!!