When should I bottle my homebrew?

[charlieclegg]

I started my first batch a Fat Tire clone on Feb 17 2015. The OG was 1.050. Airlock was going crazy. I recheck on Feb 27th and 1.020. The beer smelled good, looked good and tasted good (hydrometer sample). Nothing floating on top either. When is it a good time to start bottling? I dont want to rush anything but Im getting thirsty.

Thanks Charlie

 

[jethro55]

If 1.020 is where it supposed to finish, then you are OK to bottle.

You might want to move it to the location where you plan to bottle and give it another week to clear some more.

 

[madscientist451]

Guessing here, I think your final gravity should be around 1.011, so your beer isn't done fermenting yet.
What temperature did you ferment at and what yeast?

 

[GrogNerd]

package any time after fermentation is complete and it's not complete until successive gravity readings remain unchanged one or two days apart.

there are a few things the yeast do after fermentation, but 2 weeks is plenty of time for it to be complete

if it's an extract batch, you could be the victim of the 1.020 Curse!

 

[RM-MN]

package any time after fermentation is complete and it's not complete until successive gravity readings remain unchanged one or two days apart.

there are a few things the yeast do after fermentation, but 2 weeks is plenty of time for it to be complete

if it's an extract batch, you could be the victim of the 1.020 Curse!

Yes, use your hydrometer to tell if it really is ready to bottle. No other indicators are accurate. Also consider how big a rush you are in to bottle. If you have no beer and want some quick, as soon as the hydrometer reading is stable you can bottle but the beer will have a lot of yeast suspended and you'll get a big yeast cake at the bottom of your bottles. If you are more patient your beer can sit in the fermenter for a month or 2 with no ill effects and the longer it sits, the smaller the yeast cake in the bottles will be.

 

[unionrdr]

With a 1.050 OG, the beer should get down to 1.010 or so to be finished. Sounds like it needs more time to finish up.

 

[wapitiscat]

When is it a good time to start bottling?

When all your kegs are full?

I'll show myself out ..

 

[charlieclegg]

Thanks for all replies. I will let it sit a few more and recheck the FG again and see if it remained at 1.020. Another quick question, does it have to stay in bottle for any period of time before being put in fridge?

 

[unionrdr]

Yes, they do. They should sit after being bottled for 3-4 weeks at 70F or thereabouts. They need time to allow the priming solution to carbonate & condition the beer. Then 5-7 days fridge time to allow any chill haze to form & settle out like a fog. The carbonation between that pressurized in the head space will go into solution until an equilibrium is reached.