When should I move my beer, and where?

[Tubba]

So my first brew is fermenting rather quickly, it's John Palmer's Cinnicinati Pale Ale, with a modification of using light DME (because my supplier didn't have pale DME, no big deal). It's up to 3,0% after less than 24 hours, and Beersmith churned out the final ABV at 4.4%... Meaning it's soon done, I guess within 2 days.

So, as soon as it's done, what should I do?
1. Let it sit for a while (How long?)
2. Move to secondary (For how long?)
3. Prime & bottle.

 

[BierMuncher]

Regardless of the "instruction manual" or what the numbers are telling you, give that beer a full two weeks (minimum) in the primary. Yeast does more than just ferment your beer. A longer rest on that yeast cake will produce a cleaner tasting beer.

If it's me - I go two weeks primary, re-rack to a clearing (secondary) vessel and give it another week. Prime and bottle.

 

[bluemoose]

Are you reading the hydrometer right? Is the 3.3% arrived at by doing the math with the original gravity and final gravity?

Eitherr way I would let it continue in the primary fermentor for 3 weeks, check the FG and bottle.

Check out rooftop brewing( http://www.rooftopbrew.net/abv.php ) for a great ABV calculator.

 

[Tubba]

Are you reading the hydrometer right? Is the 3.3% arrived at by doing the math with the original gravity and final gravity?

Eitherr way I would let it continue in the primary fermentor for 3 weeks, check the FG and bottle.

Check out rooftop brewing( http://www.rooftopbrew.net/abv.php ) for a great ABV calculator.

Yep, the OG (according to the recipe, I forgot to measure the wort) is 1.046, and the reading was about 1.020, giving me an ABV of about... 3.5%, even, I calculated with 1.043, before.

I used 2 packets of yeast for a 5g batch, that probably helped.

Bier: All right, I'll let it sit around for 2 weeks, then rack it, try it and see how it looks, and either bottle or store for a bit more. I think I'll go to bottling from that, though, I want to get some idea of how it turns out.

 

[AleFred]

there seems to be multiple schools of thought of what you do after fermenteation has been completed...personally i dont think its wise to go by the manual either considering your yeast have not read it. they are doing a job, let them do it, patience IS a virtue. I personally do 3.5 wks primary(observing the activity and hydro readings at the very end) then anywhere from 7-10 days 2ndary IF its something i feel i want to do. Meaning its not always necessary.

 

[Thehopguy]

Your taking hydro readings and its actively fermenting? Just leave it alone!

 

[unionrdr]

I wait till I have a stable FG over a couple days in the required range for the brew in question. Then give it 3-5 days to clean up & settle out more. Then bulk prime & bottle for 3-4 weeks minimum.