when to bottle?

[yeastluvr]

OK, I've searched and couldn't find it. I'm on my first batch of beer, Coopers wheat beer. Kit said it should be ready to bottle in 4-7 days "seems very short to me". I wasn't planning on bottling for two weeks as I'm busy until then. I've been told by a new homebrewer that waiting over a week could result in bacteria and other nasties in the fermenter. Whats the consensus on this? Its in a well sanitized bucket with lid and airlock. I know I can hydrometer it to see if its stable. I'm wondering about leaving it in the fermenter longer than recomended? Thanks...

 

[WBC]

You are right. Keep it cool at the lower end of the range that the yeast works at. Let it primary 2 weeks, then bottle or keg.

 

[OrvilleOrdinary]

I've been told by a new homebrewer that waiting over a week could result in bacteria and other nasties in the fermenter.

Not true. Keeping the beer in primary for more than a week is standard. It's after a few months go by that you might need to be concerned -- if the beer sits on top of the yeast cake that's settled at the bottom of the fermenter for too long, the yeast cells start to die, putting off a gamey off-flavor into your beer. (This process is called autolysis.)

The ONLY way to tell when your beer is ready to bottle is by taking hydrometer readings. Take a hydrometer reading after a week or so, or after the activity in the airlock has subsided for a couple of days, and if the reading is close to your expected final gravity, take a second reading in another couple of days just to make sure it's still at the same spot. If the reading has dropped, you know that the beer is still fermenting. If it's stabilized, you know that fermentation is complete. Even at THIS point, it's recommended to let a few more days pass for the yeast to condition and clean up after themselves.

Airlock activity, set number of days, etc. are not reliable ways of determining when a beer is ready to bottle. The hydrometer is the way to go.

 

[Revvy]

Generally speaking kit manufacturers, especially kit an kilo manufacturers, are concerned with selling more and more kits NOT with the brewer making the best beer possible. They know that if they say in the instructions to wait, they may loose some people to hobbies that have more instant gratification.

They also know that the time that a homebrewer will remain buying kits is relatively short...they know that after a few kits, the brewer will either give up, start brewing extract batches from recipes in books and places like this, formulate their own recipes, or go all grain...so they want to sell as many kits as possible to the new brewer before he moves on to bigger and better things.

SO they no that even their beer will taste better if you leave it longer...but they know that in the time you wait you will be reading and learning and be less likely to buy another kit...They can sell three or four kits to you if you follow their directions in the same time frame that listening to us and waiting a month and bottle conditioning for another 3-4 weeks.

Most of us wait 3-4 weeks and skip secondary...but if you choose to secondary you should wait til your Hydrometer tells you fermentation is complete.

Usually on the 7th day you take a hydro reading, and again on the 10th day, if the reading is the same, then you can rack it...

If I do secondary (which is only when I am adding fruit or oak) I wait 14 days then rack for another 2 weeks...then I bottle.

But that's only if I am dry hopping or adding oak or fruit, whicnh I rarely do, so for me it's a month than bottle,

Honestly you will find your beer will be the best if you ignore the kit instructions, and don't rush it.

But Even Palmer says you should wait with kits...

Leaving an ale beer in the primary fermentor for a total of 2-3 weeks (instead of just the one week most canned kits recommend), will provide time for the conditioning reactions and improve the beer. This extra time will also let more sediment settle out before bottling, resulting in a clearer beer and easier pouring. And, three weeks in the primary fermentor is usually not enough time for off-flavors to occur.

Your beer will thank you for waiting....

 

[Nugu]

By no means do I claim to be an expert, but here's what I've learned.

Wheats are meant to be drank young, I'm not talking a week or two then drink though. 4-7 days is DOABLE if you check hydro readings and you can get a good WHEAT beer after an additional 2 weeks in bottle. After a few months though, the beer will go downhill on flavor unlike most other beers where they only seem to get better with a bit of age.

By no means do you need to rush and bottle it though, I'd say 2 weeks is about the right time to bottle a wheat. So you're fine.


Edit: Also as a note, don't freak out when you open it up and the beer is cloudy. Wheats are normally meant to be cloudy.
Edit2: Also, there is a good chance of a bunch of crap floating on top along with possibly a foamy head. This is common in wheats, don't freak out.

 

[yeastluvr]

Great tips....I understand the whole hydrometer thing as I've brewed a couple batches of wine and cider. You've answered my question about whats too long and not long enough. I didn't think two weeks was going to make it grow weird stuff in it, but after I was told this, I started picturing a mushroom garden in my bucket. Sounds like I can leave it two weeks with no problems even though the directions say several days.

OK I can relax now. Thanks for the good info!