when to bottle

[alexg]

I am a begginner home brewer and we have just decided that our beer has finished its primary fermentation as the hydrometer reading has not changed for 3 days. Should we bottle now and add the priming sugar to allow carbonation or should we transfer the beer to another container to let it clear before we add the priming sugar and bottle?

Thanks

 

[mightynintendo]

I always racked to a secondary before bottling.

 

[alexg]

does that just involve siphoning it into a secondary and then leaving it without adding anything? How long would you suggest leaving it for?

 

[feedbag]

How long has it been in the fermentor? The minimum is really around two weeks for a quality beer, with three - four being preferred. You can split this up between a primary and secondary if you prefer. The beer really needs a conditioning phase, even after fermentation is technically complete.

Quoted from How To Brew by John Palmer: "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."

Edit: "I wouldn't worry with a secondary for your first few beers, a lot of people have ditched them and had fine results. The beer can be in primary for a month or more without any issues. I just did a one month primary on my IPA and it is stellar!"

 

[mightynintendo]

To answer your first question, yes. Just be sure to sanitize everything really well. How long to leave it in the secondary is hard to answer without knowing a bit more. How long has it been in the primary is a key question and what kind of beer did you brew?

 

[alexg]

it has been in the fermenter for just over a week and it is a pilsner lager. The instuctions said that a week was the time needed for it to ferment and that it should then be transferred for carbonation.

 

[mightynintendo]

+1 to feedbag. Just because the fermentation has apparently stopped doesn't mean it's ready to transfer. However, if you're really eager to drink it and you don't care too much about the final quality, why not? I would give it at least a week to condition either in the primary or secondary before bottling though.

 

[alexg]

also what is the best priming sugar to use?

 

[feedbag]

it has been in the fermenter for just over a week and it is a pilsner lager. The instuctions said that a week was the time needed for it to ferment and that it should then be transferred for carbonation.

Lager? "The lower fermentation temperature decreases the rate at which the yeast work and lengthens both the primary and secondary fermentation times. The primary phase for ales is often 2 - 5 days, but 1 - 3 weeks is normal for a lager."

Prime with corn sugar.

And read this How to Brew Book, make it your brew bible and you will have great results

 

[mightynintendo]

I didn't realize this was a lager. Don't know why I assumed ale, I guess it seems that most first-timers brew ales. I'm surprised the instructions indicated only 1-week for primary fermentation. Generally lagers sit for weeks on end in a cold primary and then sit even longer in the secondary at even colder temperatures. My advise is to forget about this for two more weeks, then transfer it to a secondary around 35 degF and let it sit for another 4 weeks. THEN I would add priming sugar and, maybe, some fresh yeast for bottling. After 7 to 8 weeks the yeast might not be active enough to carbonate without some help.