is it too soon to bottle?

[Ariza-Poet]

I made an extract stout
OG 1.089
FG 1.022

I brewed this two weeks ago on December 4th.
Due to some scheduling conflicts I have to either bottle tomorrow
or until early january like the 7th or 8th

Should I bottle tomorrow (14 days after brewing)
or wait and have it in primary for close to 5 weeks?

used 2 packs dry us-04 yeast

 

[A2HB]

I think either one would be acceptable. 5 weeks is not really going to do anything negative if you leave your beer in there that long. Then again, if you bottle it now it's just going to condition so not really doing any harm doing that way either. I guess the answer is if you feel like the trouble of bottling now then getterdun, but if you don't just wait till you get back, it'll be fine.

 

[bransona]

Have you taken stable gravity readings

At two weeks, it's probably ready, but the hydrometer knows best

 

[Ariza-Poet]

@A2HB good to know thank you.

 

[Kee]

With a FG that high, even if the recipe called for it, I would be nervous about bottling unless you had very good confirmation that fermentation was done.

5 weeks is not too long for me, even though I usually secondary for high gravity long duration fermentation or conditioning.

 

[Ariza-Poet]

Have you taken stable gravity readings

At two weeks, it's probably ready, but the hydrometer knows best

I haven't taken another one. But tomorrow I'll take one and if it looks good, I'll just bottle it up.
I'd rather bottle now and have it ready to drink soon

 

[Ariza-Poet]

With a FG that high, even if the recipe called for it, I would be nervous about bottling unless you had very good confirmation that fermentation was done.

5 weeks is not too long for me, even though I usually secondary for high gravity long duration fermentation or conditioning.

doesn't "LOOK" like its been fermenting for several days. But whats the danger of bottling too soon?

 

[LinksHero]

Depends on the yeast you used. Right now you're around 75% attenuation, which is good for most yeasts. I say you aim for 2.0 volumes of CO2 when calculating your priming sugar just to be safe.

 

[GHBWNY]

Of the two options, I'd wait. But whether you bottle now or at 5 weeks (which is not excessively long in primary for an 8.7% beer to finish), it's all about your FG and whether it shows consistent numbers a couple days beyond your 2 week reading. If the number drops, let it ride a couple more days and check again until they're the same. If it's not done fermenting, you'll be mopping a lot of it up along with broken glass.

 

[solbes]

I'd go option #3 which is to rack to a carboy. Then you can let it sit as long as it needs to.

Of your original 2 options, I'd opt for a 5 week primary, then bottle. Its going to taste better with a bit of age to it anyway.

 

[Hanglow]

Without knowing what yeast you used, I'd probably give it a rouse and then leave it.

 

[Ariza-Poet]

With a FG that high, even if the recipe called for it, I would be nervous about bottling unless you had very good confirmation that fermentation was done.

5 weeks is not too long for me, even though I usually secondary for high gravity long duration fermentation or conditioning.

I'd go option #3 which is to rack to a carboy. Then you can let it sit as long as it needs to.

Of your original 2 options, I'd opt for a 5 week primary, then bottle. Its going to taste better with a bit of age to it anyway.

at two weeks its not too late to rack to a carboy?

From everything I've read here and other places it didn't seem necessary to secondary so never did.
Almost 3 weeks in secondary would be ok?

 

[Ariza-Poet]

Without knowing what yeast you used, I'd probably give it a rouse and then leave it.

used 2 packs dry US-04

edited my original post to reflect that. Thanks

 

[lumpher]

3 weeks in secondary is ok, but 5 weeks in primary is better, since you don't have to move it and have another possible source of contamination. i wouldn't bottle a 1.089 at 2 weeks. i say just leave it alone until you can get to it in january

 

[Hanglow]

S04 is quite quick and you used enough, so it's probably good to bottle. I'd still leave it though, more yeast etc will drop out and you'll end up with a more stable beer when you come to bottle it

 

[kev211]

doesn't "LOOK" like its been fermenting for several days. But whats the danger of bottling too soon?

Bottle bombs or gushers. If your beer hasnt fermented out all the way then it will continue fermenting when its in the bottles creating CO2 on top of the CO2 it will produce with the s priming sugar added and could cause the bottles to gush when opened or worse they can explode. So you definitely want to make sure it has fermented out completely.

On another note... Bear down OP!

 

[Kee]

at two weeks its not too late to rack to a carboy?

From everything I've read here and other places it didn't seem necessary to secondary so never did.
Almost 3 weeks in secondary would be ok?

2 weeks is not too late to transfer to secondary for 3 weeks, but you will get mixed opinions on whether or not it is necessary to secondary. My opinion is that is will be just fine to leave it on the yeast for 5 weeks. I was just pointing out that I personally often do secondaries, but I would never argue they are needed (except maybe for months long conditioning).

 

[Kee]

doesn't "LOOK" like its been fermenting for several days. But whats the danger of bottling too soon?

If fermentation continues in the bottles (in addition to the priming sugar) you could get over carbonated bottles, even bottle bombs. Each point drop in FG equals about 1/2 vol if memory serves. So if you plan to carbonate to 3.2 volumes and the FG drops 2 points, it's at 4.2.

 

[kev211]

2 weeks is not too late to transfer to secondary for 3 weeks, but you will get mixed opinions on whether or not it is necessary to secondary. My opinion is that is will be just fine to leave it on the yeast for 5 weeks. I was just pointing out that I personally often do secondaries, but I would never argue they are needed (except maybe for months long conditioning).

I second that. I leave my stouts in primary (unless aging over fruit or otherwise) for 4-5 weeks every time. Just tapped a keg of my Xmas milk stout last night and it was in primary for 5 weeks and tastes great!

 

[Yooper]

I'd bottle. If it's done, it's done. It's not going to get "doner" sitting around.

S04 is generally a very fast fermenter, and if it's finished fermenting and clear (S04 drops like a rock), there is no advantage to waiting, unless you like the yeast character imparted by longer contact time with the trub. Lots of people do, and leave the beer longer in the fermenter. I never do- if it's done, and clear, there is no advantage to leaving it in the fermenter since I dislike the extra yeast character.

If it's not done, don't bottle. If it is, bottle it. I believe strongly that it is done.
\

 

[kev211]

I'd bottle. If it's done, it's done. It's not going to get "doner" sitting around.

S04 is generally a very fast fermenter, and if it's finished fermenting and clear (S04 drops like a rock), there is no advantage to waiting, unless you like the yeast character imparted by longer contact time with the trub. Lots of people do, and leave the beer longer in the fermenter. I never do- if it's done, and clear, there is no advantage to leaving it in the fermenter since I dislike the extra yeast character.

If it's not done, don't bottle. If it is, bottle it. I believe strongly that it is done.
\

Dangit Yooper! As I was typing I was thinking... Man I hope Yooper doesnt come to this thread cuz I know her thoughts on leaving it in primary for a while and shes gonna totally mess up what I just wrote haha.

 

[Kee]

Dangit Yooper! As I was typing I was thinking... Man I hope Yooper doesnt come to this thread cuz I know her thoughts on leaving it in primary for a while and shes gonna totally mess up what I just wrote haha.

Haha. I don't have much experience with SA-04 or beers that finish that high (almost all of my high gravity beers finish no higher than 1.013, some much lower) so my motto is better safe than sorry, especially when advising someone else.

But Yooper is almost certainly right.

 

[Ariza-Poet]

I'd bottle. If it's done, it's done. It's not going to get "doner" sitting around.

S04 is generally a very fast fermenter, and if it's finished fermenting and clear (S04 drops like a rock), there is no advantage to waiting, unless you like the yeast character imparted by longer contact time with the trub. Lots of people do, and leave the beer longer in the fermenter. I never do- if it's done, and clear, there is no advantage to leaving it in the fermenter since I dislike the extra yeast character.

If it's not done, don't bottle. If it is, bottle it. I believe strongly that it is done.
\

This 'doneness' you speak of.
Is that determined if the gravity reading is still where it was when I last checked it. Or should I check it now and again tomorrow?

 

[kev211]

Haha. I don't have much experience with SA-04 or beers that finish that high (almost all of my high gravity beers finish no higher than 1.013, some much lower) so my motto is better safe than sorry, especially when advising someone else.

But Yooper is almost certainly right.

Oh Im not debating that! Yooper is always right! Just bummed she came in to bust up my theory haha

 

[Yooper]

This 'doneness' you speak of.
Is that determined if the gravity reading is still where it was when I last checked it. Or should I check it now and again tomorrow?

If it hasn't changed over at least three days, AND it's clear (S04 really clears out when it's done), it's done.

Oh Im not debating that! Yooper is always right! Just bummed she came in to bust up my theory haha

Oh, I'm not always right- not at all! I'm only right about MY method and MY routine. And even then.......................

There was an interesting triangle study done a few years ago by the folks at Basic Brewing Radio on short (traditional) primaries, long primaries, and no secondary with a medium primary. I think- it was something like that.

Same recipe, and the beers were blind tested.

Interestingly, each one of the methods was a bit different and each one had its proponents, AND the preferences were about equally divided. Some liked the beer out of the lengthy primary more than the same beer out of a shorter time in the fermenter. So I think everybody should try it themselves, and see which they prefer. Maybe divide a batch, and with half do a long primary and with half do a short primary and secondary- or whatever.

That's why I have a problem with "Leave your beer in the fermenter for a month!" or "Never do a secondary!" other blanket statements. Try it yourself, and see which YOU prefer. Then you'll know!

 

[A2HB]

Also OP said this is an extract batch, and from what I've read, those often times finish up at 1.020 even though the recipe says it should be lower. I have never used extract so not sure if that's true or not, but I see it on here a lot

 

[Ariza-Poet]

The gravity remained stable over that last few days so I went ahead with bottling. Hopefully all is well. It tastes great!
Can't wait for it to carb