Questions about my first brew

[goostman]

Hey guys.

First time brewer, first time poster. I recently started an IPA and I had a few questions since this is my first experience with home brewing.

So it's been in the primary for about two weeks as of today. I was planning on bottling today but there's still a lot of bubbles on the surface (I also dry-hopped after the first week in the primary). I've heard normal fermentation time for IPAs are between 14-17 days. I want to bottle as soon as possible because I'm worried about autolysis.

Anyway, a few questions:

1. After adding the dry hops, they were sitting on the surface for a few days so I gave the carboy a swirl to loosen up the particles. In the future, should I avoid moving the primary during fermentation? Will that negatively affect my beer?

2. Since it's been 14 days and fermentation is still active, how much longer should I wait to avoid autolysis. Also, are there any physical signs that fermentation is done? (I don't have anything to measure OG/FG)

3. What's the best sugar to use in an IPA for bottle conditioning? I've heard diluted honey works but I've also heard that tends to crystallize during bottling. Any other alternatives? Candied sugar?

4. In the past week, a strange lacing has appear on the sides of the carboy. It looks like unsettled yeast but I included a picture just to make sure. WTF is this stuff?

Thanks for you help. Appreciate it.

 

[sputnam]

First time brewer, first time poster. I recently started an IPA and I had a few questions since this is my first experience with home brewing.

So it's been in the primary for about two weeks as of today. I was planning on bottling today but there's still a lot of bubbles on the surface (I also dry-hopped after the first week in the primary). I've heard normal fermentation time for IPAs are between 14-17 days. I want to bottle as soon as possible because I'm worried about autolysis.

Anyway, a few questions:

1. After adding the dry hops, they were sitting on the surface for a few days so I gave the carboy a swirl to loosen up the particles. In the future, should I avoid moving the primary during fermentation? Will that negatively affect my beer?

I would put the hops in a sanitized muslin bag/pantyhose with something to weigh it down (large marbles/stainless steel balls/nuts - sanitized as well)

2. Since it's been 14 days and fermentation is still active, how much longer should I wait to avoid autolysis. Also, are there any physical signs that fermentation is done? (I don't have anything to measure OG/FG)

i'm probably in the minority on this but i do 3 weeks minimum in primary - i only take a reading after it's in the keg. I haven't had any problems yet but I not saying I never will.

3. What's the best sugar to use in an IPA for bottle conditioning? I've heard diluted honey works but I've also heard that tends to crystallize during bottling. Any other alternatives? Candied sugar?

plain table sugar (batch prime)

4. In the past week, a strange lacing has appear on the sides of the carboy. It looks like unsettled yeast but I included a picture just to make sure. WTF is this stuff?

i'm 90% sure that's just yeast settling..i get it too

Thanks for you help. Appreciate it.[/QUOTE]

 

[bdkelly]

Welcome to the forum! Have no fear, you're doing fine. To answer your questions:

1. Don't worry about it. It's not really going to hurt to swirl the carboy and mix up those hops. In the future, you may want to drop them in a muslin bag with some sanitized marbles to drop them down so they don't sit at the top.

2. Don't worry about it. You'll find there are about 10,000 threads on here arguing about autolysis, but I don't think anyone would argue that it's an issue within two weeks. Unless you have it sitting in primary for months, autolysis isn't really an issue on the homebrew scale. Even after the krausen settles and you don't have bubbles on the top, the yeast can still be working. The best way to tell if it's done is to take hydrometer readings. It'll be finished when you get the same reading three days in a row. Since you don't have anything to measure, just wait it out. I typically don't even worry about it and leave beer in primary for 3 weeks or so, then take a reading when I transfer to the keg.

3. Most people who bottle condition will use corn sugar/dextrose. It's an easy sugar to get a hold of, and does a very good job carbonating. Some people also use DME. If you want no muss/no fuss, get yourself a packet of carbonation drops. They look like little cough drops or hard candy, and you drop a couple into each bottle before filling.

4. Don't worry about it. When you go to transfer, that lacing will stay behind.

Welcome to the hobby. Remember to RDWHAHB. Your patience will be rewarded.