Bottling an unfinished fermentation

[wiry43]

Hi folks. Currently I have a jasmine IPA in the carboy, dry-hopping and it is time to move it off the hops before it gets too grassy-tasting. Ideally, I would move it straight into bottles as most of the secondary fermentation is complete. However I'm getting a bubble out of my carboy every 28-35 seconds. How should I factor this if I bottle directly? How much sugar would you prime with, seeing as it will auto-carbonate some of it? Should I prime at all?

The batch has been fermenting for almost two weeks now, with a Wyeast 1056. Unfortunately no hydrometer. If I must, I can put it into a tertiary carboy, but my setup would have some oxygen exposure that way, so if possible I would really prefer to go straight to bottle.

Advice from experience? Normally I would wait it out but the hops have got to go.
IPA with Cascade hops and calendula: http://postimg.org/image/69udq2yl5/

edit: Crisis averted, I think, I think I'm opting to wait it out and let the hops do their thing.
x-post from the beginner forum

 

[jahdub]

Airlock activity or lack thereof does not always indicate if fermentation is there. Even with hydrometer readings, it is impossible to say if fermentation has completed or not. The only somewhat accurate measurement is consistent gravity readings over a period of time.

That said, after 2 weeks (at an assumed reasonable temperature, ie. not too low for your yeast strain) and not imperial-level gravity, your beer is probably done.

I'd just bottle as usual.

 

[ChefRex]

What is the FG? Only way to know. Why do the hops got to go? I keg and dryhop in the keg, they stay till it kicks, admittedly that's not a long time
No need to rush

 

[joshesmusica]

wait, so how long has this been hanging out with the dry hops if it's only been fermenting for two weeks?

and wait again, you have all of this secondary and tertiary equipment, yet no hydrometer? what gives?

you seem to have a lot of important information down. like the oxygenation thing, and the whole not trying to move it around after only 4 days of fermentation (wait x3, when did you move this to the secondary?), yet you didn't realize that airlock activity should never be a sign that fermentation is finished. that it's active, yeah. that it's slowing, obviously. that it's finished, again, i say never.

also, just for the future, if you're not keeping the yeast for another brew, or there's no need to clear the primary, you don't need to use a secondary on a beer like this. especially not a tertiary.

 

[Kee]

Wait, don't bottle yet is the best advice. If you decide to bottle anyway factor in 1/2 vol CO2 for each gravity point lowered in bottles. Use a priming calculator such as: http://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/

 

[wiry43]

Thanks for the thoughtful replies, yall.

I moved it to secondary after 1 week, which is when I dry hopped it. They are actually homegrown, wet cascade hops, so I think that's why the flavor has absorbed like it has, plus it has been as warm as 70 at times (on the warmer end for the yeast). I primed with around .5 fluid oz of honey when I transferred as well, (but that shouldn't have *too* much of a gravity/carbonation effect??)

I'm sure the flavor could benefit if left on the yeast bed for another week or so... a tradeoff between grassiness and a more thorough conditioning. I might let it sit for a total of 2 weeks, just a few more days, after considering the points here. Then half of the intended 2-week secondary phase would occur in the bottle, and I would limit some grassiness. I'm also considering lagering it, but that's probably not relevant.

You're right about not needing a secondary for an IPA, but for some reason I got a 6gal plastic carboy for primary, to retain krausen essentially (blowoff hose on 5gal worked fine for me before...) I should've probably just added the wet hops into the 6gal, with a later addition, for a single-vessel experience. I actually meant 'tertiary' to describe the sequence of transfers, I only have 2 carboys. Looks like I'm getting a hydrometer, as I accumulate tools over time...

 

[joshesmusica]

Thanks for the thoughtful replies, yall.

I moved it to secondary after 1 week, which is when I dry hopped it. They are actually homegrown, wet cascade hops, so I think that's why the flavor has absorbed like it has, plus it has been as warm as 70 at times (on the warmer end for the yeast). I primed with around .5 fluid oz of honey when I transferred as well, (but that shouldn't have *too* much of a gravity/carbonation effect??)

I'm sure the flavor could benefit if left on the yeast bed for another week or so... a tradeoff between grassiness and a more thorough conditioning. I might let it sit for a total of 2 weeks, just a few more days, after considering the points here. Then half of the intended 2-week secondary phase would occur in the bottle, and I would limit some grassiness. I'm also considering lagering it, but that's probably not relevant.

You're right about not needing a secondary for an IPA, but for some reason I got a 6gal plastic carboy for primary, to retain krausen essentially (blowoff hose on 5gal worked fine for me before...) I should've probably just added the wet hops into the 6gal, with a later addition, for a single-vessel experience. I actually meant 'tertiary' to describe the sequence of transfers, I only have 2 carboys. Looks like I'm getting a hydrometer, as I accumulate tools over time...

how many brews have you done now?

i'm not trying to sound rude or anything, it just seems like you've done a lot more reading than you have experience. and then it's not seeming to be complete reading. meaning there's some major components to brewing that seem to have not stuck, or else you're getting ahold of some old information.

check gravity today. don't tomorrow, then check again on tuesday. if it's the same as today, you're good to go to bottle. i cold crash and gelatin most of my beers. there's no need to lager this style, and in fact isn't really suggested. you want to drink hoppy beers fresh. if you can cold crash, it's getting it to around freezing temps for 2-3 days. This should help clear it faster than letting it just sit to clear. Then you don't have to worry about any off-flavors from the dry hops.

in the future, i would do primary only (again as long as you don't need the primary for something else, and/or you're not trying to save the yeast) until you reach FG. If it's a beer that could use some conditioning, I would wait at least 3 weeks before dry hopping. I could imagine a jasmine beer needing some conditioning. Most people these days suggest only transferring to a secondary when:
- you want to harvest the yeast
- you need the primary vessel for a new batch
- you want to long-term age (read longer than 1-2 months after brew day) the beer

otherwise the risks really outweigh the rewards. and if you only have two carboys, never do the "tertiary" back into the "primary." too much headspace and you'll be just begging for oxidation at best, an infection at worst.

 

[wiry43]

This is only my second brew, so you're spot on about lots of incomplete reading vs. experience.

Just tasted the beer today and grassiness has not increased, still getting yet more aroma from the Cascades, and everything is delicious. Should be perfect if I wait it out some more. Comparing the taste to my last brew, it is very close to finished and just needs a couple more days.

Fully conditioning before dry hopping sounds like an excellent plan, to keep the fresh hop additions as fresh as can be, and the yeast-hop interaction.

I'll be using my primary quite soon for the rest of my hops on the vine, once I decide on a recipe (thinking wheat beer for citrusy hops)

Crisis pretty much averted, I think, since I've decided not to make the hasty decision today.

Deeply appreciative of the knowledge I've gained here, thanks for the response Josh, it lent a lot of *clarity the various *conditions I might find myself in

 

[ChefRex]

You can dry the hops, I still haven't done a wet hopped beer to avoid the grassyness, a fan and a screen or even a colander if you have a small amount will work.