This past weekend we made out first batch. Its looking like theres a lot of activity going on and we will be bottling this weekend. Looking forward to getting another batch going after this one is bottled! Any tips you can lend to a couple of beginers would be greatly appreciated!
First timer...
- Thread starter brewbeav
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You brewed last week and you're bottling already? Might want to pause on that. Need to make absolutely sure fermentation is complete, verified by a hydrometer, or else you could be in for bottle-bombs.
First and most important tip: do not rush it! I would highly suggest letting this sit for at least 2 weeks before you even open the fermenter and think about bottling.
Even though your instructions probably tell you it will take 5-7 days to ferment, your yeast work at their own speed. Bottling early is bad for many reasons. First is that if it is not finished, it will continue to produce co2 in the capped bottle. With no exit port, the pressure will build in the bottle and it can explode. Second, new beer is bad beer. Beer takes time to condition and allow flavors the blend and mellow. As you're seeing, fermentation is messy. Yeast make some funky compounds and need time to break them down and for the beer to become good.
Only way to know when you can bottle is once fermentation is complete. Only way to know when that is is to measure the gravity with a hydrometer. Once it's the same a few days apart, you can bottle away. This may take 5 days, it may take 5 weeks.
Hardest thing to do on your first few beers is be patient enough with them. I promise it will be worth it! In the meantime, research new styles and buy some craft beer! Welcome to the obsession! Er...hobby
Even though your instructions probably tell you it will take 5-7 days to ferment, your yeast work at their own speed. Bottling early is bad for many reasons. First is that if it is not finished, it will continue to produce co2 in the capped bottle. With no exit port, the pressure will build in the bottle and it can explode. Second, new beer is bad beer. Beer takes time to condition and allow flavors the blend and mellow. As you're seeing, fermentation is messy. Yeast make some funky compounds and need time to break them down and for the beer to become good.
Only way to know when you can bottle is once fermentation is complete. Only way to know when that is is to measure the gravity with a hydrometer. Once it's the same a few days apart, you can bottle away. This may take 5 days, it may take 5 weeks.
Hardest thing to do on your first few beers is be patient enough with them. I promise it will be worth it! In the meantime, research new styles and buy some craft beer! Welcome to the obsession! Er...hobby
Okay so first piece of advice is do not bottle at 8 days!
Start brewing another batch instead and let the first one ride for at least 10-14 days and then check gravity to be sure it is at final gravity, then give it a week to clear, then bottle.
All this leads to my second bit of advice-be patient! Rushing a beer results in a crappy beer or bottle bombs due to incomplete fermentation.
And my final bit of advice is again-BE PATIENT!
Start brewing another batch instead and let the first one ride for at least 10-14 days and then check gravity to be sure it is at final gravity, then give it a week to clear, then bottle.
All this leads to my second bit of advice-be patient! Rushing a beer results in a crappy beer or bottle bombs due to incomplete fermentation.
And my final bit of advice is again-BE PATIENT!
This^
Take at least two readings, 2 days or more apart, and make sure they're the same, at the same temp, too. If the second is lower, you're still fermenting. Wait 2-3 more days then take another reading.
