remillard_michael
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- Feb 1, 2020
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Hello, Folks.
I have started my second batch of beer last week. For both batches I bought a beer recipe kit (which is actually quite nice and simple) which came with some dry yeast that they tell you to simply "pitch". For my fist batch I did just that. After just a few hours CO2 was leaving the airlock and the next day it was basically every second and then some. But after 3-4 days it had really slowed down to about one escaping bubble per minute. Since they tell you to ferment for 3 weeks and then bottle I would have expected the airlock activity to be a little stronger a little longer.
So, for my second batch I didn't just pitch the yeast. Instead I prepped them suckers in warm water with nutrients and so on and then I added it to the wort. The next day it was practically two bubbles of CO2 escaping from the airlock every second. It was beautiful. But again, after 3-4, it had really slowed down (to like 1 every 30 seconds or so). And now (after a week) it is one every minute.
So, first question, is this normal behavior?
Note: I am using a 5 gallon fermenter with a 3 gallon batch. Just thought I'd mention this in case, for some reason, that extra headspace has something to do with this.
Second, if this is normal, why do we leave the wort in the fermenter for 3 weeks? If fermentation is that slow after just a week, couldn't we simple say "Chuck it!" and bottle already? Since there is still a little fermentation going on we might not even have to add priming suger.
Third, those extra two weeks... could they be more for "clearing up" the beer?
Thanks.
Michael
I have started my second batch of beer last week. For both batches I bought a beer recipe kit (which is actually quite nice and simple) which came with some dry yeast that they tell you to simply "pitch". For my fist batch I did just that. After just a few hours CO2 was leaving the airlock and the next day it was basically every second and then some. But after 3-4 days it had really slowed down to about one escaping bubble per minute. Since they tell you to ferment for 3 weeks and then bottle I would have expected the airlock activity to be a little stronger a little longer.
So, for my second batch I didn't just pitch the yeast. Instead I prepped them suckers in warm water with nutrients and so on and then I added it to the wort. The next day it was practically two bubbles of CO2 escaping from the airlock every second. It was beautiful. But again, after 3-4, it had really slowed down (to like 1 every 30 seconds or so). And now (after a week) it is one every minute.
So, first question, is this normal behavior?
Note: I am using a 5 gallon fermenter with a 3 gallon batch. Just thought I'd mention this in case, for some reason, that extra headspace has something to do with this.
Second, if this is normal, why do we leave the wort in the fermenter for 3 weeks? If fermentation is that slow after just a week, couldn't we simple say "Chuck it!" and bottle already? Since there is still a little fermentation going on we might not even have to add priming suger.
Third, those extra two weeks... could they be more for "clearing up" the beer?
Thanks.
Michael