Speckled heifer, first time brewing.

[maynard6kk]

So this is my first time brewing and I was attracted to a recipe called speckled heifer, which is supposed to be similar toSpotted Cow from Wisconsin. I've had the batch in the car boy for one week and I thought that the man in the brewing store that I go to said to leave it in there for two weeks then move it to the bottles for another two weeks or so.

I'm not so sure how accurate that information is, so I am seeking more opinions today! As of yesterday I noticed the "head" on top dwindling quite a bit. There's a lot less activity going on also. Should I ever be moving or mixing up the contents of the car boy while it sits? I'm including a picture of what my beer looks like now.

 

[flars]

Speckled Heifer is one of my favorites. Your ferment is looking good. I will typically begin checking for FG during week three in the carboy. During the third week the krausen has usually dropped and the trub/yeast layer is compacted. The carboy can be moved if necessary, but never mix the contents. This risks oxidation of the beer.
I give the bottles two to four weeks of conditioning time, away from light sources, at around 70° - 75°. Four days of refrigeration to carbonate.

 

[gray7103]

It's doing what it's supposed to be doing. Do not disturb. The "head" is krausen falling back into the beer. Visible yeast activity is winding down, but there is still more work for the yeast to do. Two weeks in primary is a good rule of thumb prior to bottling, just try to take a hydrometer reading before you bottle to make sure the yeast have finished.

 

[pharaohpierre]

I agree with the other posters. I let my beer (ale) ferment in the primary for ~3 weeks then check the F.G. and transfer to my bottling bucket. I do this because it can truly take 3 weeks for the yeast to attenuate correctly and clean up after itself to remove off-flavors. Basically, the consensus on this website is that 3 weeks is a good rule to go by, it has always worked for me.

Plus, I don't ever shake my primary, let the yeast bed form on the bottom. Even if your beer seems clear there are still millions of yeast floating around, which is more than enough to carbonate those bottles. The yeast are still alive and active after the 3 week mark. 3 months, that's another topic. Hope this helps

 

[maynard6kk]

Thanks everyone for your input! It's all been very helpful, can't wait to try this beer in a few weeks!