Is it done?

General Homebrew Discussion
1

First batch, partial extract APA… per recipe og 1054 fg 1014 - 5g batch fermenting in 6g bucket.

OK, it’s day 8 and although there is still some activity, I can get a bubble or so/half hour, the sniff test on the air lock indicated that it was very much getting there, so I HAD to go in.

Properly sanitized the beer thief and quickly popped the lid to get my sample… My og was 1053…gravity now… 1010 !!!

Conditions iside were interesting for the noob. The big green ring around the collar (see the noob does a stoopid thread) and a layer of white foam on the surface, appeared to be about 1/4" thick.

Now for the important part. Flavor OUTSTANDING. Even though not carbonated it had a slight fizzyness and was very, very much like my favorite household beer, (SNPA). Body was good, bitterness good, so for me, the proud father of his first batch it scores very high on the drinkability scale. OK, ANYTHING drinkable would have made me happy, but this exceeds my expectations by a mile. Can you tell I’m excited?

Now to the questions… where do we go from here? I will be kegging this and speed carbonating, 2 days at 30 psi. I know, I need more patience and I will be more patient next batches, but I need SOMETHING coming out of that tap so I can stop buying cases of beer… you know.

1 Although there is still some activity, gravity says it’s done. Is it?
2 Popping the lid let air in… is that bad?
3 I’ll be autosiphoning this off (no tap on the bucket). Would the foam layer on top disappear if I waited longer?  On the other thread someone suggested swirling, then tilting the bucket, letting it settle and then putting the siphon in the shallow end. I like that.

Your (much appreciated) thoughts?

2

Relax and give it time (easier said than done).

Take SG readings for 3 days and if it’s the same, then it has completed fermentation.  However, allowing time for settling of yeast will clear the beer and an extra week to 10 days will help clear up any remaining fermentation by-products.  Patience, my friend.

3

[quote]Patience, my friend.
[/quote]

I’m trying… REALLY HARD!

4

Patience is the greatest (and hardest to apply) virtue a brewer can have.

Give it another week and then set the co2 to the proper pressure and let it do its thing for another week. You’ll be glad you did.

I’ve been in your shoes though. If the excitement and anticipation is too much to bear, rack it into the keg and throw the pressure to it. ;D

5

The one question I had… Opening the lid introduces air… is that a problem? Or will it be replaced with CO2 in short order?

6

Won’t hurt anything. There is plenty of co2 in solution that is bubbling out. Just don’t stir it around wit the lid off.

7

Nope didn’t touch it other than a quick dip with the sanitized beer thief. OK, I feel better now. I will start my meditation and let the beer be… oooooohhhhhhmmmmmm.

In fact, I just thought of a great dristraction… BREW MORE BEER! Just got “Beer Captured” in the mail. Abbey of Leffe Blonde…YES!

8

OK, all visible signs of fermentation have stopped. It’s barely pushing the “hat” in the air lock. I’ll give it a few days and then keg it.

9

Wait until it drops bright.

10

I like Gordon"s suggestion. I won’t mention the “P” word again.  :wink:

When it is bright it is ready for racking. All of the undesirables will hopefully be gone and the beer will be ready for carbonating.

Good Luck!  8)

11

Will do. This first batch LHBS talked me into a bucket. Next batch will be in a carboy so I can see what’s going on. I don’t like the idea of pulling the lid on it…

12

Just to play devil’s advocate, how would a carboy change that? You still have to open it to take readings and to transfer.

13

Yes, but you can see when it drops clear. I took a reading yesterday and cam in below projected fg so I assuming fermentation is complete.

Another question… there’s room in the keggerator…(40º) I’ve read it helps dropping particulates out if it’s chilled. Anyone recommend this?

14

Crash cooling can help clarify beer, but you need to make sure the yeast are really done first.  It’s not just about converting sugars.  It’s about cleaning up after themselves.  Reducing diacetyl, acetaldehyde, etc.  Green beer flavors.  It’s part of conditioning.  Yeast drop out when they’re done; if you want to force them out, make sure they’re done.  Taste your beer.

Certain yeast don’t floc as well, and might need to be fined.  Chilling can help some of them, but not all.

So keep things in order.  Make sure fermentation is done.  Make sure the beer is conditioned.  Address clarity.  Package.

15

Gotcha. We wait… :stuck_out_tongue:

16

OK… For every question you ask you get an array of answers. The learner’s task is to distill (no pun intended) an answer that is defendable, and that he/she can live with, as in the end everything is YOUR decision.

So based on the words of more experienced people here, in the LHBS and other places I opened her up again today, took a reading (1010 again, although I calibrated the hygrometer at 60º and it reads a few points low, so call it 1012, still a good number) and then racked the whole thing to a 5g carboy.

Most of the foam was gone, and it was a nice clean transfer. I sanitized the entire county, including myself up to my elbows, and got nice and organic “in there” feeling the trub and carefully holding the auto siphon just above it. (Someone will now come along and tell me you should never touch your beer, but I found it a very nice and earthy experience…)

So, it’s now in a container I can see through (MUCH better, I will never ferment in a bucket again) with a Fermometer on it (62º in my office on the floor) and NOW I will wait 'till things clear up.

BTW, it tastes great!

17

Ah, I see your problem. You need to use a hydrometer. A hygrometer measures relative humidity.  ;D

18

Better get that second batch going now… Trust me.  :wink:

19

DOH! OK, the relative humidity in my beer is 1010… what does THAT tell you?

[quote]Better get that second batch going now… Trust me.
[/quote]

Got the “prescription” filled for the makings of a batch of Kölsch for the wifey.
Will be brewing Sunday. A Leffe is next, then a stout.

These visit’s to Abe’s are getting EXPENSIVE…(Abe’s has over 500 beers in stock and sells singles…a “researcher’s” dream… lol.

20

OK, now that I can SEE what’s going on I’m seeing little off-white clumps that are forming and slooooooowly sinking to the bottom. I am assuming that this is flocculation and that when it stops my beer will be clear?