End Of Primary Fermentation: Beer Is Carbonated?

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eteo

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Hi, first time brew Coopers Blonde.

I am close to the end of primary fermentation, having begun 8 days ago on 9/9/06. OG was 1040. Current SG 1010. When I poured the beer into the hydrometer container just now, the beer was carbonated and had quite a good head. I thought this only occurred after the bottling? Am I mistaken?

Anyway the beer tasted quite nice but I am waiting for another stable SG reading before bottling.

As I may be busy in the coming week, is it alright for me to leave it in the primary fermenter for 1 more week even though primary fermentation has stopped?

Thanks for your advice in advance.

Regards
 
If you have a spare fermenter
rack it/ transfer.
It allow for a cleaner ferment and rouse your beer to finnish fully fermented.
No it is not carbed!!

If not it will be ready next weekend.
 
If you have a spare fermenter
rack it/ transfer.
It allow for a cleaner ferment and rouse your beer to finnish fully fermented.
No it is not carbed!!

If not it will be ready next weekend.

Thanks. Unfortunately, I don't have another fermenter. The beer tasted quite gassy though! I guess its just the carbon dioxide released during the fermentation that I am tasting. Thanks again for your advice.
 
eteo,

For your first brew, don't bother transferring to a second fermenter. Too many things to get right for a first-timer. Leave that experimentation until you have a few brews under your belt. In fact I don't rack to a second fermenter any more unless I am planning on leaving it in the frig for a good long cold conditioning.

It is fine to leave it in the primary fermenter for a couple of weeks so long as it is relatively cool. In fact i have found that a prolonged sit on the yeastcake is the best way to clean up extract beers and minimise that twang you get in kits and extract brewing. Three weeks no problem. You can push it further if it is in the frig.

The bubbles are just CO2 dissolved in the beer from the fermentation process. Some of it comes out when you pour it into the hydro tube.
 
I would like to reiterate everything deebee has put forward - I wouldn't transfer it to another fermenter even if you have one. I would leave it on the yeast for a minimum of 2 weeks anyway, for although the "primary" ferment is complete, the yeast are still "cleaning up" fermentation by-products with can have funky flavours.

There's always the temptation of getting it bottled as soon as possible, but you're better off leaving it alone.
 
gonna leave this one alone since you talking Kit beer.
Just curious, do you leave your partials and ag for two weeks for same reason?
In that case you and I have gone in different schools regarding yeast and what it does to itself.
I say two weeks max especially brewing at room temps.
 
Matti, I leave all my ALES for a MINIMUM 2 weeks undisturbed, this has included K&K, FWK, partial and AG beers. I've never had any signs of autolysis from this practice.

Different yeasts may also mean a different fermentation - a higher attenuating yeast will be able to digest complex malt sugars than a low attenuator. These sugars (such as maltotriose etc) are broken down later in the ferment.
 
Cheers NRB.
Being a lager man my self but do make a few ales when spare fridge is full of HB ready to drink LOL
Learnt heaps on this forum so far, but take a lot with a pinch of salt as ther are lot of contradictions in opinion.
With ale one can forgive even the smallest amount of autolysis cause the flavour will generally disguise or add to texture.
Got Daniel and Noonans books and read Palmers on line as well.
Do enjoy Newcastle brown ale and york shire bitters as well as McEwans
Any good ALE books about?
 
Matti, I leave all my ALES for a MINIMUM 2 weeks undisturbed, this has included K&K, FWK, partial and AG beers. I've never had any signs of autolysis from this practice.
I agree wholeheartedly. In fact, I once made a strong scotch ale and, nearing the end of its second week of primary I was called away on an impromptu business trip. I didn't get back for a further four weeks... six weeks on primary and this sucker took out first place at the 2003 NSW state champs strong ale category.



Quack,
TSD
 
Cheers NRB.
With ale one can forgive even the smallest amount of autolysis cause the flavour will generally disguise or add to texture.
You must be extremely forgiving :blink:
With my limited experience in tasting autolysis, I have to say that the flavour of burnt rubber and vomit really don't fit into any beer style I would drink on a regular basis :p
Or perhaps I have only ever tasted rampant autolisys before

Quack,
TSD
 
I'd agree with someone else above that for the first brew you don't really need to rack - just make sure you add priming sugar when bottling, though :)

After that first brew, IMO, racking will let you get a clearer beer. Leave it two weeks in primary, then rack for a week, and you'll still get sediment at the bottom of the secondary. The more sediment you leave behind, the clearer the beer in your glass. Unless you want all your beers to look cloudy, of course.

Plus having a secondary lets you make some experiments like dry hopping (adding hops after fermentation is finished) or adding extras (coriander, fruits, etc). And it frees up the primary fermenter for another brew without forcing you to bottle, if you don't have the time on that specific day :)
 
On the point of autolysis.
I have yet had a rubbery tasting brew lol
I cc/lager my ales for a minimum of 1 weeks at -1 to 2C.
When i put down me yorkshire bitter the primary ferment finnished in 7 days @18 degrees, racked it after 11 days and left it at 15 degrees for 2 weeks and and cc for 10.
I used a WLP013 yeast with a 1.5 litre starter.
No chance for any autolysis here.

PARDON ETEO...
Please report back next weekend of how you going
 
On the point of autolysis.
I have yet had a rubbery tasting brew lol
I cc/lager my ales for a minimum of 1 weeks at -1 to 2C.
When i put down me yorkshire bitter the primary ferment finnished in 7 days @18 degrees, racked it after 11 days and left it at 15 degrees for 2 weeks and and cc for 10.
I used a WLP013 yeast with a 1.5 litre starter.
No chance for any autolysis here.

PARDON ETEO...
Please report back next weekend of how you going


No problem. I am enjoying the discussion about the length of primary fermentation. One quick question about bottling. After I bottle, what temperature should I leave the bottle in? Many say 'room' temperature but that's pretty vague. For this brew (Cooper's canadian blonde) should I leave it at about 18 to 21 degrees? Thanks again. I have learnt a lot already.
 
On the point of autolysis.
I have yet had a rubbery tasting brew lol
I cc/lager my ales for a minimum of 1 weeks at -1 to 2C.
When i put down me yorkshire bitter the primary ferment finnished in 7 days @18 degrees, racked it after 11 days and left it at 15 degrees for 2 weeks and and cc for 10.
I used a WLP013 yeast with a 1.5 litre starter.
No chance for any autolysis here.

PARDON ETEO...
Please report back next weekend of how you going


No problem. I am enjoying the discussion about the length of primary fermentation. One quick question about bottling. After I bottle, what temperature should I leave the bottle in? Many say 'room' temperature but that's pretty vague. For this brew (Cooper's canadian blonde) should I leave it at about 18 to 21 degrees? Thanks again. I have learnt a lot already.

So long as they are contained within something (like the case of beer box, or a cupboard, or anything enclosed really) and inside your house, that'll do...just don't sit them in front of a heater or fireplace :lol:

PZ.
 
18 - 21 degrees is fine.

Try to condition your brews in a dark place at the same sort of temp as you fermented at. The low end of that temp range is probably preffered, ie 14-18.

Good luck,

JS
 
Try to condition your brews in a dark place at the same sort of temp as you fermented at. The low end of that temp range is probably preffered, ie 14-18.

I did some HBs with dry ale yeast and left them 2 weeks @ 20o then out in garage where the temp varied between 4-25 degrees according to
my temp log over a 4 week period.
No damage done and the beer was well carbonated.
It all depend on how long you can wait.

Ideally 2 weeks in a very dark place tenperature suited to yeast.
Then allow to sit at lower end of recommended temperature a minimum 6 weeks.

Once you bring it to fridge temps the beer will stop conditioning.
 
Once you bring it to fridge temps the beer will stop conditioning.

I think I know what you mean by this; beer certainly won't carbonate at these temps but I find bottles do benefit from prolonged storage at 1-5C. Obviously, you should wait until all priming sugars are completely fermented out. Lagers are conditioned for months at frig temps.

If you are after clearer beer, the best way is time at cold temps.
 
I am with you Deebee.
Merely pointing out that storing HB Kits in various temps after being fully gassed/carbed doesn't generally cause any harm.

Thers is really no need to conditioning extensive times
using dry ale yeast and kit and kilo IMHO.

They generally improve taste after 6 weeks and hold pallatable quality for 6 months for medium level alchohol beers.
 
18 - 21 degrees is fine.

Try to condition your brews in a dark place at the same sort of temp as you fermented at. The low end of that temp range is probably preffered, ie 14-18.

Good luck,

JS


Hmmm. I just realised that I don't have enough fridge space if I am to store at 18 to 21degrees. Would if be alright to in a dark cupboard even though the temperature may rise to 30degrees occasionally?
 
Sure dude,

It's all good. Just be wary that bottles can become bombs at warmer temps. Will probably be fine though if the temp only rises to 30 occasionally.

I guess all you need to remember is that for the first month or so after bottling, the temp needs to be high enough that the yeast will be active and be able to carbonate the beer. After that first month it's ideal if you store cool for longevity. Im sure you'll be fine though so no need to stress.

Cheers,

JS
 
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