NOOB question RE Bottling/Fermenting

[Brad2027]

New brewer question here guys, I am brewing my second batch ATM , Going with a pretty simple morgans larger / inf hops.. I dont have temp control so used the standard can yeast, Pitched at 25dg however it has spend most of the week down at 22/24.
Went to do hyd reading today and it was fairly heady, Sitting around 1.012 but assuming its still doing its thing..

Now the question, Is there any disadvantage in leaving the brew for a few extra days after fermentation has stopped before bottling? I mean if it finishes at day 7 and i dont bottle until day 10 or so can i do harm or is it actually a good thing?
Just might not have the time to do so over the next few days...

Thanks fellas...

Brad

 

[hairydog]

Gday Brad,

Leaving your brew in the fermentor for 10-14 days is best,test a sample with your hydrometer in 2 days and if the reading remains the same your brew has

finished fermentation but your yeast will be cleaning up your brew in the background and will give better results if left.You might want to invest in a cheap fridge

with temp control as this will improve the cleaner flavor of the beer,you may find the brew will improve in the middle of winter when fermenting, even ales are good

when around the 18 deg mark.I have a stout ready to bottle and has been in the fermentor for 2 1/2 weeks a bigger beer at 1.073.

 

[Coodgee]

All good advice from hairydog above. Just in case you don't realise, a lot of kit brews instruct brewers to keep their fermenting beer at or above 25 degrees or something like that. That advice is not for the best tasting beer, it just means you are most likely to make something that will get you drunk. However, for better tasting results ferment ales at 18-20 degrees assuming that's what the kit yeast is (an ale yeast).

 

[brewgasm]

+1 as above.

I generally leave my beer in the fermentor for a minimum of 14 days and no more than 21 days. I believe that the "rush" to rack the beer is to limit the contact time with the trub. My plastic fermentor has a flat bottom so I will rack closer to 14 days and my SS has a conical base so I leave it a bit longer.

Temperature control should be your first priority. You may be able to get a fridge for free and add a heat belt and temperature controller and you are set. Being able to run a temperature schedule will improve your beer

 

[Brad2027]

Thanks for the feedback guys, Definitely want to invest in the fridge / temp control but at the moment i am just stoked i am creating something that resembles beer lol... I am sure i will get pickier as time goes on

Tasted today after taking another hydro reading and it actually taste ok Well better then half the shit on the market anyways ! Will leave until around that 14 day mark to bottle as above.

Thanks again fellas