When to bottle

[mrtona]

Hi
I've got a pilsner in the fermenter which is nearly ready.
I've just found out that I have to go away for 2 weeks with work on Monday.
Should I bottle it tomorrow (Sunday) night or is it OK to leave it in the fermenter for an extra 2 weeks?
Thanks

 

[Kingy]

If it's nearly ready it's not ready. If it is gunna be ready next weekend, train your misses,kids, dad or dog on how to adjust your temp controller so it's on 2°c then It would be cold conditioned for a week when you get back.

 

[Kingy]

My pilsners are fermenting for minimum of 2 weeks at the lager ferment temps then a minimum of 2-3 weeks cold conditioning before I keg or bottle. 4weeks is better but sometimes the fermenter needs freeing up so I keg it early and continue cold conditioning in the keg.
But in your case your better of leaving it in the fermenter a couple weeks to clear up there, better than clearing up in the bottle.

 

[manticle]

How do you know it's nearly ready?

 

[DUANNE]

if its nearly ready im assuming its not quite fermented down to terminal. what i would do is leave it fermenting where it is and when you come back in 2 weeks time it will have finished fermenting and had plenty of time for the yeast to clean up after itself and floc out nicely. 2 weeks is not enough time for negative yeast flavours to develop unless you are fermenting at excessive temperatures on a homebrew scale.

 

[TwoCrows]

You want a nice head in the glass , not a Krausen......

 

[homebrewkid]

Do you have any temperature control?

If not is the temperature relatively steady where the fermenter is?

This time of the year chances are its not going to get too hot anyway, just leave it alone and deal with it when you get back.

Just for your own comparison, take a photo of it now and one when you get back, but DO NOT OPEN THE FERMENTER. You might see the difference in the photos, you might not, worth a shot anyway though.

Cheers.

 

[mrtona]

Thanks for everyones advice.

It is under temperature control.
It's nearly ready, I assume, because there is a small difference in the reading over the last 2 days.

I'll leave it in the tub.
Thanks.