Homebrew - Question
Discussion
Morning All, I could probably ask this on a brew forum but PH normally comes up with good answers.
I will have had a Woodfordes Wherry home brew on for 4 weeks this coming Sunday, its still bubbling through the airlock although its slowed in recent days. Should I worry about the length of time its taking? Its been at 18 / 19 C the whole time and bubbled consistently.
I've brewed a few American Beers kits before which have always gone well.
I know I should do gravity tests to be sure but in the past its not really made a difference as I've just brewed until the airlock bubbling stops and then bottle up, normally about 2 - 3 weeks.
I will have had a Woodfordes Wherry home brew on for 4 weeks this coming Sunday, its still bubbling through the airlock although its slowed in recent days. Should I worry about the length of time its taking? Its been at 18 / 19 C the whole time and bubbled consistently.
I've brewed a few American Beers kits before which have always gone well.
I know I should do gravity tests to be sure but in the past its not really made a difference as I've just brewed until the airlock bubbling stops and then bottle up, normally about 2 - 3 weeks.
Four weeks is quite a long time, I don't tend to look at anything I'm brewing until the two week mark but by then it's normally down to its final gravity. I'd check the gravity if I were you and bottle / keg if it's 1.012 or less. To be really sure check it over a few days and if it doesn't move go for it.
Chances are the airlock activity you're now seeing is just residual CO2 created during fermentation which was initially absorbed into the beer but is now escaping (slowly), be surprised if it was still actively fermenting.
Got a Wherry on draught at the moment, really fine pint. Once that's gone got a Coopers Family Secret which I dry hopped with EKG, and after that a Festival Landlord's Finest which is currently in the dry hop stage but will get transferred to the keg this weekend. Also recently bottled 5 gallons of Young's Oaked Rum Ale. Can't have enough beer!
Chances are the airlock activity you're now seeing is just residual CO2 created during fermentation which was initially absorbed into the beer but is now escaping (slowly), be surprised if it was still actively fermenting.
Got a Wherry on draught at the moment, really fine pint. Once that's gone got a Coopers Family Secret which I dry hopped with EKG, and after that a Festival Landlord's Finest which is currently in the dry hop stage but will get transferred to the keg this weekend. Also recently bottled 5 gallons of Young's Oaked Rum Ale. Can't have enough beer!
I tend to agree that fermentation is probably over, but the temperature stated is a bit on the low side. My basement is where my brews ferment and it is always circa 15-17ºC so I use a heater belt. My five gallon brews of bitter are allowed two weeks before kegging and they are always fine. 'Always' may be a movable feast on a couple of occasions over forty years of brewing...
Leaving it won't hurt provided hygiene is scrupulous and no contaminated air can enter. I don't use an airlock because beer ferments far faster than wine, and is usually vigorous enough to put a blanket of CO2 on the top. If OP uses a lock then it should be fine after four weeks.
Leaving it won't hurt provided hygiene is scrupulous and no contaminated air can enter. I don't use an airlock because beer ferments far faster than wine, and is usually vigorous enough to put a blanket of CO2 on the top. If OP uses a lock then it should be fine after four weeks.
18 deg is optimal for most styles from a flavour perspective - out of interest are you using any equipment to hold this (eg. a fermentation fridge)? If it hasn't been rock steady (eg. dipping during the night) that will make a difference.
21 deg and they'll ferment quicker but generally they're done in two weeks at 18 deg or above.
Optimal for both speed and flavour (for most styles) is to pitch the yeast at 21 deg and then lower to 18 deg once it is fermenting vigourously.
Gravity is the only way to be sure - a good rule is measure it three days in a row, if it's the same, it's done. If the gravity is higher than you were aiming for, get a long spoon and give it a right good stir, may get it going again if it is stuck.
21 deg and they'll ferment quicker but generally they're done in two weeks at 18 deg or above.
Optimal for both speed and flavour (for most styles) is to pitch the yeast at 21 deg and then lower to 18 deg once it is fermenting vigourously.
Gravity is the only way to be sure - a good rule is measure it three days in a row, if it's the same, it's done. If the gravity is higher than you were aiming for, get a long spoon and give it a right good stir, may get it going again if it is stuck.
Thanks all.
I bottled last night and it was nice and clear and drinkable straight off which is a good sign. I'll resist the next sample for at least 2 weeks.
I tend to brew around this time of year as temps in the house are fairly stable and checking last thing at night and first thing in the morning the temp seemed fairly stable at 18 / 19.
I don't think leaving it at the correct temp for a bit longer than necessary does any harm but I was getting jumpy at the 4 week mark approaching.
I've got a gravity tester so won't be lazy next time.
I bottled last night and it was nice and clear and drinkable straight off which is a good sign. I'll resist the next sample for at least 2 weeks.
I tend to brew around this time of year as temps in the house are fairly stable and checking last thing at night and first thing in the morning the temp seemed fairly stable at 18 / 19.
I don't think leaving it at the correct temp for a bit longer than necessary does any harm but I was getting jumpy at the 4 week mark approaching.
I've got a gravity tester so won't be lazy next time.
That's the thing I used to struggle with was finding somewhere in our house with a consistent temperature. Used to use the utility but in the winter we only used to heat our house mornings and evening as we were out at work otherwise so it went up and down a fair bit. At this time of year it's anyone's guess, probably about 23 - 25°C in there at the moment. We've got the tumble dryer in there too.
I've now got two brew fridges, means brews can be shoved out in the garage out of the way and can maintain a consistent 20°C temperature year round. Best thing I ever did for home brewing.
I've now got two brew fridges, means brews can be shoved out in the garage out of the way and can maintain a consistent 20°C temperature year round. Best thing I ever did for home brewing.
C0ffin D0dger said:
I've now got two brew fridges, means brews can be shoved out in the garage out of the way and can maintain a consistent 20°C temperature year round. Best thing I ever did for home brewing.
Totally agree. I made what is probably a fairly standard progression:
1. Can + sugar kits + crap yeast
2. Fancier extract only kits + better (dry) yeast
3. All grain + liquid yeast
4. Temperature control (fermentation fridge)
I keep meaning to try going back to the kits with better yeast and temperature control and seeing what the results are like. I have attributed most of the improvement in my brewing to going all grain but in reality I think yeast and temperature are the main issues.
OP - definitely recommend making a brew fridge if you don't have one already.
Jambo85 said:
Totally agree.
I made what is probably a fairly standard progression:
1. Can + sugar kits + crap yeast
2. Fancier extract only kits + better (dry) yeast
3. All grain + liquid yeast
4. Temperature control (fermentation fridge)
I keep meaning to try going back to the kits with better yeast and temperature control and seeing what the results are like. I have attributed most of the improvement in my brewing to going all grain but in reality I think yeast and temperature are the main issues.
OP - definitely recommend making a brew fridge if you don't have one already.
I've yet to move off kits though I do only make the premium variety (option 2 above) and I'm sure having temperature control has made a massive difference to the quality. There's some really good ones around now such as the Young's craft / American range (made the APA, Mocha Porter, and Oaked Rum Ale to date, first two superb, last one is conditioning now) and the Festival Range. I'd like to move to all grain one day but the pressures of having a young family means my time is a bit limited at the moment.I made what is probably a fairly standard progression:
1. Can + sugar kits + crap yeast
2. Fancier extract only kits + better (dry) yeast
3. All grain + liquid yeast
4. Temperature control (fermentation fridge)
I keep meaning to try going back to the kits with better yeast and temperature control and seeing what the results are like. I have attributed most of the improvement in my brewing to going all grain but in reality I think yeast and temperature are the main issues.
OP - definitely recommend making a brew fridge if you don't have one already.
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