Hi, I've done a few brews now but always leave it 3 weeks before bottling as I don't have a hydrometer. My question is if I leave it a bit long before bottling would it have any adverse affect on the beer produced?
First stage fermenting time.
- Thread starter saintmark
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Fore
Landlord.
3 weeks is not too long; often advised as standard fermentation time. But the answer depends a bit on your set up. Is the seal tight, are you opening it regularly to have a look? If well sealed and left alone, it'll be fine.
All said, I caught another thread about a metallic taste, and the homebrew store seemed sure that 3 weeks was too long and the probable cause. Now I'm not convinced about that, but it did have me think, if I know fermentation is finished, then it should be kegged ASAP to prevent infection or oxidation. It certainly won't harm it, and can only do good. So I'm planning on shortening my fermentation time, kegging once done. Of course, you need a hydrometer to determine that.
All said, I caught another thread about a metallic taste, and the homebrew store seemed sure that 3 weeks was too long and the probable cause. Now I'm not convinced about that, but it did have me think, if I know fermentation is finished, then it should be kegged ASAP to prevent infection or oxidation. It certainly won't harm it, and can only do good. So I'm planning on shortening my fermentation time, kegging once done. Of course, you need a hydrometer to determine that.
You really need to invest in a hydrometer if only to tell you that your fermentations have finished and not stuck.
I leave my beers in the FV for 2.5 to 3 weeks to get them clear for packaging. However I don't see the point of leaving them any longer (unless other circumstances prevail) although I know some on the Forum do leave them longer.
I leave my beers in the FV for 2.5 to 3 weeks to get them clear for packaging. However I don't see the point of leaving them any longer (unless other circumstances prevail) although I know some on the Forum do leave them longer.
Fore
Landlord.
Yes. Give it quite a few days in between to be sure.
Done? Recently had a brew that stalled at 1.017, same hydrometer reading for a week. But for some reason, once I kegged it, it started up again and fermented out. Someone here suggested perhaps due to a small introduction of oxygen during racking; odd though.
I invested in a finishing hydrometer, for FG, and a refractometer for SG. Yes quite a bit more expensive, but I don't regret it. The finishing hydrometer only goes from 1.015 to 1.000 and so is super easy to read.
