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First Impressions
First time poster... relatively new brewer.
I brewed my first IPA four nights ago and am nervous about this latest batch. I used a Muntons kit and the yeast didn't start the fermenting process within the first 12 hours so I rehydrated a second round of yeast and added it to the 5 gallon brew. It began to ferment but has slowed significantly. I've been advised to wait 12 days before I bottle. (Is that advice worth following?)
I'm more anxious about this batch than any one I have done before. I'm wondering if it is possible to know whether or not the beer will be a success before I go through all the trouble of bottling it. I'd appreciate any feedback or tips for the future. Thanks -- great forum!
First of all welcome to the board.
Second of all RDWHAHB!
Twelve hours is a short time to expect fermentation to begin. I would start to wonder at 36 hours and worry around 48 hours.
Given that you double-dosed the yeast, it's not surprising that it worked quickly.
My standard is to leave it in primary for four weeks. IMO 12 days is not long enough. I used to go two weeks in the fermenter, but too many times it was rushing the beer into packaging, which is why I switched to the longer fermentations.
You can get a good feel for your beer's future by tasting a gravity sample prior to bottling. It will tell you if it's attenuated enough, and it will tell you if there are any major flavor flaws. There is some experience involved in figuring out what the finished beer will be like based on the FG sample, but for an IPA, it's not that big a difference from warm and flat to cold and carbonated.
So I recommend taking a gravity sample and tasting that sample. If the gravity is where you think it should be, and the taste is good, then you're good to go. If either of these is off, then come back and we'll see if we can help you.
Welcome to the board.
If you haven't read the book-RDWHAHB,
Is "Relax, Don't Worry, Have a Homebrew."
12 days from pitching yeast to bottling is Waaaay to short.
I go at least 2-3 weeks, and then, if you are bottling, it's a good idea to go to a secondary for another week.
Your yeast will have time to finish out, and settle to the bottom, giving you a more mature, clearer brew.
Usually you can tell what your beer is going to taste like by smelling it as you rack from primary to secondary, but it never hurts to take a sip or two. It will still be green & flat, so won't taste exactly like it will out of the bottle.
Lots of good brewers here, willing to help other brewers no matter what your level is.
We all brewed our first batch once, too.
Circa,
There is nothing these guys can't help you with. I love this site. I'm sure you will too!
Welcome!!
give it some time, 99 times out of 100 it turns out great just give it 2-3 weeks in primary and another 2 in the bottle. probably would do you good to have another week in secondary also.
great to have you here btw. lots of very helpful people here
ID
Thanks, folks! Your input helps tremendously. My nerves have settled and I am excited to have learned something new. I'm afraid I have bottled prematurely up to this point. I look forward to seeing how an extended first fermentation will alter the beer I'm brewing.
Thanks again!
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