IPA Target OG 1.071 Target FG 1.017 OG 1.066 7 Days SG 1.035 11 Days SG 1.020 (Today) 16 Days SG 1.0?? (TBD) I'd like to bottle on the 16th day. I know many will say it's best to let it sit for another week or so. But my question is: based on your experience and the data, 1) do you believe fermentation will be finished by day 16 2) and if so, how confident are you, scale of 1-10? Thanks! Recipe if you want to see it
I think ever beer I have brewed (20+ now) has hit FG within 5-12 days tops. From 12% RIS to lagers. It should be gone by now I would think! Pitch enough yeast? I would say 9/10 done by day 16. Lol
Very helpful, thanks! I pitched a 1 liter starter and was just a little shy by my calculation. I've certainly under-pitched by much more in the past.
Too many variables...I sure as hell wouldn't bottle until gravity is stable for at least a couple of days. No need for gushers or botle bombs. Just because you have a target FG doesn't mean that's exactly where it'll end. I'd also leave it on the yeast a little longer after the gravity stabilizes to let the yeast clean up a little. No need to push a beer and risk a subpar final product, but that's just my 2 cents.
looking at all of that malt and hops, you have a lot of $$$s invested so I wouldn't take a chance of lessening its capability of being a great beer by being impatient. IPAs are one style where I think patience greatly helps the beer improve.
I would say it should already be done. About 8/10 certain. But as others have cautioned, it would be better to play it safe than sorry.
In all honesty, an ale should be done fermenting in 2-4 days. If it has taken this long, you should wait to bottle until you get 3-4 days of consistent gravity readings. With the yeast being as stressed as it is, you could get multiple readings in a row and then have the beer drop another point 2-3 days later. If I brew hoppy beers, I do underpitch by just a little bit, and it normally takes 4 days to reach terminal gravity.
If so were you I would ask myself why do I want to bottle on day 16? Sure, it could be great but why set a date if you don't know for sure that you have reached FG? Assuming you do verify you have reached FG before day 16, what are you hoping to accomplish by bottling on day 16 that outweighs the benefits of leaving the beer on the yeast cake a few more days to clean up any off flavors?
your beer will be no better waiting an additional few day to keep testing and be sure your FG is really final. rushing brewing can make a great beer barlly ok so when in doubt wait a bit and test' good luck
I let the temp rise to room temp (around 71°F) and activity kicked-up in the air lock. It has since stopped and the SG is at 1.0195
I raised the temp three days ago to room temperature and the SG dropped another 3 points to 1.0165 ... would only a fool bottle tomorrow? Does anyone have a sense for how many "pre-mature-points" = bomb?
The issue isn't just bottle bombs. It's whether you have given the yeast enough time to clean up potential off flavors in your beer.
I see your point, but I don't have a particularly sharp palate and likely wouldn't be able to identify said off flavors ... it already tastes delicious to me as it is
Your beer may not hit the numerical marks you set for it. Greenflash beer has lots of crystal and carapils and, on top of that, you are using extract, which means you have no control of mash temps. While I have seen a stat by Briess that their extracts are 80% fermentable, it can vary by brand and type, and many of us who have brewed extract and all-grain found that we were able to make more fermentable worts with all-grain brewing. If it stops at 1.020 instead of 1.017, it may not be the end of the world, you may find it is pretty much everything you wanted it to taste like. But definitely do not package until you are sure it is done. While day 16 fits conveniently into your calendar, your calendar and your yeast's calendar do not necessarily coincide.
