I brewed a nut brown ale Saturday. Put it in the fermentation bucket at 2:30 in the afternoon. By 11:00 that night it was showing signs of starting to ferment. Sunday it was fermenting like crazy all day and night. Yesterday morning slowed signs of fermentation and by the time I got home from work no more signs of fermentation. I didnt take a gravity sample yet. Just wondering if this is kind of a quick to start to finish fermentation?
It's certainly possible that it happened that quickly. What is/was the temperature of the wort (not ambient temp) during fermentation?
I bet it's not completely done - just mostly done. But who knows. You should make sure the temperature isn't too cold causing the fermentation to stall. Otherwise, you should test FG over the next week or two.
@honkey posted this a couple of days ago: “If healthy yeast is pitched correctly, ales should be at terminal gravity in 2-4 days. Typically, it only takes 1-3 days after that to clean up any aldehydes or DVK's (depending on yeast strain, abv, and temperature of course).” So, Saturday till Monday is 2 days which is consistent with the above wrt reaching terminal gravity. Cheers!
Vikeman- The wort was down to 100* then I added the required water to top off to 5 gallons. The water I added was damn cold. It came from the tap. I didnt get a temp but the bucket was not warm to the touch. Hey Jack. Ill get those bottles back to you. The ones you gave Shirley from xmas time.
Thanks! If the gravity is stable on the beer should I bottle it or wait out the 2 week time per the instructions?
Mike, if you have patience then waiting will do no harm and could potentially be beneficial if there is a need for some 'clean up' activity by the yeast. In my above post I quoted honkey and he mentions: "If healthy yeast is pitched correctly, ales should be at terminal gravity in 2-4 days. Typically, it only takes 1-3 days after that to clean up any aldehydes or VDK's (depending on yeast strain, abv, and temperature of course)." So, if you assume that a healthy fermentation has occurred then your ale would be ready to be bottled in 3-7 days. You could view the 'extra' 7 days as being insurance if you are so inclined. Cheers! Jack P.S. Just out of curiosity where did you buy your ingredients for this batch?
I'd wait until the middle of next week and take your first gravity reading. Then another on Friday with the intent to have the weekend to do the bottling. OP, one piece of additional advice from the info that was posted -- you should have better knowledge of what temp your wort is when you pitch, and the subsequent temp of the fermentation. Ideal fermentation occurs within a narrow temp range, and off-flavors can result if you vary much above the range, and sluggish fermentation is probable if you are too far below.
I've been always waiting the 2-3 weeks thats in the directions. I have no problem waiting. I'm trying to get to a point where I'm drinking a batch, conditioning a batch and fermenting a batch. Keeping a rotation going. MotherG, I havent been paying that much attention to temp when pitching, just cooling. I get the wort down to temp after the boil, add my water, aerate, then pitch the yeast. I guess I should take a temp reading to make sure the wort isnt too cold before pitching the yeast. Jack- I have been brewing basic extract kits using dry yeast. 4 weeks "ready" to drink kits from Northern Brewer. Irish red (first batch brewed), SMASH, Bavarian Hef (drinking that now) , just bottled american wheat type brew and now the nut brown ale fermenting.
Mike, I don't regularly purchase beer kits but I have received a couple of Northern Brewer kits as presents (e.g., birthday) and I have had good luck with them. Needless to say I have limited experience here but I think that Northern Brewer puts together quality kits. Cheers!
