Homebrewing: IPA specific gravity question?

Dots321

Hi all,

I have bought a very nice craft I.P.A. kit in Galway and have a question seen as I am quite new to homebrewing (only my 2nd time)

According to the instructions the specific gravity must drop to 1.005 before bottling and this can take 10-14 days. After 12 days I checked my S.G. and it was only 1.012. After leaving it another 4 days (16 total) it is still only at around 1.010. I figured it may take a little longer as I don't have a heating belt and so the beer has been kept slightly below 20*C (probably 17-19) instead of the recommended 20-24 *C.

I have seen online where other IPA kits are ready for priming and bottling anywhere between 1.012 and 1.016.

My question is, in your opinion, should I leave it another few days or is it ready for bottling as is?

Thanks

BeerNut

I doubt it'll go to 1.005 but I'd still leave it as you don't yet have consistent gravity readings. Check every couple of days and once you have two or three readings the same, you're ready to bottle at any time. But there's no reason to rush.

Dots321

Thanks BeerNut, thats what I was thinking but my concern is the yeast, I'm afraid if I leave it to long the yeast will struggle when it hits the priming sugar. Also the hops have been in there for about a week already and if it was done in time, would only be in there 3-7 days.

BeerNut

Dots321 wrote: »

I'm afraid if I leave it to long the yeast will struggle when it hits the priming sugar.

That's not a thing that happens.

Dots321

But I've read that if the yeast is left for too long without enough sugar during fermentation it dies off meaning its very hard to carbonate the beer. Even says in the instructions if the beer is flat after 2 weeks it was left for to long before bottling.

BeerNut

Dots321 wrote: »

But I've read that if the yeast is left for too long without enough sugar during fermentation it dies off

That's nonsense. I don't really know what else to say.

Dots321 wrote: »

Even says in the instructions if the beer is flat after 2 weeks it was left for to long before bottling.

So far in this thread those instructions have steered you wrong on the expected finishing gravity and the correct fermentation temperature. And all of that is perfectly normal for kit instructions: they're almost universally terrible and seem to want people to produce bad beer. When I taught brewing the first thing I told my classes to do was throw the kit instructions as far away as possible.

But by all means, if you'd rather go with what the instructions say, have at it.

Bogwoppit

Dots321 wrote: »

But I've read that if the yeast is left for too long without enough sugar during fermentation it dies off meaning its very hard to carbonate the beer. Even says in the instructions if the beer is flat after 2 weeks it was left for to long before bottling.

That's is most definitely not true.

Leave your beer for another couple of days and measure again, if it's still at 1.010 then bottle.

Keep the bottles in the hot press for a couple of weeks then put them somewhere cool to condition for another 3 weeks (kits take a while to condition), I usually leave the bottles for a total of 6 weeks before sampling.

BeerNut

Bogwoppit wrote: »

Keep the bottles in the hot press for a couple of weeks then put them somewhere cool to condition for another 3 weeks

:eek: A steady room temperature is best, unless you're up to something Belgian.

Bogwoppit

BeerNut wrote: »

:eek: A steady room temperature is best, unless you're up to something Belgian.

Quite often 😀

um7y1h83ge06nx

BeerNut wrote: »

And all of that is perfectly normal for kit instructions: they're almost universally terrible and seem to want people to produce bad beer. When I taught brewing the first thing I told my classes to do was throw the kit instructions as far away as possible.

I think a lot of the kit instructions try to make things appear as quick and as easy as possible. I really notice with most is that they want the home brewer to rush through the steps as quickly as possible - not leaving enough time in the fermenter, not enough time to condition etc.

OP, I'd definitely go with BeerNut's advice, he always seems to be spot on when it comes to home brewing.

Caribs

@Dots321 - how did the brew turn out and at what point did you bottle it?

I reckon I have the same kit and have also tasted a bottle from a friend that used the same one. His version was very nice but I'm not sure mine will be as good. On one cold evening I switched on the heat mat and forgot to switch it off. Temp went up to 28C so god only knows what will come out. Bubbling fermentation seems to have stopped and SG is 1.014. I'll check it again in a couple of days but wondering where yours finished when you bottled?

Souness

I did the Craft Range IPA and it sounds like those instructions. I bottled mine at FG 1.011. Have yet to try it, currently carbonating.

oblivious

Caribs wrote: »

@Dots321 I switched on the heat mat and forgot to switch it off. Temp went up to 28C so god only knows what will come out. ?

To be honest with modern house you really don't need a heat source, if your worried about low temp Nottingham yeast and US-05 can ferment at 16c and some times lower. The worst hat happened to me was ending up a few point high that you want, but that better then a fusel filled beer

Caribs

oblivious wrote: »

To be honest with modern house you really don't need a heat source, if your worried about low temp Nottingham yeast and US-05 can ferment at 16c and some times lower. The worst hat happened to me was ending up a few point high that you want, but that better then a fusel filled beer

Thanks Oblivious, beginning to come to that conclusion. I'm a relative newbie to this and have been reading BeerNut's advice regarding the guides from the brewing kits with interest. The guides generally suggested keeping the temp around 22 but I'm thinking this may be a little too high and know 28 is way off!

Carawaystick

I made a lager before, 4 weeks cool fermentation, 6 weeks lagering midwinter i the shed.
beer carbonated fine after 3 weeks, the yeasties won't die.

MadsL

Caribs wrote: »

On one cold evening I switched on the heat mat and forgot to switch it off.

Cheap and very useful....
http://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-All-Purpose-Temperature-Controller-Fahrenheit/dp/B00OXPE8U6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448317357&sr=8-1&keywords=STC-1000

loyatemu

MadsL wrote: »

Cheap and very useful....
http://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-All-Purpose-Temperature-Controller-Fahrenheit/dp/B00OXPE8U6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448317357&sr=8-1&keywords=STC-1000

not that one though - it's 110V

MadsL

loyatemu wrote: »

not that one though - it's 110V

Ah...yeah, useful here, not there.

Still buying a 110V yoke is better when you have 220V than buying 220V with 110V.

Cost tons to get 220V upstairs when we emigrated here.