Am I okay to bottle?

Bowie92 · May 16, 2019

Hi all,

I'm currently brewing a vanilla stout. OG was 1.064 and I used US-05 for the yeast.

Checking gravity after 2 and a half days it was at 1.018 when I was expecting it to finish at 1.017. Checking gravity the next day it was at 1.017 and again the next and it remained at 1.017. At that point I was happy that the bulk of the fermentation was finished so I transferred to secondary and added the vanilla pod.

Just took a sample and the vanilla has definitely done it's job. I don't actually think I would want it any more vanilla-y. And here comes my question - would it be okay to bottle after only 6 days? The gravity is still 1.017.

Based on a stable gravity I would expect it would be fine, but it just se ms very quick to be ready! And I'm keen to get it away from the vanilla pod as soon as possible to stop the vanilla ruining it.

Would be interested in hearing your thoughts.

MrRook · May 16, 2019

The vanilla won't ruin it. I think you are trying to get this moved to bottling way too soon. Even if the fermentation is done the yeast still have work to do as they reabsorb fermentation byproducts.

the_quick · May 16, 2019

I can only echo MrRook, I think beer left for bit longer in the fermenter taste better as well. Yeast have lots of time to settle down. I would say minimum 10 days to 2 weeks. What I have learn, brewing is not the process that should be rushed.

Bowie92 · May 16, 2019

Turns out I thought it was Wednesday so it's been fermenting a week rather than 6 days. I'm going to wait a bit though as per your suggestions; hopefully the vanilla will mellow as it gets older because it's very potent currently.

HarryFlatters · May 17, 2019

I've made a vanilla cacao milk stout (kit and bits, not AG) and found that the vanilla does mellow as the beer conditions.

An Ankoù · May 17, 2019

An FG of 1017 seems high for US-05, although that depends on how you mashed. I'd rack it into secondary and leave it another few days before bottling. let it warm up a few degrees, too, to encourage the yeast to clear up any diacetyl.