how long for secondary fermentation

[suzie]

Hi we have just bottled up our first beer kit. Its a woodrords wherry bitter. Am I right in thinking the instructions are a bit optimisitc in the lenght of time we need to keep it warm?
It says 2 days in a warm room. Then to put somewhere cool.
We bottled it on Monday night and its just sat in our living room not near a heater but in the corner of the room. Its wrapped up in a big blanket.

Does this seem ok. Oh and how do you know when its ok to put somewhere cooler to clear it?

 

[phettebs]

I keep mine "warm" for 2 weeks before moving them someplace cooler.

I periodically open one to test carbonation throughout the process. I've had them carb up to drinkable but not optimal in a couple days but that was with a very young beer, warm summer temps, and plenty of viable yeast still in suspension. It "should" be carbbed in a week but two weeks just works well for me.

baz

 

[Moley]

Kit instructions are frequently optimistic and I would always give any beer 4-7 days in a warm place before moving it somewhere cooler.

and how do you know when its ok to put somewhere cooler to clear it?

Always use a couple of 500ml plastic cola bottles (or similar) so you can feel what pressure is building.

 

[suzie]

Ok thanks for the advice. We did use 2 500ml plastic bottles just because we had run out of the glass ones. I will check it to see if it has preassure.

 

[Moley]

You can feel by squeezing them as carbonation builds up over a period of a few days, or hold one up by its cap and flick the bottle, as pressure builds the pitch of the note rises. Mine go down the cellar when it hits the first G in the treble clef*.














* This is pure ********, I have never actually checked the note but it's quite interesting to see how the pitch rises.

 

[gsidford]

Mine go down the cellar when it hits the first G in the treble clef*.

I never thought my electronic tuner would have a use for brewing

 

[Good Ed]

Fresher than a pint of milk

http://www.bankssbeer.co.uk/banks's-fresh.aspx

tastes a lot better and probably does you a lot more good.

Interesting that they ferment for 7 days, then rack off to be left overnight before filling the casks, left another 24hrs then shipped to the pubs, and probably drunk straight away. So this is a whole lot shorter than I have been reading about conditioning your beer.

Perhaps those wiser bre heads would comment. :thumb: