Since you have a refractometer you can use it for the SG readings and save ounces of beer for the bottles. Refractometers are not accurate when alcohol is present though. You will need to use a conversion calculator. This is one of the online calculators available. Refractometers work by refracting light. If you were to take one sample while there is still a lot of yeast suspended and a second sample without suspended yeast, the conversion will be skewed. In a week to a week and a half you will see your IPA clearing. It is very noticeable.
You may be able to successfully bottle from the fermentor with another person to hold the siphon above the trub layer. Not terrible to suck up some of the trub when working alone, but it means you will be pouring less from each bottle to avoid the extra sediment in your glass.
My previous advice about tilting the fermentor before bottling may not work with a one gallon jug fermentor. The small sized mouth of the jug most likely will not allow angling the siphon all the way to the bottom edge. Time in the fermentor will allow the yeast/trub layer to compact allowing the maximum to be siphoned.
Don’t worry about introducing oxygen to take a sample. Splashing will force air into the beer resulting in oxidation. Just don’t pick your fermentor up and shake it.
Plan for three weeks in the fermentor. Your beer will most likely be ready to bottle by that time. Take your first SG reading about day 15. Take a second a few days later. Let us know what the readings are.
Beer can be filtered, but requires a bit of equipment and a CO2 atmosphere. something to consider when you start brewing multiple barrels at a time. Most craft breweries don’t filter.
Over the next couple of weeks you can read The Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian. It is a very good book on brewing.
Welcome to the NB forum. Any question is a good question.
Thank you ive never used a refractometer so it will take getting used to and i changed the airlock today everything looks ok the foam decreased a ton il take the hydrometer readings in a week at day 15 like you said and post those im really excited to see how it is and when i bottle do i just drop in the primmer after i fill the bottle?
@Donovanbrannen: My experience with bottling from a gallon carboy is that @flars approach does work: the angles will allow the siphon to get ‘close enough’ to bottom edge of a gallon carboy - so you won’t leave any beer behind and generally won’t pull up any trub.
edit: forgot to add a “+1” for the Papazian book recommendation.
First, thanks to everyone here helping me make my first batch of (Irish Red Ale) beer!
Since my original post, my 1 gallon of red ale sat for 2.5 weeks in the fermenter (around 70 degrees), then I bottled and let it sit for another 2-3 weeks before storing it in the fridge.
I drank the first bottle after about 12 hours in the fridge. It tasted ‘ok’ but had a slight bite to it and highly carbonated like a cola drink. After 2-3 days in the fridge, I drank the second beer and the carbonation was acceptable and the taste had mellowed out. I used the Fizz Drops that came with the kit, I’m not sure if that had a part in the carbonation.
Overall, I’m happy with the batch and have learned quite a bit!
I’ve already started my second batch, this time it’s 2 gallons of Dry Irish Stout in a 3 gallon carboy (with blow off tube!). After learning that temperature is key, I went with a swamp cooler and have successfully kept the temps between 60-65 degrees for a week now.
Which brings up a question: Is it better to keep the carboy around 60-65 degrees for the duration of being in the fermenter (2-3 weeks), or is it just critical for the first few days; After which, sitting at 70 degrees would suffice?
On deck, is 2 gallons of the White House Honey Ale, brew day to come…
After a few days, you can let the temp rise gradually. This might let the yeast finish a bit dryer, too. Congrats on the first beer! Sounds like you’re on your way to great beer. You’re asking the right questions…
I usually hold the fermentation temperature for four to five days just to make sure the flavor profile is set. It is longer than necessary, but I still do it. I’ll then let the temperature of the beer free rise to the ambient temperature. Ambient during the winter is 68°F in the brew room and 66°F during the summer. I keep the fermentor in the swamp cooler water, but no wet towel or fan. This will prevent the temperature of the beer from rising or falling if their would be ambient temperature swings.
I have about five gallons of water in the swamp cooler. I add about two tablespoons of bleach to the water to prevent the slime growth.
I was so glad to find this post. I brewed the Red Ale as my first solo project and had almost the same experience. I bottled just over a week ago. I’m glad to read that all worked out for you. I’ll give mine another week and hope for the best. Happy brewing.
yes had it happen once did make my wife happy noooot did atach now a blowover hose for the first week once active fermenting stops switch to a regular air lock and i use a concreet bucket with ice to cool my worth so it stays at the right temp for fermentin. but the bucket as well in case it spills over it does end up in the bucket. i did learn the hard way lots of cleaning and paint my brewing room
