Hey fellas, just put two separate 1-gallon brews of caribou in the fermenters. Question, after about 1.5 heavy days of heavy blowoff, the last week has been uneventful with little bubbling out of the airlocks. Should I bottle after 1-week? Wait for two full weeks ( per direction) or maybe do one at two weeks and one at three?
Thanks in advance.
-Funk
I’d wait 2 weeks. Ideally you should take a gravity reading for a few days towards the end of fermentation. If it’s the same, it’s ready to bottle. The problem is that taking several samples out of a gallon batch doesn’t leave much to bottle.
the best thing you can do for yourself is be patient. if you’ve done any research on caribou slobber, I’m sure you’ve read “it gets better with time”. Truer words were never spoken.My personal recommendation is 3 weeks in primary then taste it at 2 weeks (probably be a little watery and unimpressive) then 3 and so on. My extract was awesome after 3 weeks in bottle, all grain took 4-5.
When i bottle i always put at least 1 in plastic soda bottles so i know how carbing is going. I also like to put 4-6 in 7oz bottles like coronita’s, that way when i do an early taste i’m not wasting 12 oz (which is pretty precious in the 1 gallon batches)
2 weeks minimum, I would wait three as recommended above. I would fear losing too much from an already smaller batch doing too many readings. waiting 3 weeks would mean you should be more than safe.
Thanks everyone. Since I don’t have a way to measure the gravity, I will just have to rely on time in the fermentor. Three weeks seems like the consensus.
Side bar: has anyone gone to a secondary for a 1-gallon batch? Just curious as there is about an inch of goodies at the bottom of the beer and wondering if that’s having any effect on the taste.
[quote=“Detroit Funk”]Thanks everyone. Since I don’t have a way to measure the gravity, I will just have to rely on time in the fermentor. Three weeks seems like the consensus.
Side bar: has anyone gone to a secondary for a 1-gallon batch? Just curious as there is about an inch of goodies at the bottom of the beer and wondering if that’s having any effect on the taste.[/quote]
have never done a 1 gallon batch. But my personal view - don;t bother. for the carribo I am not sure you will get much (if any) benefit from a secondary. and if so, while most likely not going to happen, you just introduce the opportunity for more oxygen, more chances for contamination.
Not saying that if done properly doing a secondary will cause that. if you do it right 99% of the time you won’t. just saying it is just one more step I don;t think will give you enough benefits (of any) with this beer to even bother with.
BTW I don’t think taste wise it would matter
[quote=“Detroit Funk”]Thanks everyone. Since I don’t have a way to measure the gravity, I will just have to rely on time in the fermentor. Three weeks seems like the consensus.
Side bar: has anyone gone to a secondary for a 1-gallon batch? Just curious as there is about an inch of goodies at the bottom of the beer and wondering if that’s having any effect on the taste.[/quote]
I’ve left beer in the primary for 6 weeks without any taste issues; black IPA came out fresh/crisp/hoppy/boozy. Now that I have better equipment, I use a secondary on everything, hope to get clearer beer. I would just leave it until bottling day.
[quote]Thanks everyone. Since I don’t have a way to measure the gravity, I will just have to rely on time in the fermentor. Three weeks seems like the consensus.
Side bar: has anyone gone to a secondary for a 1-gallon batch? Just curious as there is about an inch of goodies at the bottom of the beer and wondering if that’s having any effect on the taste.[/quote]
Ive brewed the 1-gallon CS kit twice, both times moving to a secondary after 2 week. The loss of beer IMO is not worth moving, 4 weeks in the primary and you should be good. And wait as long as you can before “testing” a bottle or two, it only gets better with age.
