First Post and First Brew!
I have currently brewed my first batch of NB Irish Red and it has successfully fermented. The instructions state that I should use a secondary fermentor after 2 weeks, but from what I have read (Palmer’s) and through forums, its not necessary for a beer of this type and only adds the risk of contamination. So i have decided to skip it (Good idea?), but what is unclear to me is how long I should leave it in the primary? I have heard some people state 10 days or even 3 weeks, but for a beer of this type how long should it go?
I am on day 10 right now so I am wondering should I bottle this weekend or next? As of last night it is still fairly murky.
Leave it in primary for the total recipe time for primary and secondary combined.
4 weeks won’t be to long?
No four weeks will be just fine. The additional aging time allows the yeast to clean up any off flavors and by products that may have occured during fermentation as well as let the mature.
First 18 hours in I think went well!
What size carboy is that? and what size batch? Because if that is a 6 gal carboy with a five gallon batch you didn’t top off enough. you are well under the five gallon mark.
Oh yeah I know I’m under. I forgot to mark where the 5 gallon mark was before I started pouring in. What effect will this have?
Oh yeah I know I’m under. I forgot to mark where the 5 gallon mark was before I started pouring in. What effect will this have?[/quote]
you will have a more concentrated wort. Higher starting gravity and higher abv. But also less beer. Won’t be the exact beer the recipe called for. you look to be a good gallon short.
but I think I would just let it go.
Going from a five gallon batch with 6lbs of gold malt extract to a four gallon batch with the same malt extract you are jumping roughly ten gravity points.
so from 1.044 to 1.054
If both beers finished the same final gravity, lets say 1.011.
The five gallon batch would be:
(1.044-1.011)*131 = 4.3% ABV
and with a srm color rating of 11
Where as at 4 gallons you would have the following:
(1.054-1.011)*131 = 5.6% ABV
with a srm color rating of 13
So a darker beer as well.
Oh yeah I know I’m under. I forgot to mark where the 5 gallon mark was before I started pouring in. What effect will this have?[/quote]
you will have a more concentrated wort. Higher starting gravity and higher abv. But also less beer. Won’t be the exact beer the recipe called for. you look to be a good gallon short.
but I think I would just let it go.[/quote]
Yeah I thought the gravity seemed a bit high when I took it, 1.050. Live and learn 
I’d suggest using a gallon water jug from the store and marking off each gallon.
For my first batch i used an iced tea pitcher with an aprox gallon marking to measure and my top off ended up being over a half gallon shy of a true five gallons.
[quote=“beerme11”]I’d suggest using a gallon water jug from the store and marking off each gallon.
For my first batch i used an iced tea pitcher with an aprox gallon marking to measure and my top off ended up being over a half gallon shy of a true five gallons.[/quote]
yeah I am thinking before the next brew day of installing a sight gauge on my kettle, then at the end of the boil before cooling adding the remaining water needed.
[quote=“griffithben”][quote=“beerme11”]I’d suggest using a gallon water jug from the store and marking off each gallon.
For my first batch i used an iced tea pitcher with an aprox gallon marking to measure and my top off ended up being over a half gallon shy of a true five gallons.[/quote]
yeah I am thinking before the next brew day of installing a sight gauge on my kettle, then at the end of the boil before cooling adding the remaining water needed.[/quote]
As long as you use the same kettle you could just use a chop stick of some thing and make notches as each gallon is added to the kettle and use that as a scale for your boil water. I’d still mark the fermentor as well
[quote=“beerme11”][quote=“griffithben”][quote=“beerme11”]I’d suggest using a gallon water jug from the store and marking off each gallon.
For my first batch i used an iced tea pitcher with an aprox gallon marking to measure and my top off ended up being over a half gallon shy of a true five gallons.[/quote]
yeah I am thinking before the next brew day of installing a sight gauge on my kettle, then at the end of the boil before cooling adding the remaining water needed.[/quote]
As long as you use the same kettle you could just use a chop stick of some thing and make notches as each gallon is added to the kettle and use that as a scale for your boil water. I’d still mark the fermentor as well[/quote]
Thats actually a much better idea. One less thing to clean. Maybe just notch and number stamp my stir spoon even?
yup i just used a chop stick becuase i didnt have a dedicated spoon for brewing but as soon as i get one thats what im doing
