Am i ready to bottle

AidanMatthews · Post by **AidanMatthews** » Tuesday Feb 27, 2007 6:37 pm

Hydrometer on 25/2 said 1020
27/2 1014

its been 8 days at 22-23*C

i notice it takes a while but every 15 - 20 minutes it will bubble in the airlock

is it still fermenting?

i think i may need to bottle later what do u guys think>?

OG was 1042

SpillsMostOfIt · Post by **SpillsMostOfIt** » Tuesday Feb 27, 2007 7:10 pm

If it is still bubbling, it is still fermenting. One of the things you *can* take from the Coopers video is that you need multiple consecutive days where the hydrometer reading is the same before you can consider the fermentation to be complete.

Unless you're planning to spray your entire neighbourhood with glass, I'd recommend you leave it until hydrometer says yes...

Patience is part of brewing. I am a crap brewer...

AidanMatthews · Post by **AidanMatthews** » Tuesday Feb 27, 2007 7:23 pm

well looks like its movie night tonight.

ill test with hydrometer tomorrow.

l'orange · Post by **l'orange** » Tuesday Feb 27, 2007 7:34 pm

aidan, i'd say its going to be ready really soon, but why not let it sit for a little while, besides the aging will make it taste better, something that needs to be done in the bottle, so there is simply no harm in leaving the fermenter... or racking if you feel up to it... for a while.

SpillsMostOfIt · Post by **SpillsMostOfIt** » Tuesday Feb 27, 2007 7:35 pm

If you see any airlock action at all, there is no need to invite Mr Hydrometer to the party. Wait for a day or so after there is no airlock action before you bother with taking readings.

Boonie · Post by **Boonie** » Tuesday Feb 27, 2007 8:06 pm

Same FG over 2-3 days.............bottle it

Have not had one blow up yet using this theory.

If you want to play it safe, rack it and wait 3-4 days.

Cheers

Boonie

Aussie Claret · Post by **Aussie Claret** » Wednesday Feb 28, 2007 8:23 am

Boonie is quite correct, if the SG remains the same over a couple of days the fermentation is finished and it's ready to bottle.

Watching the air lock to determine when fermentation is frought with danger; you may still see some air lock activity when fermentation is finished, this is quite normal as CO2 is simply coming out of solution it does not indicate that fermentation is still going on.

AC

Boonie · Post by **Boonie** » Wednesday Feb 28, 2007 11:26 am

Another tip is to spin the Hydrometer as sometimes the bubbles around the Hydrometer will suspend it a little higher.

I had one that read 1018 and I shite myself, spun it and it dropped to 1010

, no kidding. This was a very bubbly brew for some reason or another.

Tested next day and the 1010 was constant, bottled it....and no kaboom.

Cheers

Boonie

AidanMatthews · Post by **AidanMatthews** » Wednesday Feb 28, 2007 7:51 pm

Ok so it was 1014 two days in a row..

so i bottled it..

when poured into the bottle it formed a small head, it should still be a little fizzy when bottling it yeah??

the last brew was dead flat when bottled and flat when drinking.

Boonie · Post by **Boonie** » Wednesday Feb 28, 2007 8:44 pm

AidanMatthews wrote:Ok so it was 1014 two days in a row..

so i bottled it..

when poured into the bottle it formed a small head, it should still be a little fizzy when bottling it yeah??

the last brew was dead flat when bottled and flat when drinking.

Mine always have a small head on them. Sounds OK to me.

Cheers

Boonie

blandy · Post by **blandy** » Wednesday Feb 28, 2007 8:46 pm

Sometimes they can be a bit fizzy when bottling. Nothing to worry about if you've done youre SG readings properly