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Author Topic: Fermenting done... question on timing  (Read 1237 times)

Offline beerinmyhand

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Fermenting done... question on timing
« on: August 08, 2017, 11:11:21 am »
I got a nice home-brew kit from my coworkers as a wedding gift and after buying some additional equipment, I had my first brew day on July 29th.  Now, it's day 10 and fermentation is completed, no bubbles, foam is gone (I don't have a hydrometer so going to wing it this time).  I have my honeymoon coming up (I'll be out of town for a week), so I was hoping to get some advice from fellow homebrewers on what I should do.

Option 1: Leave in primary until I return (August 28th), dry hop then, bottle during the weekend (September 2nd).  That'd be roughly 5 weeks in primary.

Option 2: Rack to secondary this week (I've read mixed reviews on secondary, but since it'd be a long fermentation time, it may be better?), dry hop August 28th, bottle that weekend.

Option 3: Add dry hops this week to primary (maybe august 11th, and bottle during the middle of next week).

As you can tell, it's my first batch so I want to make sure that I don't mess anything up.  I'm using the Chinook IPA Extract kit from Northern Brewers for recipe reference.   
 
#beerinmyhand

Offline denny

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Re: Fermenting done... question on timing
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2017, 11:24:56 am »
I' leave it in primary til you get back.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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Offline sn00ky

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Re: Fermenting done... question on timing
« Reply #2 on: August 08, 2017, 11:39:24 am »
I'd get a hydrometer, check gravity over next few days.  If it's done , no secondary, unless you can displace the entire head space.  Regardless primary will be ok just be sure to put enough fluid in airlock so it doesn't dry up. 
If it were me, I would dry hop now for 5 days then bottle before you leave.

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Offline dmtaylor

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Re: Fermenting done... question on timing
« Reply #3 on: August 08, 2017, 12:15:46 pm »
Add dry hops now today, wait about 4 days, then bottle or keg.  Boom.  No need to rack or dilly-dally, just do everything in primary.
Dave

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Offline denny

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Re: Fermenting done... question on timing
« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2017, 12:41:09 pm »
Add dry hops now today, wait about 4 days, then bottle or keg.  Boom.  No need to rack or dilly-dally, just do everything in primary.

Unless you don't like the hop character you get from dry hopping in primary.  I've been bitten by that.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell