First batch - carbonation?

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subourbonite
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Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:11 pm

First batch - carbonation?

Post by subourbonite »

Hi folks, I'm new here... I have been eyeing a homebrew kit for years, but finally took the plunge about two weeks ago. Everything seems to have gone well so far - starting and ending specific gravities were almost dead on for the recipe I was using, and other than being warm and flat, the fermented beer tasted fine (no off or funky taste, hops came through OK). If it matters, I am brewing an American Pale Ale.

I bottled the beer this past Sunday (in 22oz bottles), using the traditional method of boiling some priming sugar w/ water and adding it to the bottling bucket prior to siphoning the beer in.

So, my question - it's been almost 48 hours, and I see no activity in the bottles. Should I be seeing anything, or is this normal?

Also, I have had some advice that the beer is ready to drink a week after bottling, and other people have told me to wait a month. Which is correct?
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Camper
Light Lager
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Location: Sacramento, CA

Carbonation

Post by Camper »

Yes, it is normal to see nothing happing in the bottles. Over the next several days to a couple of weeks depending on temperature, you should see what looks like dust (yeast) settling on the bottom of the bottles.

I wait two weeks after bottling before I crack one open for a taste. This allows for good carbonation to develop. My beers usually taste best after several months or longer depending on type. Patience is a virtue in home brewing. Sometimes my beer is almost gone before it reaches its peak and I find myself wishing I had waited.
akueck
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Post by akueck »

I agree, wait at least two weeks. Beers with strong flavors or high alcohol will take longer. I also suggest leaving a bottle in the frige for a few days minimum before opening it. The extra time in the cold helps the CO2 dissolve evenly into the beer, giving you better carbonation. A week or two in the frige will also really improve the clarity.
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Peanutt
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Post by Peanutt »

Also a lot depends on temperature. If your storage area is anything like my basement (65 F) then you will have to wait longer. My first two batches are just now starting to taste good and it's been almost 2 months.
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cozrulz
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Post by cozrulz »

Wait at least 2 weeks. Last week I opened one of my brown ales that had only been bottled for a week. There was very little carbonation, not enough to form a head. Tonight I opened another, two weeks bottled, and it has a pretty good head. It also tastes a lot better. It still tastes too young, but is progressing very nicely.
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cozrulz
Pale Ale
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Post by cozrulz »

I've been drinking one a day, since Friday. Today's beer is the best yet. In 3 more days it will be 3 weeks since I bottled. It has been interesting watching the clarity change and tasting the flavors come together.

At first I wasn't sure how much I would homebrew, but now I'm already thinking about my next batch. Possibly a cream ale, something for the summer which is in the Summertime Brews thread.
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