Brewed my first batch (Extract)...

[Stout@TheDevil]

On Black Friday. It's a Dunkelweizen and I think I came out okay. I think my main issues for my first batch were, not knowing how hot my burner could get so quickly, ease of getting the extract out of the cartons, and measuring the wort post boil in the ice bath.

on the last point, i measured it about 10 minutes after I put it into the water and ice bath and my instructions were to bring it to 100 degrees before adding it to 2.5 gallons of water in the fermenter and top off to make a 5 gallon batch. it measured out at about 160 and climbing so I waited, swirled it a bit with the (sanitized) lid on it. I didn't want to keep sanitizing and measuring, but I didn't really have a choice, my brew pot does not have a temp gauge on it.

So, I think I measured an additional two times before it was under a 100.

Got it to 75ish in the bucket, pitched it, sealed it, it's in my closet.

So now, it has the krausen top last time I checked and the instructions calls for a move to a secondary fermenter after 1-2 weeks, but I'm going to skip that and not risk the infection seeing as I tempted fate a whole bunch of times measuring it over and over.

My question is this, when do I know if it's done fermenting. In theory, I know I take a sample after I think it's done fermenting, note gravity then do it again after a few days to see if there's no change, but is there something physical I should be looking for? Done gurgling? Krausen drop? to indicate it's just about done fermenting? I just don't want to start measuring too soon.

the original directions calls for 1-2 weeks in primary and then 1-2 weeks in secondary fermenter. Since I am skipping secondary, should I just go 3-4 weeks in primary?

Thanks for any tips, guys and gals.

 

[jmcnamara]

Congrats on the brew
Id say leave it at 2 weeks. You're probably close to fine once the krausen drops but another few days won't hurt.

Also, have you looked at a floating thermometer? As long as your pots deep enough. Leave it in there so you don't have to keep santizing, just lift the lid and check

 

[Craigerrr]

The hardest thing to do with your first batch is to be patient and let the yeast do it's thing.
I have learned that the best thing to do is forget about it for 2 weeks, then check the gravity.
Chances are by then that it will be at target FG.
Others will chime in.
I have not brewed a dunkel, so I can only speak to the ales I have brewed.
Whether a dunkel needs more time, and what yeast you used would be factors that I could not comment on.
Hope you had a fun brew day, I love brew days, except for the clean up part

 

[Nosybear]

Since it's a Weizen, you can really package it any time after primary fermentation is complete. But letting it go a full two weeks is probably a good idea.

 

[Stout@TheDevil]

thanks, guys. floating therm sounds like the ticket until I can afford a pot with a temp gauge. I'll report back my results I advance to drinking it.

 

[Hawkbox]

Or just a cup of starsan to put the thermometer in between use. Not optimal but fairly low risk.