Ready for Monday brew day

[Herm brews]

I’m at the lhbs with my wife, enjoying a cold hazy IPA. I have a sack full of double-milled malted barley, and a packet of yeast. At home, I have Cascade and Chinook hops, and equipment waiting to brew. Tomorrow is gonna be brew day, my first attempt at all-grain IPA, using BIAB method. The recipe is my adaptation of a recipe found here on Brewers Friend. Anticipating .....

 

[GFHomebrew]

Enjoy the process!

 

[Herm brews]

I will

 

[The Brew Mentor]

And, down the Rabbit hole you go!
Have fun,
Brian

 

[philjohnwilliams]

A number of years ago I tried doing an all grain batch just to see what it was like, I brewed strictly extract up to this point, and since that day I have brewed exclusively all grain. Enjoy.

 

[Herm brews]

To clarify, this will actually be my third all grain BIAB brew session; the previous 2 were American Pale Ales.
Last week’s brew is still in primary fermentation, lightly bubbling, and I’ll give it at least another week (maybe longer) before dry hopping for a few days. Since these are one gallon batches, I won’t be testing for final gravity, instead relying on time and patience.

 

[Vallka]

Well how is it turning out ?

 

[Herm brews]

My Earth Day Brew (Herm’s Pale Ale) is still bubbling lightly, and so is my brew from 4/29 (ChinCade IPA).
The Herm’s will get dry hopped soon, and the ChinCade will be dry hopped about a week later. On Monday 5/13, I plan to bottle Herm’s, and a week later do the same with ChinCade. Then I plan to let each bottle condition for at least 2 weeks.
On Memorial Day, I plan to open a Herm’s Pale Ale to test. I’ll be sure to post about my results.

 

[Herm brews]

I just added a quarter ounce of Cascade pellets to Herm’s Pale Ale in the fermenter. Lots of bubbling and increased airlock activity. Fun to watch this activity. On Monday (5/13) I plan to bottle.

 

[Herm brews]

So, here it is Monday 5/13, and my Herm’s Pale Ale is still bubbling, airlock is active. It has been 3 weeks since brew day, and it seems that fermentation is ongoing. Is it not unusual for a dry hops addition to reinvigorate a near complete fermentation? I am plenty patient, and I certainly don’t want any bottle bombs, but I expected to be bottling today.
Any advice?
ETA - this is only a gallon in a glass carboy, so I don’t plan to check final gravity. Expecting to fill 9 twelve ounce bottles.

 

[Mase]

Unfortunately, unless you have a refractometer to save beer, there’s no real way to tell if it’s done or not. I’d take a Hydrometer reading though to be sure. If the bubbling is slow enough, it could be just off-gassing. If you continue making small batches, it might be a good investment into a refractometer as you’ll only need 5 or 6 drops of beer.

 

[Herm brews]

So, I bought myself a refractometer. This morning, I drew a sample of Herm’s Pale Ale for a hydrometer reading, and also checked with the refractometer. Both yielded an apparent SG of 1.012, and the fermenter and air lock are still bubbling away. I drank the test jar sample, and it tasted good, like a hoppy pale ale should. I also dropped a sample of ChinCade IPA on the refractometer, and got an apparent SG of 1.010, right where it should be. I’ll check both again tomorrow. I am debating whether or not to dry hop the IPA - my wife says skip it this time. Bottling day on the horizon?

 

[Maguire]

Sounds like on are on the right track. Enjoy the brew.

 

[Herm brews]

Bottling Day!
I bottled both Herm’s Pale Ale and ChinCade IPA today, getting 9 bottles of the former, and 10 bottles of the latter.
It is my hope that I will get to enjoy a bottle or two of each while on a weekend camping trip June 8 & 9.
Cheers!