What should I see when bottle conditioning?

[branlovesbeer]

I have just bottled my beer after. It was nearly crystal clear (beer colored of course).
There was none, if any yeast still floating around.

What should I see when bottle conditioning? It's been 4 days and there has been no action in the bottles. It is just clear. No Sediment, nothing.

1 week in Primary.
2 weeks in secondary

[Mill Rat]

While a batch is bottle conditioning you should go see other beers, pour them into glassware, and drink them. Drying paint is far more entertaining to watch than bottle-conditioning beer. After only three weeks since brewing there is still plenty of viable yeast floating around, though you can't see them (that's why they're called microorganisms). Best case scenario, the only sign you'll have that the yeast have done their job is a layer of sediment at the bottom of the bottle. Worst case scenario is bottles exploding because the secondary fermentation wasn't done or dumped in too much priming sugar. Make sure you've got this beer a decently warm temperature (~70 F), or the bottle conditioning will proceed at an even more miserably abysmal pace. You've got 2-3 weeks of waiting for this to be ready, so go have fun with the other beers.

[Mad Scientist]

bran, you need to relax.

I would advise to have a homebrew, but your stuff is still too green.

So, in which case, I'll advise you to go have a good beer. In your case, I'd advise something strong like an IIPA or a barleywine. Or, go track down North Coast brewing's Old Stock Ale, fantastic beer, that will make you want to brew more.

:D

[stronk]

Yeah, it sounds like you'll have enough yeast, given 2 week secondary. The layer of yeast will only develop when the bottle conditioning is nearly done. Also, you might get a very thin ring of foam around the very top of the liquid that sticks there until you wash the bottle out with a brush.

[corkybstewart]

Exactly what you're seeing. If you do see activity in your bottles its time to put them somewhere to limit the damage when they start exploding

Put those bottles away and be patient. Leave them where they'll be warm but dark and let them sit 2 weeks before you open one. Actually, try one at one week but be prepared to be disappointed. This is the toughest part of that first batch. I hope your second batch is headed for secondary soon.

[Thirsty in NY]

The waiting is the tough part at first, but eventually you get used to it and you start to trust that everything will work out pretty well. And if it doesn't, it's usually fairly easy to figure out what happened and do something different for the next batch. At least that's been my experience.

[Mad Scientist]

Yeah, the waiting really killed me too.

But I usually have enough beer on hand that I do not have to worry about being out of beer, or not having anything to drink.

[Thirsty in NY]

Yeah I forgot that part. Having enough beer on hand will help get you through the waiting. And just think: eventually, you won't have to buy beer anymore unless you want to.

[Mad Scientist]

Originally posted by Thirsty in NY
Yeah I forgot that part. Having enough beer on hand will help get you through the waiting. And just think: eventually, you won't have to buy beer anymore unless you want to.

I've been at that point for a long time.

I must comment though that I can't wait for may IIPA to be done aging....

[steveh]

Originally posted by Boerne Brew
bran, you need to relax.

Heh, heh, heh - yeah, that was gonna be my reply. Remember I said to put them in a cool, dark corner and forget 'em? Put 'em in a cool, dark corner and forget 'em! 4 days is no time at all - I have a picture of you running home at night and pulling out the bottles to peer through them.

I have a great cartoon on my refigerator, a "Dave" from over 10 years ago, remember Dave? He's sitting on his couch watching TV with his buddy, drinking a six-pack - home-brew supplies strewn on the coffee table. His girlfriend, Darla (Stan), is peaking around the corner asking, "I thought you guys were gonna make home-brew?" Dave says, "We were, but we ran out of one key ingredient." His friend says, "Patience."

I know it's easy for a patient person to say "be patient," but it really is a key ingredient in brewing!

S.

[Mill Rat]

Bran, what you need to do is what we call "filling the pipeline." Waiting for the most recent batch to mature is a lot easier when you've got bottles from the last 4-12 batches sitting around just waiting for you to drink them. It's tough those first few months to keep brewing every weekend or two when the rewards are slim, but by the time you're a year into the obsession, you'll be saying "Shit, I've only got eight cases in bottles (or four kegs on tap and two aging), I'd better get busy and fill the pipeline again!"

[twilliams1223]

I know it's easy for a patient person to say "be patient," but it really is a key ingredient in brewing!

Oh hell yes. That is the hardest thing to master. I've only been brewing for a few months, and now its easy to wait the 2 weeks to get bubbles. The couple of extra weeks for them to taste great is still an issue. Wait till you brew your first Pilsner. The waiting for fermentation is agony.

[Mad Scientist]

Well, mill rat is right, much easier to be patient when you have a full pipe line....

[corkybstewart]

In the good old days I could be very patienht, when the pipe was full.

[branlovesbeer]

It's not so much that I am impatient. I can wait the time, no problem. It's the not knowing part.

If any of you have taken a look at my other post (I have included the link below), that is why I am kind of anxious.

This is my first batch and I am not sure what is supposed to be what. I am just looking for a little reassurance and guidence.

Smelled of green apples. (http://www.realbeer.com/discussions/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12940)

My bottles are tucked away in a nice dark place at a constant 68F (It's cold here in the south right now so it's keeping the house cool).

I only check the beer every 3 or 4 days.

Pleasantly surprised, when I looked today, There was a nice yeast cake (1mm) forming on the bottom. I hope that's a good sign. I'll probably check again in another 4 days.

Thanks guys.

[Mad Scientist]

bran, it is a sign of normal bottle aging, and if you are only getting a mm or so of sediment, then you did a good job racking to your bottling bucket.

[branlovesbeer]

Thanks man.

One question though...

How much sediment is there typically at the end?

[Mad Scientist]

About as much as you are seeing now. Once it settles out, it won't change (visually) much more.

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by Boerne Brew
About as much as you are seeing now. Once it settles out, it won't change (visually) much more.

more particle might settle out, but the sediment at the bottom will pack together a bit more.