When to bottle/keg

[Audiopup]

I have brewed my first real extract homebrew, an American pale ale. I let it ferment for a week, then when the action in the air lock slowed I racked it into a secondary fermenter. Unfortunately I haven't saved my pennies for a carboy yet, it's in a 6 gallon plastic bucket. How can I tell if it is ready to be racked into my corney and carbonated? I am worried that if I do it too soon, it may be cloudy.

Thanks guys.

[YamahaXS]

So I am guessing its about 2 weeks old total?

Rack it over to your cornie. you might/probably will get some extra yeast sediment in the first 4-5 pours, but 2 weeks is long enough for an APA (assuming the OG was around 1.050). This beer will still taste green until its a 3-4 weeks old, but you ought to be able to put in the cornie. I wouldn't expect it to be any less clear than if it sat in the bucket.

If you were bottling, I would tell you to wait another week unless you knew you had stable FG readings over a 3 day period.


IMO your concern about secondary fermenation in a plastic (aka O2 permeable) bucket is not really a concern unless until you are getting into 4+ weeks and were brewing a beer you intended to consume over a long period of time (like 6 months or so).

I like the fact that you have a keg set up before you have a carboy! :D

[Audiopup]

It has been just about two weeks. As far as the corney, it was a hand-me-down from an uncle who homebrewed. I was lucky he had all the hoses and fittings. Thanks for the quick reply.:D