First Brew Question

[banapony]

I am making BrewDemon Red Ale. It has been seven days and I have not seen any air bubbling from the airlock. How can tell if fermentation has happened and is complete for bottling?

[bpgreen]

Presence of bubbles in the airlock is a sign that fermentation is happening, but absence of bubbles doesn't always mean an absence of fermentation.

You should see a layer of dead yeast, hops, etc forming on the bottom of the fermenter. This is called trub (rhymes with rube). That tells you that something has been happening. The only way to be 100% sure fermentation has finished is by taking hydrometer readings. You can also taste a small amount and if it tastes like flat beer (not sweet) it should be done.

I personally think the beer benefits from more time in the fermenter. I usually go 2-3 weeks.

[banapony]

Thanks for the info. Do you know what the hydrometer reading should be at.

[bpgreen]

There's not really a "right" answer for what the final reading should be. What's important is that it doesn't change when you take two reasons a couple of days apart.

With a small batch, it's tempting to pour the hydrometer sample back in so you don't lose it, but I advise against that because it risks contamination. Some people will cover the hydrometer tube and check it after a couple of days. I usually just wait for 2-3 weeks (it's probably done after 7-10 days and definitely done by 2 weeks). If you take an original and final gravity reading (OG and FG), you can calculate your ABV.