Short fermentation time

[napsternova]

This is my first go at brewing and I'm wanting to know if this sounds right. I have the 2 gallon kit with the bubbler upgrade and One Evil Pilsner mix. I'v noticed that after three days the bubbling has completely stopped. It was pretty active the first few days and hasn't bubbled in the last two. The temperature is at 68 degrees and I'm wondering if, 1. is the fermentation stage complete? and 2. could 68 degrees just be a bit to cold? I don't have a hydrometer, yet, so should I just give it time or should I go ahead and taste it and maybe start bottling it? I don't want to rush it, but if it's done, it's done. Any help is appreciated.

[Beer-lord]

Though it looks like its finished, it's very likely not. Fermentation can continue for days and 68 is about the perfect temperature at this stage.
It's really best to let it sit for 10-14 days (I wait up to 3 weeks) and let the yeast 'clean up' the beer which will make your first taste that much better.
The hardest thing about brewing is waiting the time for that first sip.

[Dawg LB Steve]

What Beer-lord said, and will add, when you get an hydrometer the best way to know fermentation has hit completion is to have the same reading for 3 days in a row. Pull a sample after 14 days then start to monitor the gravity. I usually pull the sample and wad up some paper towel or foam so CO2 can still escape the sample tube if its still going.
When you bottle your batch, leave it sit @ room temp for a minimum of 2 weeks, optimum 4 weeks.

[Bluejaye]

Patience. Think of all that activity as the start of a race, everyone is bunched up, there is lots of activity, it's exciting to watch. But the race is far from over, it's a long run and the runners trickle in at the finish line. Bottle at 3 weeks absent a hydrometer/refractometer.

[RickBeer]

Many of us follow 3-4. 3 weeks fermenting, 4 weeks (or more) in bottles at room temp. Can you do less than 3 weeks? Sure, by checking with a hydrometer. I go around 18 days and check with a hydrometer. If I'm at my final FG number, I cold crash. If not, I check again in 48 hours. I go 4 weeks, or more, for carbonating and conditioning. Can you go less? Sure. For wheats and hop forward beers many want to. I go 4 or more.

As a new brewer, I'd recommend you do 3-4 until you have made a bunch of batches and have a process down. Then, tweak what you want to and compare to when you didn't tweak.

[Nach]

Hi napsternova, I have also the 2 gallon batch, and my first beer was the Pilsner too.

I happened the same to me, after 3 days or some, it stopped bubbling, but fermentation continues, so give it up to 3 weeks if you don't have the hydrometer.

Mine it's pretty well flavored to be the first batch that I made.


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[FedoraDave]

Welcome to the Borg!

As the others have said, in the beginning, it's a good rule of thumb to let the beer go 3 weeks before bottling, and then allowing 4 weeks for conditioning in the bottle. As you get more experience, and get a hydrometer, you'll start to manage your beer to fit your circumstances. You'll just understand it better.

It was said in one of the comments that the yeast need to clean things up, even after fermentation is complete, and this is true. There's more to brewing beer than converting sugar into alcohol. It's like building a house. The early stages are the rough (but important) stuff; pouring the foundation, framing the structure, etc. The last stages are the finer points, such as making sure the window and door moldings line up well, caulking the gaps, hanging the curtains.... Beer is like that; the yeast are still going to be working even after bottling, and it makes a big difference in the final product. Sure, you could bottle it after just one week of fermentation, and you could drink it one or two weeks after bottling it. You could also live in a house with unpainted drywall and no kitchen cabinets. But it's nicer if you wait.