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FAQ

4 bytes added, 01:56, 16 April 2022
When is the beer ready or when can I bottle/blend
Q: When will my beer be ready, or my beer is at 1.XXX---can I bottle/keg it? Can I blend it?
A: For first time sour beer brewers, no one can tell you when your beer will be ready; this is determined on a case by case basis due to the many variables involved. Only you can determine this. Despite internet rumors, sour or mixed/Brett fermentation beers don't always end up at or below 1.000 final gravity (some can end up quite a few points above that depending on the microbe selection and the wort composition). There is also no set time frame when the beer will be ready to package. The best guide is a long-term stable gravity: if your gravity has remained stable between several readings, then your beer may be ready for packaging. However, since the different organisms involved in sour beer production grow at different rates, a beer that was stable over a short period may begin fermenting again. Ideally, you should look for stable gravity readings over a period of two months.  When blending (especially with a non-sour beer such as a clean Saison), it is best to rest the blend in a fermenter for two months to make sure the gravity is stable. Don't assume that a low gravity clean beer , such as a very dry Saison , won't further attenuate once blended with a sour beer with Brett in it. If kegging instead of bottling, packaging before the final gravity is reached is ok since kegs can hold the additional pressure, and the carbonation can be adjusted. Using a [https://byo.com/project/build-your-own-spunding-valve-to-carbonate-in-the-keg/ spunding valve] with a keg can help achieve the desired carbonation. See the [[Packaging]] page for details on how to package your beer.
The other factor to consider is how does the beer taste? If it tastes good, and the gravity is stable, then you can package it. If the beer does not seem to have a mature flavor from the ''Brettanomyces'' and has off-flavors that need to age out, then feel free to age it longer. Some off-flavors will change even when bottled or kegged, but others (such as sulfur-based compounds) will need to dissipate out of the fermenter slowly over time.

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