cpac2k

Recipes 

So I brewed my third batch NB's Waldo lake amber ale extract kit and was going to bottle last Sunday but had a bunch of stuff come up so it looks like I will not get to it until Friday that's exactly four weeks. Is this too much time in the primary?? Should I try to bottle ASAP?
Thanks in advance, Chris

freisste

Recipes 

Lots of people leave it in primary longer than that. This will probably be a great beer.

The only time I worry about my timeframe for bottling is if I have dry hopped and I am worried about the hops starting to taste like grass.

501irishred

Recipes 

4 weeks is actually the minimum time I primary unless I happen to be using a secondary as well.

Jayhem

Recipes 

I always shoot for 4 weeks primary as it gives enough time for the yeast to clean up the bi-products of fermentation and allows the beer to clear more before you bottle.

The biggest beginner mistake in home brewing is not giving enough time.

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Next up: Caramel Amber Ale (Chinook)
Primary #1 + 2: Red Zombie IPA
Bottle Conditioning: Centennial Blonde Summer Ale, Shmuck's Belgian Dubbel, Dry Irish Stout
Drinking: Honeybee American Wheat Ale

cpac2k

Recipes 

4 weeks it is then. My first two batches sat for three weeks so it will be interesting to see the difference another week makes.

unionrdr

Recipes 

__________________
Everything works if ya let it-Roady(meatloaf)

TopherM

Recipes 

I've been brewing for about 2.5 years now and have somewhere around 80 batches under my belt.

In my experience, an average gravity (4.5-6.0 ABV), non-wheat ale seems to peak at around 12-14 weeks from brewday, obviously not withstanding hop aroma and other "freshness" factors, just the base beer itself.

I think ideally, something like that amber should really be 2 weeeks in primary, then keg/bottle and really let it sit at room temp for another 4-6 weeks to bulk condition, then a good 3-4 weeks at fridge temps, then serve.

Of course, not many of us have the pipeline to wait that long, and the same ale is certainly about 85% of it's peak after about 4-6 weeks. Not to mention, we all make bad batches and it is just a kick in the balls to wait 12-14 weeks for a batch that doesn't turn out.

Anyway, just my observation. I still am drinking most of my batches 4-6 weeks after brewday myself, but just like everyone else, the last bottle is always the best bottle!

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Primary #1 - Summer Hopped Hefeweizen
Primary #2 - EMPTY!
Primary #3 - EMPTY!
Secondary #1 - Downtown Flanders Brown (Due June 2013)
Secondary #2 - Pinot Noir Wine (Due December 2013)
Keg #1 - Bavarian Pilsner Ale
Keg #2 - Hard Cider (Spring SeaCider)
Keg #3 - Centennial Blonde
Bottled - NONE!