acparr27

Recipes 

I have an oatmeal stout kit that has been in the primary for 6 weeks. Is this beer going to be ok? Why is 4 weeks seem to be the max that people go?

I am also fermenting around 65 degrees in my basement.

Thanks for the input!

blackbear219

Recipes 

Sounds like it will be delicious to me. No worries at all with 6 weeks.

frazier

Recipes 

People do 4 weeks because usually, that's enough. No problem in going a little longer, because, you know, life happens.

Six months might be a little long. but 6 weeks you will have a great batch.

__________________
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"Anything worth doing, is worth doing slowly." ~~ Mae West

rjsnau

Recipes 

You have to be careful because the yeast can autolysis and produce alot off flavors. At 6 weeks you should be fine but I would not do any longer and I would try to not do longer than 4 weeks normally.

KYB

Recipes 

I've had multiple beers for 6 months primary with no sign of autolysis. It's fine.

djfriesen

Recipes 

2 things I've heard as to why you don't want to leave in primary for excessively long times:

1) Leaving the beer on the yeast cake can lead to off flavors.

I have heard this is one of the carryovers from early homebrewing. Recent advances in strain quality have made it much less of an issue. In fact, it can be beneficial for your beer to stay in primary longer. Your yeast will clean up after itself by eating some of the byproducts of the vigorous fermentation.

2) Oxygenation

Admittedly, this is a bigger problem with secondaries, as the CO2 from fermentation is no longer present. However, claims have been made that leaving beer in a plastic fermenter can lead to oxygen leeching into the beer through the plastic walls of the FV. If you are fermenting in glass, this is a non-issue. However, it is something to think about if you use Ale Pails, Better Bottles, or the like.

bucfanmike

Recipes 

it likely will be the best beer you have made. no worries at 6 weeks.

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Mike in Duluth

Currently on Tap
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2. BM Centennial Blonde
3. LHMS Clone

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Next on Tap-Denny Conn Rye IPA
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birvine

Recipes 

I agree - no worries.

B

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acparr27

Recipes 

Thanks for all of the replies everyone. I will be bottling this tonight.

For this, I am going to be using DME for priming in the bottles. How much should I use for 50 bottles? Ive heard 1 1/4 cup. I think im going to get a scale tonight to measure the amount of ounces. For corn sugar, 5 oz is normal right?

Thanks again!

Vuarra

Recipes 

You might want to let up on that figure just a little. Considering it's an oatmeal stout, I'd actually use less sugar, perhaps 4oz to 4.5 oz, since you don't want it as carbonated as a lager or pale ale.

__________________
If you are not growing your own 6th generation barley and hops, you're not *really* homebrewing.
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Fermenting: Real Ale, Extract Lager (with WLP830), India Pale Ale

Conditioning: Nothing

Drinking: Pale Ale from the keg