Advice on Planning Fermentation Time.

Sediment · 03-24-2009, 05:36 PM

I am planning on brewing an English style brown ale with a very basic recipe:

7# Amber Malt Extract
1/2 lb. Crystal malt
1/4 lb. black patent
1/4 lb. chocolate malt
Fuggles hops

I was wondering if looking at these ingredients you'd have an opinion on fermentation time?

My plan was primary until activity slows (4 days or so) then rack to secondary for another 10 days then bottle. The standard really.

I'm just curious if longer or shorter times will impart a different flavor to the beer, or if it has anything to do with the flavor. Sort of a broad question. Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks.

P.S.- I just finished my first batch in fifteen years last week. A stout. Pretty awesome stuff if I can toot my own horn. The wife was like, "you made this? this is great!" Now I have permission to brew all I want.

carnevoodoo · 03-24-2009, 05:43 PM

Why are you transferring to secondary so quickly? I would give a longer primary. Four days is anything but standard.

**JuanKenobi** · 03-24-2009, 05:43 PM

I love these kind of beers. Just leave it in primary for 2 weeks, then test with hydrometer over 3 days and bottle if it's finished fermenting. There's no reason to complicate, especially with a simple brew.

jds · 03-24-2009, 05:47 PM

The thing is, you don't really plan the ferment. The yeast have their own schedule, and all you can do is follow along.

Don't rack until the gravity stops changing, even if it's been a week or more. Honestly, I'm a believer in extended primary fermenting and (often) racking straight to a serving keg, with no secondary conditioning.

Like always, your process is YOUR process, and only you can decide what does and does not work for you.

**Budzu** · 03-24-2009, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jds

The thing is, you don't really plan the ferment. The yeast have their own schedule, and all you can do is follow along.

Definitely agree. At one point i would've said to allow 2 weeks for primary, and that it would never take longer than that. Now I know better. It could be 5 days, or it could be 3 weeks. Fermentation temperature influences this a great deal. In MOST cases, I would say that longer and cooler is better. And yes, the temp (and consequently the fermentation time) will greatly influence the flavor.

Cheers!

scoopjackson · 03-25-2009, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sediment

P.S.- I just finished my first batch in fifteen years last week. A stout. Pretty awesome stuff if I can toot my own horn. The wife was like, "you made this? this is great!" Now I have permission to brew all I want.

I can relate. I just brewed my first stout and the wife and I are having some right now. She's a believer. I am in like Flynn.

Sediment · 03-25-2009, 06:04 AM

Gracias on the replies. Looks like goin' with the flow is best. Cheers.