Fermentation Time?

**Schnitzengiggle** · 03-14-2009, 07:03 AM

What is commonplace for fermentation time? I know it is usually between 3-10 days, but what REALLY is a "standard" fermentation time w/ extracts? I mean people have been doing this forever. I would assume that if you left an extract brew in the fermenter for 14 days (as long as you weren't doing a "high grav" brew) you would almost be guaranteed a complete fermentation, at ~68 degrees. I always use a hydrometer to make sure, but is it redundant if you leave your brew for 2-3 weeks in primary? Just a "what if " question.

**Arneba28** · 03-14-2009, 07:35 AM

95% of my beers are done in 4 days. However, I always leave it for 2 weeks. Its not redundant and your not wasting time leaving it either. The yeast needs to finish everything off besides making the alcohol. It will clean up the beer in that extra time. I have noticed the difference since I started leaving mine for a full 2 weeks then put it into the secondary.

**Schnitzengiggle** · 03-15-2009, 09:22 AM

I understand the yeast has alot more to do, such as "clean up" after itself, I was just curious as to if it was NECESSARY to take a gravity reading if it were left in the primary after the two week period, other than obviously to ensure you have reached your target FG and having the information to calculate your ABV.

llazy_llama · 03-15-2009, 12:17 PM

It's not 100% necessary, but neither is homebrewing in the first place. If you happen to have a stuck fermentation (which usually happens around 1.020) you want to know about it before you bottle it and create ~50 hand grenades.

Necessary? No. A damn good idea? Absolutely.

**Nurmey** · 03-15-2009, 03:32 PM

The problem with putting a calendar time on fermentation is that batch that takes three weeks to ferment instead of two (yes, I've had those batches). Use your hydrometer and wait until your beer is finished no matter how many days. Yeast never looks at the calendar!

**ajf** · 03-15-2009, 05:00 PM

I always leave brews for 3 weeks before kegging. I ferment in a carboy so I can see what is happening. I see the krausen rise and fall. I see the airlock stop bubbling, and the yeast flocculate. At the end of 3 weeks, the beer always looks done, and usually it is, but very occasionally the yeast flocculates before it has finished, and I end up with a gravity up to 10 points too high.
I surely wouldn't want to prime and bottle a batch like that, and the hydrometer prevents potential bottle bombs.

-a.

Beau815 · 03-20-2009, 01:55 AM

yeah mine has been bubbling for 5 days and its only 1.040 SG when is this thing gonna SLOW down? usually people want it to bubble... when will this bubbling STOP?