Fermentation time.

Hi. Quick new comer question.

I brew extract kits currently and little mislead on the time it's suppose to ferment and stay in the fermentation bucket before moving to bottles or pressure barrel.

The instructions on most kits say 6-8 days ish but then I read people leaving it in there for weeks or saying to leave it in there up to 3/4 weeks?

What is the correct approach?


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Every batch will be different. The yeast is in control along with your temperatures.

Best advice: Buy a hydrometer and take readings. Once the gravity stops changing for 2-3 days in a row...it's done.

That could end up being 5 days or that could be 2 weeks, only the yeast knows!

dThere is no "perfect" length of time. Each batch varies. My rule is 10 days to two weeks for anything that doesn't need to clear--like porter, stout,etc. If it needs to clear then it gets three weeks in the fermenter and another three weeks in the bottle. Of course, these are only for the average or low gravity batches. High gravity are treated different. They usually get three weeks to six weeks in the fermenter (depending on strength and color) and then are aged in package.

Keep in mind that none of these are a rule. I pull samples, taste and look to determine when the beer is ready.

There is good advice above to follow the yeast's schedule, not the calendar. I would say in general if you are new it's better to err on the side of going a little longer than needed rather than too short. With good pitching and fermentation practices it's possible to turn a beer around pretty quickly depending on style, but time will also fix a lot of less than ideal fermentation conditions.