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**corwin3083** · 10-16-2010, 06:50 PM

I have an oatmeal stout that will have been in primary in a True Brew bucket for 4 weeks as of tomorrow, at a friend's house. Unfortunately, yesterday the water pump on my car died, and I won't have the cash on hand to fix it until I get my next paycheck in 2 weeks, which means I can't get down to his place to bottle it tomorrow, as I intended.

How long can this stay in primary before we start to have problems? The worst case scenario is another two weeks and change; should it be ok, as long as we just let it sit on the yeast? Or should I try to at least get the bottle capper and caps to my friend so he can bottle before that?

KevinW · 10-16-2010, 07:00 PM

Should be fine. I've got a Kölsch in the fridge that has been on the yeast since 9/6 and I am not worried!

**Nurmey** · 10-16-2010, 08:27 PM

I quite often don't get around to doing anything with a brew for 6 to 8 weeks. I've gone up to 16 weeks in primary and the beer turned out great. Don't worry about it.

**AZ_IPA** · 10-16-2010, 08:37 PM

agreed with the others...

I left a brown in the primary for 2 months. It scored a 45

baystatebrew · 10-16-2010, 09:20 PM

after 10-14 days the proteins in the troob start to break down and these can release off flavors to the beer. this is why people secondary at the 2 week mark. get the beer off the troob.

you can leave it in the primary for more than 2 weeks and probably you'll be fine. but at 4-5 weeks i guarantee you that protein will have started to break down and will get into the beer. if you're fermenting for more than 2-3 weeks in a primary, it really should go into a secondary

baystatebrew · 10-16-2010, 09:21 PM

i also don't score the taste of my own beer fyi. not exactly a reliable, objective measurement of anything. despite what papazian's book might say.

djinn88 · 10-16-2010, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baystatebrew

i also don't score the taste of my own beer fyi. not exactly a reliable, objective measurement of anything. despite what papazian's book might say.

I believe he is referring to a competition score, I could be wrong. Also, MANY people on this board recommend 3-4 weeks. So another 2 weeks shouldn't hurt anything. RDWHAHB, whenever you can get around to it is fine.

**AZ_IPA** · 10-16-2010, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djinn88

I believe he is referring to a competition score, I could be wrong. Also, MANY people on this board recommend 3-4 weeks. So another 2 weeks shouldn't hurt anything. RDWHAHB, whenever you can get around to it is fine.

Yes, it was scored a 45 out of 50 (gold medal in category 10) at the 2010 Great Arizona Homebrew competition.

The info in both Palmer and Papi is outdated when it comes to autolysis.

Where's Revvy with his cut and paste damnit

Basically, with a healthy yeast and proper pitching and proper fermentation temps, you can primary for two months easy.

akthor · 10-17-2010, 01:30 AM

Wrong

Quote:

Originally Posted by baystatebrew

after 10-14 days the proteins in the troob start to break down and these can release off flavors to the beer. this is why people secondary at the 2 week mark. get the beer off the troob.

you can leave it in the primary for more than 2 weeks and probably you'll be fine. but at 4-5 weeks i guarantee you that protein will have started to break down and will get into the beer. if you're fermenting for more than 2-3 weeks in a primary, it really should go into a secondary

**ChshreCat** · 10-17-2010, 01:35 AM

Autolysis is a big boogeyman of brewing. Don't worry about it. It's old teaching that's been pretty much disproved. I have a saison that's been sitting in primary since August and I just sampled it last night and there's no sign of off flavors from the yeast cake breaking down whatsoever.