Timing of first brew

Hey guys,

So, I have a question on timing my first brew. I am planning on getting all the equipment and stuff this Sat (11/10) and want to brew on Sun (11/11). I will probably just brew the starter pale ale kit first, just to give you an idea on what the beer type will be. My dilemna is this: I am leaving for vacation on 11/21 - 11/26, and I was wondering if I should wait until I get back to start brewing, or if I can start my primary on 11/11, and hope that it will be done and can go into the secondary by 11/20 at the latest. The problem is that I live in San Francisco, and temps here have been around 60-65, and my house isn't much warmer. This to me means a slow fermentation, so I am just not sure. I don't mind leaving it in the primary for a little longer, but I am not sure what this will do to the beer. If I leave it, it will be in the primary for 15 days.

I just dont want to leave the primary and the airlock get clogged and cause a huge mess. I brewed a fruit beer awhile back and did not use a blow-off tube and I almost exploded my primary! Anyways, thanks for the input!

Jason

15 days is absolutely fine. You won't have to worry about a mess, because you'll be home for 10 days while it's fermenting and it'll be all finished up by then anyway. MY house is cool, too- a balmy 63 in the warmest spot and my beers do fine.

Fruit beers and wheat beers tend to be more explosive than a pale ale. It'll be good!

Ok great! So maybe I'll brew it on Mon cause I have the day off and then it will make it 14 days when I get home. Thanks!

If you are worried about the airlock getting clogged, rig a blowoff tube before you go. Extra insurance if you are worried, but like Yooper said, "It'll be good!" The beer in the primary for 15 days is no big deal, and some brewers are getting away from secondaries altogether favoring racking straight from primary to the keg, or bottling bucket.

Great, thanks!