jock said:Brewing my first Ale.
Should there be a head/froth during fermentation?
Thanks! Is the fermentation process longer than a lager?
Do you leave it for 2-3 weeks and the bottle it and leave that as well? Is it bad the leave it in the fermenter for too long?
I leave mine (on average) three weeks in the primary fermenter and then bottle. Then it stays in the bottle for a period of time to carbonate and mature. That time to mature varies with the beer with the higher alcohol beers taking longer and the darker beers taking longer and the ones with higher alcohol and darker taking the longest. I might enjoy a wheat beer (low alcohol and light in color) in a couple weeks but I know that the stout won't be really good for a couple of months or possibly even 3.
Yes it is bad to leave it in the fermenter too long as your yeast can autolyze and give you some really horrible flavors. It just hasn't been fully determined how long is too long. I've left a brown ale for 9 weeks and it came out really good. Another poster reported leaving a beer for 8 months without the bad flavors. You won't have much to worry about in one month.
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