Fermentation Time?

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KRYLOK

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I have a German Light Ale that has been fermenting for 6 days and has no more co2 coming up. Its in a 6gal food grade bucket and i don't have a carboy.

Should i leave it in there longer? I have heard people say to leave it for a week and some for up to 5 weeks?

Any suggestions?

thanks KRYLOK :mug:
 
i leave mine alone for 14-21 days. i wouldn't go less than 14.
 
Do you have a hydrometer?

There's no set time to leave a beer in the fermentation chamber. Take a hydro reading to determine if fermentation is done. Sample the beer after the reading. If it tastes "off", then give it another week or two and do the same thing.
 
k47k,

There are styles of beers that can go from boil to glass in under 14 days (especially if you keg). I have a pale ale that will be ready to drink at exactly 14 days. All that to say, there's no hard and fast rule other than taking hydro readings and sampling the beer.
 
Do you have a hydrometer?

There's no set time to leave a beer in the fermentation chamber. Take a hydro reading to determine if fermentation is done. Sample the beer after the reading. If it tastes "off", then give it another week or two and do the same thing.
+1, the only way to confirm that fermentation is completed is by taking gravity readings. Needs to be a flat line for 2-3 days.
If FG is much higher than expected, you may have a stuck fermentation, but that is another thread.
 
sounds good. I will take a hydro reading right now and see what it is... and also give it a taste :)
 
sounds good. I will take a hydro reading right now and see what it is... and also give it a taste :)

Just keep it clean. 6 days is not usually enough. The yeast will clean up off flavors even after fermentation is complete.
 
Yes, i keep everything VERY clean... and it tastes pretty darn good. The BG was 1.050
So should i leave it till it runs the same gravity... at least?
 
This is what will happen to your gravity.
Each yeast/recipe has its own profile. Sometimes even the same recipe can behave differently due to changes to the the yeast healph and other things.
So when you take the gravity reading and see the flat line you are safe to bottle.
Here's a chart for a blue moon clone and a dunkelweizen.
The blue moon used dry yeast S04 and the Dunkel used WY3068 Weihenstephan Weizen.

BlueMoon_55.jpg


Dunkelweisen_Fermentation.jpg
 
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