How long should i ferment my beer?
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s4l
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I would let it go for at least 2 weeks, then check the specific gravity. Take another reading a few days later and if they match, it's finished.
peters6278
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The answer to your question depends entirely on what kind of beer your making, what your Original Gravity is, what yeast strain you're using, and what your fermentation temperature is. The minimum fermentation time can be as short as a few days (for average gravity ales fermented at 70+ degrees) to a month or more (for high gravity ales or lagers with cold fermentation temperatures. I'd say about 2 weeks is a good estimate for average gravity ales. I say estimate, since although you can pick a day to 'stop' fermentation, the yeast are really in charge here and do their thing at their schedule. Best not to rack the beer out of your fermenter until the yeast are done (confirmed by unchanged hydrometer readings over a few consecutive days, or when you're Final Gravity is sufficiently low enough to confirm you've gotten full attenuation.
Can you share your recipe and yeast strain? I can give you a better idea of what to expect once I see it.
Can you share your recipe and yeast strain? I can give you a better idea of what to expect once I see it.
Til it's done fermenting is the only answer. The next question's answer is til the gravity readings hold steady for 3 samples over the course of a few days.
Then it will depend on if you are bottling or kegging.
Then it will depend on if you are bottling or kegging.
I'd say yes. I usually wait till the 2 week mark to do a first FG test just to see how close it is to done. If it's still afew points too high above projected FG,I give it another week,& check again. When the numbers are the same 2-3 days apart,it's done. Then I give it 3-7 days to clean up by products of fermentation & settle out clear or slightly misty before bottling.
One piece of advice: get a either a winethief or a turkey baster to take the samples with, and when you are ready to take the sample, clean it carefully and sterilize it with a no-rinse solution (StarSan is probably the best, IME, though others may disagree) immediately before use. That will minimize the risks involved with taking the samples.
+1 for a wine thief and star san. Makes it very easy. You also get to taste your beer at this point!
BansheeRider
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Or if the OP is using a bucket just sanitize the hydrometer and drop it in. My hydrometer testing tube takes more than I want to taste so I sometimes just drop it in the bucket.
I use the tube the hydrometer came in for testing. Uses less beer.
Frequent checking is one good reason to get a refractometer, as you waste less beer (best not to pour the hydrometer beer back in, as it increases the chance of an infection). Also, the longer you let the beer stay on the yeast (up to about 4 weeks) the more "green" beer flavors will be reduced. Primary fermentation is best when not rushed.
I let mine go 3 weeks in primary before testing. Usually, at that point, it's at FG, unless it's a really big beer (lagers I do totally differently).
I let mine go 3 weeks in primary before testing. Usually, at that point, it's at FG, unless it's a really big beer (lagers I do totally differently).
flars
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Consider all the sources of contamination when you take the sample. A fermentation bucket has a large opening. Anything over the top of that opening is a possible contamination source. Your hand, arm, shirt sleeve, or face.
wolfstar
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I don't bother even trying to open the fermenter till at least 4 weeks has passed. Sure, It might be done fermenting after two weeks, but having the patience to wait another two will pay off in spades by allowing the yeast to clean up after themselves...
BansheeRider
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Fermentation is probably done, however the airlock is not a liable source to determine this. Only a hydrometer can be trusted in this regard. The yeast needs time to "clean up" any byproducts and off flavors anyhow. I would wait 2-3 weeks, then take 2 hydrometer reading 2 days apart. If the numbers are the same fermentation is complete, the yeast has had time to "clean up", and now you can bottle/keg your beer.
BansheeRider
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Using a secondary is personal preference. I only use a secondary carboy for long term aging or adding adjuncts. Rather than using a secondary for 2 weeks you can leave it in primary for an additional 2 weeks and still have very clear beer.
Agreed. I did the secondary thing for the first few beers, but then started reading more and more that it was largely unnecessary. I haven't used a secondary unless I'm dry hopping or as Banshee says - adding fruit or other flavor. It's so much easier to just leave it in and siphon from above the yeast once. One less thing to clean and one less vector for contamination.
BansheeRider
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I just racked my honey porter to secondary after 3 weeks in primary because I messed up and fermented at too high of temp. I need my primary free so I can brew another batch and I want to age my porter longer to hopefully rid any off flavors. This is a good example of when a secondary is necessary.
The idea that one always needs to use a secondary is something of an outdated notion, in that the problems that used to be common with keeping beer on the yeast cake - autolysis, primarily - have become less of an issue with more modern yeast sources, both liquid and dry (one of the big impetuses towards liquid yeasts in the 1990s, especially smack-packs, was the poor quality and stability of dry yeasts of the time). It still is a useful thing to do for longer-aging beers - especially if, as BansheeRider points out, you have a good pipeline going and need the primary freed up for other brews - but it is by no means necessary with your average gravity ales.
DrummerBoySeth
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Personally, I like to wait 3 weeks before racking to secondary when possible. However, sometimes, I need to free my primary up more quickly, and will rack to secondary after 2 weeks. I know that there is much debate on the "to secondary or not..." question. Personally, I prefer to use a secondary. Racking off the yeast cake/trub into secondary, then racking back to a bottling bucket seems to give me much clearer beer and less "junk" in the bottoms of my bottles.
