Maximum time in fermenter ?

I am currently trying my first batch of Home Brew (extra pale ale) with a kit I received for Christmas. I had some bubling the 1st 3 days but none since.It has now been 6 days. I took a hydrometer reading last night and the reading is not down to where it should be. Someone told me that it should be fine and to go ahead and bottle. I was planing on bottling tomorrow which would of been exactly one week but I have to go out of town and wont be able to bottle now for one more week which would be leaving the wort in the fermenting bucket for two weeks. Will I be ok? Should I add more yeast since my readings are not where they should be if it is going to sit for another week? Should I move it to a cooler temp? Thanks in advance for your help.

I leave my beers in primary for 3 weeks minimum. Your beer may be close to done fermenting, but the yeast still have some work to do. I would leave it in your fermenter, make sure your airlock is filled, and let it go while you leave town. Make sure you have the fermenter at a good temperature too (mid 60s range usually) and covered to protect from light.. It will only get better as you leave it alone. Once the yeast get done fermenting, they clean up other aspects of your beer if you give them time. If you rush it, you may not have as good of a beer as you had hoped.

In addition, you don't want to move anything into bottles until you are sure that the fermentation is complete or the bottles could explode. Take your hydrometer readings three days apart...if it has not moved at that point, at least you are safe to bottle. However, leaving it in the fermenter longer won't hurt anything.

Once you bottle, let the beer sit for 2-3 weeks to condition at 70 degrees or so, then sit in the fridge for one week.

Brewing is not a fast process...7-8 weeks for me from kettle to glass with simple beers. Some of the brews take folks up to a year to enjoy.

Should I add more yeast? I know it is my first batch but it sure did seem like a small bag of yeast for a 5 gallon batch? When you say "covered", will something like a blanket work ? Thank you for your advice twalte.

Just leave it alone.

You shouldn't need more yeast. There are billions in your wort and they are just working away, you just can't see them. All you need to do at this point is what twalte mentioned which is just be patient and enjoy your beer in a few weeks. Congrats on your first batch!

Be patient. Brewing is a game of patients and timing. Rash, quick decisions equal mediocre beer. Let it finish. Give it a week or two in the fermentor. Bottle it and let it condition for at least 2 weeks and you should be happy with your results. Report back, it will help someone in your shoes in the future!

msimpson said:

Should I add more yeast? I know it is my first batch but it sure did seem like a small bag of yeast for a 5 gallon batch? When you say "covered", will something like a blanket work ? Thank you for your advice twalte.

Click to expand...

If you are in a clear fermenter, just cover with a towel, blanket or tshirt. If you are in a bucket, then no worries. Anything to keep light off your beer. Light could cause it to have that skunky smell (like Heineken)

Enjoy your trip...the yeast are working hard even when you can't see anything going on.

Thanks everyone for your advice. Patience never comes easy for me. lol !