Carbonation Time at Room Temp for Stout Help

OK, I'm a new brewer- this is only my second batch- and I tried to do a search on my question, but haven't been successful sifting through the thousands of threads and hoping someone can help.

I am brewing a coffee stout from a kit and the kit says to bottle at room temps (70 to 75 degrees) for at least 10 days. Them it says this varies for different beers and I know the instructions are pretty general- meant to apply to all their beer kits generally. I've heard people keeping it at room temps for longer and even shorter before putting in the fridge to condition another week or two.

I know it's personal choice, but is there a chart or something out there that shows generally how long to carbonate (from refining sugars) at room temp before refrigeration from beer type to beer type? I'm the type of person that likes details, charts, and exact formulas and methods to at least start from as a baseline so I can modify later as I experiment and make it more an art-form.

I don't want it to over carbonate, but I want it to finish to a good carbonation level prior to refrigeration. What does everyone out there do? Tips? Suggestions? Preferences?

Carbonation is more dependent on the amount of sugars you add before bottling than on timing. The yeasts will go to work on the sugar you add and will stop when the sugar is gone. That is the max level of carbonation you will get (assuming you don't have any other uninvited guests in the bottle). Do whatever the kit says and let it sit. When you can wait no longer (was about 5 days on my first batch), toss one in the fridge and try it. Hold out for another week and repeat! You will get a feel for what is going on.

I agree with jsv1204 above. The amount of carbonation depends on the amount of sugar. There are priming calculators out there that will allow you to figure the volume of sugar based on the level of carbonation based on the style you are brewing and the amount of CO2 already in solution of your beer. To me, this isn't an exact science and I usually go with the standard 4 to 5 oz and have been pleased. I've had big beers that carb up in 3 weeks and have great carb levels and then I've let those beers age a year and they are still great -- not overcarbed.

Generally, the consensus on this forum is about 3 weeks for most beers to get to decent carb. Sometimes 2 weeks, and many times, more than 3 weeks. Then, you have the separate issue of conditioning the beer versus carbing. Maybe it's carbed in 2-3 weeks, but it won't hit it's prime for 6 weeks...

Despite wanting to make it a science with formulas and charts and nomographs... (I'm with ya....I'm an engineer...) there are too many variables including the fact you are dealing with a living organism that makes it impossible to accurately predict to a precise degree.

the amount of carbonation over time depends on the amount of sugar available to the yeast, the amount of yeast in the bottles, the activity of the yeast, how much wild yeast you allowed in when bottling, the temperature, the percentage of alcohol in the beer, the phase of the moon, and what color underwear your girlfriend has on

Thanks guys! Good info!

The underwear variable has some interesting note-taking potential...