"Recommended" Fermentation Time

I brewed my first batch last Thursday and put it into the fermenting bucket. This is an Austin Homebrew Store Texas Blonde Ale extract kit (I bought this kit for the straightforwardness, and my uncles are BMC guys and thought they might enjoy this). The instructions call for 5-7 days in the fermenting bucket, and then another 5-7 days in a secondary fermenter in order to clear up.

My questions was, are these fermenting times long enough? Or should i leave them there for longer?

Note: As i was looking for the answer to this question, I did run into a bunch of threads suggesting no secondary fermenting at all. I guess my question then boils down to: Should i just leave it in the primary? And if so, how long before i can keg it.

Note 2: Realize that this is my first batch of beer that i cook up, and I'm very anxious to start drinking it. In other words, i don't have 6 months + of time to ferment

I like primary for one month. It's easiest for me.

My beer comes out nice and clear and go straight in to a keg. I usually force carb and start drinking as soon as it cools.

If you leave it for another couple of weeks it tastes even better but mine is usually gone by then.

Let it go two weeks on the yeast (in primary) and then take a hydrometer reading, and taste it... Repeat 2-3 days later... If the hydrometer reading is identical, and it tastes right/good/great, then bottle/keg it up... If not, give it another few days and repeat... Depending on your OG, a brew can take 2-4+ weeks on the yeast before it's ready...

Some people use the 1-2-3 rule.

1 week in primary
2 weeks in secondary
3 weeks to bottle prime

I don't use secondary much - if I dry hop I do it after the FG is stable for 3 days and just dry hop in the primary. But I leave it in the primary for 3 weeks total.

Bottle conditioning varies as to how long it takes to carb. Some carb up at 1 week. But they all usually taste better at 3 and longer.

IMHO.

ayoungrad said:

Some people use the 1-2-3 rule.

1 week in primary
2 weeks in secondary
3 weeks to bottle prime

IMHO.

Click to expand...

IMO, This practice needs to R.I.P.

I like shakerD and golddiggies ideas. Its easier for me, and two weeks isn't a pain at all. Thanks for the tips guys!

Ferment until it's done. That's it. No time requirement.

Keg when clear.

You don't even need to test it. If you leave it in the fermenter for 2-3 weeks (I suggest 3) it's going to be done doing what the yeast are going to do. Bottle 'er up and you're ready to go.

ShakerD said:

I like primary for one month. It's easiest for me.

My beer comes out nice and clear and go straight in to a keg. I usually force carb and start drinking as soon as it cools.

If you leave it for another couple of weeks it tastes even better but mine is usually gone by then.

Click to expand...

+1 If you have the time, just let it sit for a month (in a dark place if its in a glass carboy) and forget about it. But I also keg, so I don't have to wait 2 weeks for it to prime in the bottle.

Just keep it simple:
1 week primary
2 weeks secondary
2 weeks priming in bottles.

ayoungrad said:

Some people use the 1-2-3 rule.

1 week in primary
2 weeks in secondary
3 weeks to bottle prime

Click to expand...

I guess 1-2-3 will work too, sure why not.
Many people around here (including me) do not do a secondary and do a primary longer instead. But for starters, 1-2-2 (or 1-2-3) works just fine.