Fermenting Time

Hi All,

I have been brewing for about 3-4 months now, and I have for the most part followed recipes until recently. Most of the recipes say I should ferment for about a week, which I have been doing, and the beer has tasted great.

That said, talking with people and reading more on the internet, it looks like a lot of people leave it in a primary for at least 2-3 weeks before bottling.

I have a pumpkin ale that I started last Sunday. Starting gravity was 1.050 and it has been stable (a week later) at 1.020 for two days. So like normal, I am going to bottle after a week.

That said, am I missing out on improved flavor, etc... By not leaving it for two weeks?

I'm a 2-4week primary person. However I'm going to put it this way. Brew a beer that you have made before and like, but instead of using a secondary leave it alone for 3 weeks and then bottle. Whichever way you like more, use. Some beers aren't meant to sit for several weeks..

You can pretty much guarantee you under-pitched (or over-pitched), fermented at less than perfect temperatures, and generally had less than perfect conditions for the yeast to work in. As a result the yeast will have developed some undesirable flavors. Leaving the beer on the yeast for an additional week will allow the yeast to continue working and convert some of these undesirable compounds (examples; fusel alcohols, and green apple flavors) to more desirable compounds.

Also leaving the beer in the fermenter longer results in a clearer beer with less sediment in the bottom of the bottle.

Thanks Guys. I mean, so far I have really liked every beer I have made, and the alcohol content is fine. I have already sterilized everything for bottling my pumpkin ale tonight, but maybe I'll wait another few days and let it simmer.

I hate waiting, and I get paranoid that I'm going to get an infection by waiting too long.

One more questions... Lets say I bottle too early, I'm assuming it continues to ferment as long as I don't chill it... Does the flavor continue to change because it;s sitting in a bottle with sentiment?