Leaving town for awhile... do I brew?!

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dblvsn

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Going to be leaving for Seattle for 3 weeks. Want to brew an Oatmeal Stout this weekend but it will have to sit in the primary for at least 3 weeks, maybe 4. Should I go ahead with my plans and brew or hold off till I get back?
 
Do you have anyone that you could have rack it to a secondary for you while you are gone?

Ive always heard that about a month is the max for leaving a brew on the trub in primary. It would probably be fine though after 3 weeks....Others will probably have better opinions...I have a buddy who brews too so I would have him come rack for me.
 
Only person that's gonna be around is my wife. She will have nothing to do with my brewing. :( So it pretty much has to sit on the trub. I should be able to rack it over as soon as I get home, so I'm pretty much going to say it'll be in the primary for 3 weeks.
 
No problem at all in leaving it that long. If you were going to be gone for 8-10 weeks, I would be more concerned. 3 or 4 weeks is fine. You won't even need to bother with a secondary, just rack to a keg or bottling bucket from there.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company
 
Don't know what kind of system you've got but I'd add to the above enthusiasm only if you can keep your temperatures constant, or relatively so. I often leave my primaries for two or three weeks, even four if the alcohol is high enough, but only because the temps stay the same.

If you're fermenting in carboys indoors and your ambient temps are above 70, maybe you could get your wife to dump a few cups of water onto a towel wrap every couple of days... Tell her to pretend it's your head.

Cheers, and enjoy the Seattle beers. -p
 
Thanks! I think I'm definately gonna brew it up! It'll be my first parital mash so I'm pretty excited. Been trying to brew that one for about a month now, but something always keeps coming up. The temperature usually remains about 70-72 degrees this time of year. In the hot months I'll definately have to be around to brew as my house is warm. 76-77 degrees. I'm sure I can probably get the wife to at least watch the temps for me.
 
You betcha.

I travel a lot too. Prior to traveling I brew. When I get back I'm either brewing another batch, racking to a secondary, or bottling/kegging.

Last year I was on the road 23 weeks and brewed 32 batches.:D
 
homebrewer_99 said:
You betcha.

I travel a lot too. Prior to traveling I brew. When I get back I'm either brewing another batch, racking to a secondary, or bottling/kegging.

Last year I was on the road 23 weeks and brewed 32 batches.:D

That's awesome....you have something cool to look forward to upon arriving home
 
Brew it, you'll regret not having it when you get home if you don't.

I've had heffeweizen sit on the primary trub for two months, then racked to a keg for another two months, and then served it at my wedding. Folks that were at my wedding still say it was the best beer they've had, and most of them aren't what you'd consider beer drinkers.
 
Nehoc said:
Folks that were at my wedding still say it was the best beer they've had, and most of them aren't what you'd consider beer drinkers.

what an awesome compliment on your wedding day! :rockin:
 
Well I brewed my stout! Officially got my first partial mash out of the way too. Things actually went pretty smooth except the fact that it was pretty frickin cold. Numbers came in a little low but figure its kinda to be expected on a first mash. Was aiming for 1.059 and hit 1.050, so not too shabby. Snagged a quick sample and it tasted fantastic as I was checking my gravity. I'm definately looking forward to drinking this one. Thanks for all the motivation getting my ass to brew! :mug:
 
dblvsn said:
Thanks! I think I'm definately gonna brew it up! It'll be my first parital mash so I'm pretty excited. Been trying to brew that one for about a month now, but something always keeps coming up. The temperature usually remains about 70-72 degrees this time of year. In the hot months I'll definately have to be around to brew as my house is warm. 76-77 degrees. I'm sure I can probably get the wife to at least watch the temps for me.

I'm in Des Moines... (For you Non-Iowans we're less than 15 miles apart)

The weather should be good for the next four weeks. Relatively mild. Do you have a basement? Mine is at 60-62 right now. It'll take a 85-90'F hot day to go over 75'F w/o the AC if you have it in the basement.

I'd watch the weather over the internet and have a thermometer next to your fermentor. If you can foresee a hot day you can tell the wife to click on the AC. OR - You could also keep it in a carboy but drop it in a kegger tub, fill the tub half full with water and drape towels over the carboy.

Personally, I'd be more concerned over a having a blow off and not being able to address it as it occurrs. Are you using a pail or carboy? If its a carboy attach a blow off for sure.

:mug:
 
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