How long should I ferment this?

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Bradmont

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A few weeks ago I got the brewing urge and threw together some random stuff I had lying around. It's a brown belgian-ish, OG 1.060, and I'd like input on how long I should wait before bottling it. I fermented it in an open container to promote funkyness, for three days, until the krausen fell then racked it into a carboy (with most of the yeast cake).

Here's what went in:
1.69lb Canadian 2-row
1.25 lb Munich
1.5 oz Cara-Pils
2.5oz Chocolate Malt
.5lb Corn Sugar (@ 15min)
2oz light brown sugar (@15min)

.7oz Hallertau @ 60min
.25oz citrus peel (about 50:50 lemon and clementine) @ 15min
1/4tsp coriander seeds @ 15min
.25oz Saaz @ 3min

And fermented with safbrew T-58. It was at about 1.017 when I racked, I'm sure alcohol production is done by now.

So, I guess the question is, how much would this brew benefit from bulk aging?
 
Umm... I didn't rack it in order to secondary. I racked it because I was doing an open fermentation in an open pot; no lid, no airlock, nothing. The only thing protecting the beer from contamination was the krausen & co2. When it got to the point that there was no longer any krausen or co2, I racked the whole thing into a carboy (including the yeast cake, as I said) to keep any nasties from getting in, and to avoid oxidation (and to free up the pot for other uses).

Also, "as long as it takes" is not a terribly helpful answer...
 
when its stopped fermenting then wait an extra week. that was his answer. thats not unclear in anyway.
 
To clarify, they mean when the hydrometer readings don't change for a few days, then wait a week. Or you could just leave it for a month or two, like I do. Almost certainly done then, unless it's really high OG.

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[sarcasm]
Bradmont, my apologies for being vague with my answer. You see, it is very difficult to get yeast to work on a clock, and even harder to advise someone on how to make it happen for themselves. If a definite number is more to your liking, then let it go for 17 days total. Make sure you don't bottle on day 16, it will be a diacetyl bomb. If you let it go to 18, you may run into problems with oxidation due to the oxygen permeability of the rubber stopper and plastic airlock you are using.
[/sarcasm]

Now, for the not so snotty answer. You really need to just let it go for a month and forget the hydrometer, or test it twice over three days when you think it is finished. If your hydro readings remain constant, fermentation has stopped. Let the yeast finish, and you will have a better product.
 

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