How long is too long in primary?

I have had an APA in my primary now for two weeks. Active CO2 bubble-off is complete. At some point, I want to transfer it to a secondary to dry hop. I'd like to let it settle out longer in the primary, however. There is about 1" of trub. How long can I leave the beer on the trub before it starts taking on funky flavors?

It's hard to say. I've gone as long as nine weeks with no troubles. My standard routine is 3-4 weeks. Mind you, this is in a temperature controlled environment.

1st off..(Before Revvy beats me to it).. Airlock is not a measure of fermentation, SG is!

for an APA, I would go 4 weeks in primary, then transfer for dryhopping.

Arkador said:

1st off..(Before Revvy beats me to it).. Airlock is not a measure of fermentation, SG is!

for an APA, I would go 4 weeks in primary, then transfer for dryhopping.

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what Arkador said

Ed's Haus Ale goes 10 days in primary.....

Buffman said:

How long can I leave the beer on the trub before it starts taking on funky flavors?

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Five months, two weeks, three days, 14 hours, 36 minutes, and 54 seconds...

No seriously, I've left my last batch in the primary for a little over six weeks - due to a carboy injury - and the beer turned out good. My last two batches before that were in the primary for four weeks. Both were good.

I need to get brewing again, I'm running out. Hopefully my hand works well enough, I think I'm gonna brew again this weekend.

I just celebrated the birth of my first daughter and did not have anytime to get my scottish/old ale out of the primary, was there for 10 weeksbefore i could add a cup of dextrose for 5.5 gallons. let sit for one week at 60 and tried one, and got bubbles and a good taste but a little green and now im stuck in deadhorse ak work and cannot touch my brew for about two maybe four more weeks but when i get back hell yeah its onnnn

I have had beers in primary for over 6 months with no harmful flavors.

I don't use secondary for dry hopping any more,just throw the hops in at week two or three. Then set one week,then chill one week,pull it out of fridge day before I bottle to warm up some. I have had good results from letting it age in carboy 4 ta 6 weeks...

+1 on dry hop in primary. Once FG is reached and the beer ages for a week or so I throw in the hops in a bag and let them be. Why risk infection and other problems by transferring to secondary?

I would not want to go over a year, I would think I would check the airlock and have to refill it by then so I would most likely rack it.
Usually I need my primary sooner than that and it's I have a lot more 5 gal carboys and cornies to use as secondariness. I also crash cool in my keggerator and for that I have to use the smaller containers.

I too have had a beer for 6 months in the primary. It had no off flavors. The beer had a very clean taste, even though the yeast had aalmost a peanut butter texture to it. There was no excuse for leaving it there so long, except for my Calculus class, wife and kids, etc...

samc said:

+1 on dry hop in primary. Once FG is reached and the beer ages for a week or so I throw in the hops in a bag and let them be. Why risk infection and other problems by transferring to secondary?

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I totaly agree!

I wish I could leave mine in the primary for weeks or months on end. My fermenter will only hold 2 primaries and they gotta rotate much faster than that. Need a bigger chest freezer. I really envy you guys up North that have cool basements.

I had a barley wine in the secondary (along with a pretty big yeast cake for a secondary) for 18 months. It tastes great! RDWHAHB.