Ale Question

[RexlerLepp]

My first brew (a Pale Ale) is fermenting nicely in my closet and I was talking to a friend today and he said that he thought it would only have to ferment for about a week. I had read that it would be two weeks. What do you all think?

 

[McGarnigle]

The most active period of fermentation should be done in less than a week, but leave it on the yeast for 2 weeks or more. It's still conditioning.

 

[NorthRiverS]

I'm at 4 weeks and the hydrometer is still dropping. Just hit my kit posted FG today. Don't rush it. The beer will tell you when it's done.

NRS

 

[Kaz]

Anymore, I put my fermenter in a closet or under a box and don't even take a sample for 3 weeks. I just check it to make sure its not too warm, too cool and to make sure it hasn't blown its top.

 

[rescuedogrr2010]

agreed with all the advice already given. my last batch spent a bit over three weeks in the fermenter and managed to condition into a very clear and tasty american pale ale. patience is a homebrewing virtue.

 

[jonmohno]

2-4 is a good window. I do all mine 3 weeks minimum. But since i have 3 irish ales in carboys currently i may reconsider doing 2 because of the irish blonde pilsner i feel will be quicker, so i may do 2 for this in a emergency st. pattys days response. Ive also been reading that corn sugar primes fastest. Although ive checked some of mine dme,raw sugar,cornsugar, and ive gotten carbed beers in under 2 weeks doing a 15 min ice bath check on all. 3 weeks is recommended but feel free to check 1 every week, and i recommend a quick 20 min ice bath,(Its been working for me very well)

 

[krazydave]

I keg after two weeks in a lot of cases because I'm impatient and want my beer! lol. Sometimes though, I will get a slightly "green" taste from not letting it age long enough. In that case I'll just let that keg sit for a while longer in my fermentation chamber. It also helps the clarity quite a bit to let it sit. That doesn't usually bother me though.

 

[RexlerLepp]

Thanks for the tips, I think I might let it sit for 3 weeks then before I bottle it. But this has lead me to a couple other questions. I was thinking about dry hopping it, should I wait until the last week to do that? Also, what are all of your thoughts about secondary fermentation? Is it needed?

 

[Kaz]

I can only think of 3 reasons why I would do a secondary..

1. To add fruit, dry hop or any other late fermentation addition. And even then, I might add to the primary.

2. Extended aging in the fermenter after primary fermentation has ended.

3. If I really need to use that primary fermenter for something else.

 

[RM-MN]

If I thought I really needed a fermenter for something else as Kaz said, I think I would blow the less than $20 to get another fermenter. You can easily do your dry hopping in the primary instead of using a secondary. The only things I think the secondary is good for is adding fruit or extended aging of a big beer where you truly do have a chance of yeast autolosis.

 

[Yooper]

Thanks for the tips, I think I might let it sit for 3 weeks then before I bottle it. But this has lead me to a couple other questions. I was thinking about dry hopping it, should I wait until the last week to do that? Also, what are all of your thoughts about secondary fermentation? Is it needed?

Yes, you want to dryhop for the last 5-10 days before you bottle. You can do it in the secondary (more properly called the "brite tank") or in the fermenter. Secondary fermentation isn't being done unless you're adding fermentables in a different vessel.

For example, you have a wheat beer that you want to add fruit to. So, you rack the beer over to a new vessel with fruit crushed up in it. A little fermentation begins, because of the sugars in the fruit. THAT'S a secondary fermentation.

Moving the beer to another vessel when it's finished for some bulk aging and clarifying isn't a 'secondary fermentation'. It's moving it to the clearing vessel, or bright tank. Some brewers just call it the 'secondary' as a holdover from winemaking techniques where there always is a secondary.

You can keep it where it is, or you can rack to the brite tank. There is nothing magical about moving it. It'll still clear and condition and suspended solids will fall out with some time, no matter what vessel it's in. Some people rack just to get their fermenter open so they can make another batch. That's fine, as long as it's done in a sanitary manner and with as little exposure to oxygen as possible.

 

[nilo]

What is the difference between these two:
1)Leave in primary for 2-4 weeks, then bottle/keg, as suggested by most brewers
2)Leave in primary only until gravity reach a flat line (usually a week for most beers), bottle/keg right away, and let it sit for 2-3 weeks before drinking it

 

[Yooper]

What is the difference between these two:
1)Leave in primary for 2-4 weeks, then bottle/keg, as suggested by most brewers
2)Leave in primary only until gravity reach a flat line (usually a week for most beers), bottle/keg right away, and let it sit for 2-3 weeks before drinking it

Not much, to be honest. You'll just have more yeast in the bottom of the keg/bottle than you would if you left it in primary until it was clear and most of the suspended particles fell out. I wait until the beer is clear to package it, then I don't have so much crud in the bottle. A light dusting of yeast is fine, but I've seen some homebrews that were packaged early that have a ton of trub! Ick!

Of course, a bit of conditioning (like 3 days) after FG is reached is beneficial to the beer, to make sure the yeast gets a chance to "clean up" after itself. After active fermentation is over, the yeast will go back and digest whatever they can find left. They will even digest their own waste products, like diacetyl. So a few days after FG is reached is beneficial to the beer. Leaving it in the fermenter for longer than that will benefit the beer simply by allowing more suspended solids to fall out, leaving a clearer beer and a more tightly compacted yeast cake so that racking is easier.

That's assuming you're talking about keeping it at room temperature, of course. Beer ages faster at room temperature than in the fridge, so if you keg it and stick it right in the kegerator then it will age much slower and still be "green beer" in the keg.