I keep seeing these people talking about fermenting for 2 or 3 weeks and i have a question. If your final gravity reading is at target, Ive had some there in 7 days, why keep it in the fermeter? Im not totally new to homebrewing but by no means a pro either so just wondering the reasoning behind it? Thanks in advance.
Any reason to go past target FG?
- Thread starter senoird
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
kanzimonson
Well-Known Member
Well, just because a recipe tells you what your final gravity might be, doesn't mean that's actually what it will be. So don't use the number alone to know when your beer is done.
As for letting a beer continue to sit once it has finished fermenting, first the yeast go through a clean-up stage, where they eat some of the stranger flavors produced during fermentation. This is essential to making good beer.
After clean up, you're really in the "aging" phase. My personal belief is to keg my beer at this point. Even though it's not at its optimum flavor, I like to keg it so that I can taste the beer get closer to its perfection. Some people, however, have much more restraint than I do, and they like to age the beer for 2-3 weeks. I definitely agree that a beer needs at least 3 weeks from the day it was brewed to taste great. It might be good before then, but it gets better.
Since I'm guessing you're bottling, you have the extra choice to make: whereas I continue the bulk aging process in the keg, your beers might be susceptible to different aging rates once they are bottled. Still, because I'm an impatient guy, when I was bottling I bottled at the same "age" that I currently keg my beer. I'd rather they carbonate and be ready to drink (at that optimum 3 week age might I add) with the downside of missing some bulk aging.
As for letting a beer continue to sit once it has finished fermenting, first the yeast go through a clean-up stage, where they eat some of the stranger flavors produced during fermentation. This is essential to making good beer.
After clean up, you're really in the "aging" phase. My personal belief is to keg my beer at this point. Even though it's not at its optimum flavor, I like to keg it so that I can taste the beer get closer to its perfection. Some people, however, have much more restraint than I do, and they like to age the beer for 2-3 weeks. I definitely agree that a beer needs at least 3 weeks from the day it was brewed to taste great. It might be good before then, but it gets better.
Since I'm guessing you're bottling, you have the extra choice to make: whereas I continue the bulk aging process in the keg, your beers might be susceptible to different aging rates once they are bottled. Still, because I'm an impatient guy, when I was bottling I bottled at the same "age" that I currently keg my beer. I'd rather they carbonate and be ready to drink (at that optimum 3 week age might I add) with the downside of missing some bulk aging.
Thx. No I keg in cornys. This last beer I done was at FG in 7 days and checked at day 9 with the same FG. So I kegged it and crash cooled it and has for a few days now. It is a cream ale and was just wondering if leaving it in a warm environment was really necessary past the FG reading. I just figured the quicker into cold conditioning the better. As stated before not a pro but have a few batches,all great to toot my own horn, under my belt so far and just trying to expand on my knowledge and understanding.
kanzimonson
Well-Known Member
Ah, my fault for assuming you weren't kegging.
When I think my beer is done with clean up, I taste it. Because I use an English ale with most of my beers, I'm basically tasting for diacetyl. My thought is that it's one of the last things the yeast clean up, so if I can't taste it, it's time to crash cool (in the fermenter for me), and then keg. I frequently crash cool with gelatin added.
A couple weeks ago I brewed a 1.065 stout and had it in the keg after 6 days. To iterate my point, it tastes waaaaaay better now that it's gotten some age on it. But it sure was fun to see how it got to this point.
When I think my beer is done with clean up, I taste it. Because I use an English ale with most of my beers, I'm basically tasting for diacetyl. My thought is that it's one of the last things the yeast clean up, so if I can't taste it, it's time to crash cool (in the fermenter for me), and then keg. I frequently crash cool with gelatin added.
A couple weeks ago I brewed a 1.065 stout and had it in the keg after 6 days. To iterate my point, it tastes waaaaaay better now that it's gotten some age on it. But it sure was fun to see how it got to this point.
Thx for response. I did that one for 5 days in primary and 4 in secondary then crash cooled in keg. Funny you mentioned about using gelatin. I have been reading on using gelatin for clarity (how to properly use it) all day.
kanzimonson
Well-Known Member
I hate the taste of yeast, so I almost always use gelatin. Especially if I'm going to be impatient and keg so quickly. I use a little less than the recommended - usually between 1 and 2 tsp because I figure it can continue clarifying in the keg.
kanzimonson
Well-Known Member
I don't usually use secondaries, so I'm actually adding the gelatin solution to the primary, turning the thermostat to 35*, letting it cool for a couple days, and then racking to the keg. I figure if you're going to use gelatin to clear it, might as well let it clear to the bottom of the fermenter rather than your keg.
However, using gelatin in a keg is not a bad thing, especially if your brewery is the type of place where kegs don't move once they're on tap. But sometimes I have to move kegs around and I don't like to kick the sediment up. The method I use cuts down on that.
However, using gelatin in a keg is not a bad thing, especially if your brewery is the type of place where kegs don't move once they're on tap. But sometimes I have to move kegs around and I don't like to kick the sediment up. The method I use cuts down on that.
permo
Well-Known Member
On the topic of gelatin, I firmly believe that gelatin helps get the beer into "condition" much, much quicker. Of course it drops out yeast and other dissolved proteins and such, that without gelatin would take more time to drop out. So I think with gelatin and force carbing, drinking a beer of moderate gravity in 10-14 days and having it taste pretty good is quite feasable.
Now on to OP topic, I think the extended primary is really just a foolproof way to ensure clear, conditioned, diacytel free ales. 3-4 weeks in primary and straight to bottle or keg and your beers should turn out darned good.......
Now on to OP topic, I think the extended primary is really just a foolproof way to ensure clear, conditioned, diacytel free ales. 3-4 weeks in primary and straight to bottle or keg and your beers should turn out darned good.......
Well Im gonna take you guys word more especially for my higher G beers such as the Aventinus clone I have fermenting now. Of course if I can produce a good everyday beer (cream ale,IPA, etc)with the gelatin in 2 weeks while waiting even better lol. I did a great brown ale a few weeks back in 2 1/2 weeks and I would have to say honestly I thought it smoked Newcastle.
kanzimonson
Well-Known Member
Today I'll be kegging an Imperial Pumpkin that I brewed 14 days ago. It took about 11 days to finish up, and then I gave it three days of gelatin/cooling. Another example of a beer that's done but will definitely need some aging. I may have even brewed this a little late in the season, but the wife wanted me to brew another pumpkin and requested that it be stronger so what was I to do? I just hope it tastes at least "pretty good" at Thanksgiving.
Similar threads
