Big Beer question

[Bluedog]

I now have 3 brews in primary, I'm not sure if you'd classify them as "big", but all 3 had OG's of 1.070-1.085. I piched 2 packages of yeast in each, would you guys recommend using a secondary for these batches or leave them in primary for a month and bottle? Thanks guys.

 

[bknifefight]

I'd consider them big if the OG was 1.085 but the definition varies from person to person. Anyways, I never secondary unless I am letting the beer sit for over 2 months. I would let them sit in the primary (personally I would do at least 6 weeks for that OG) and bottle them up!

 

[Bluedog]

Wow, six weeks in primary? Never would have figured that, do you frequently change your airlock water so it doesn't spoil?

 

[Chap]

Wow, six weeks in primary? Never would have figured that, do you frequently change your airlock water so it doesn't spoil?

Use vodka and you only have to top off when it gets low.

 

[bknifefight]

Well, the fermentation will probably finish in about a week or two. For a low gravity beer, I will bottle after 3 weeks but I always find that my big beers round off and taste better as a whole with a longer primary.

Also, I never change or have to refill my airlocks. Even with a barleywine that sat for 6 months.

 

[Bluedog]

Thanks for the help guys, I'll let them sit in primary. One more thing, one of them is dry hopped, will that be a problem if left too long in primary?

 

[dcp27]

Thanks for the help guys, I'll let them sit in primary. One more thing, one of them is dry hopped, will that be a problem if left too long in primary?

you dry hopped it already? usually you wait until the final week before bottling to do that

 

[Bluedog]

you dry hopped it already? usually you wait until the final week before bottling to do that

Yes, the batch that's dry-hopped has been so for one week today and Saturday will be the three week mark, total fermentation time in primary.

 

[dcp27]

well if you had good fermentation temps, 3 weeks should be fine. more time would certainly help, but supposedly after 2 weeks you can start getting grassy flavors from dry-hopping. I've never had it happen to me or in others ive tried, but some have, so take it as you will.

 

[Kahuna]

I'd go at least four weeks with these beers in primary only, then start testing them over a few days with a hydrometer to see if they have stopped fermenting.

As for the one that you've dry hopped already, 7-10 days is the common recommended length of time to dry hop. If its not done fermenting at the 10 day point, move it off the hops to a secondary.

 

[WazzuBrew]

Take readings, dude. If it's the same 2-3 days in a row it is done fermenting and any additional time will contribute to flavor/clarity and maybe some other scientific things that you probably dont need to worry about etc.

I primary for 10 days to 2 weeks then secondary for 1-2 depending in the beer I guess. I taste it along the way. I recently transferred a black ale to secondary after 13 days and it tastes amazing. I'll let it sit for a week or so and then keg. Oh yeah...I recommend kegging for sure. You can get a starter set up for under 200 and you will never go back to bottling. I'm an impatient SOB and the thought if waiting 2 weeks to bottle, or more, just to have to wait another 2+ is BS.

Happy brewing

 

[BryanJ]

I would bottle the beer you dry hopped when you finish the 7-10 days of dry hopping. Otherwise I would leave the others in primary and taste every week or two until you are happy with the beer and then bottle them.

Its your beer and you should age them to your particular tastes, don't have a set time for aging based on what other people say. What three beers did you make?

 

[Bluedog]

Thanks for all the help guys, so if I wait till friday, that will be 10 days for the dry hop, and the other 2 I'll let sit in primary for 3-4 weeks. Man, the last 2 batches I made, I rehydrated 2 packs of Nottingham each, that stuff is like rocket fuel. One batch was fully fermented in 72 hours(FG .010) and the most recent one reached high krausen in about 7 hours!, I pitched the yeast at 7:00 Sunday night, got up at 3:00 Monday morning and the airlock was overflowing already (6gal. in a 6.5gal. bucket), I lost a quart by the time it was all said and done. I did let it get a little warmban

 

[WazzuBrew]

I know what you mean. I just brewed an English Pale today and I'm already seeing bubbles (Nottingham yeast). Really though dude. 4 weeks in primary is a long time. You're not going to hurt anything but damn....you must be one patient person. Wish I had that in me...unless you are skipping secondary...then it makes sense

 

[bknifefight]

I think you'll find most everyone who advocates a long primary hardly ever does a secondary.