Fermentor time?

[mmlipps]

The recipes I have used and have looked at all say to keep the brew in the fermenter for 1-2 weeks then bottle. Is there a benefit to go longer? When do you decide to bottle?

 

[TipsyDragon]

The longer you let it sit the more time the yeast have to clean up after themselves. Kits usually try to rush you to the bottle so you will brew faster and buy more kits. Typically it's recommended to let the beer sit 2-3 weeks. But if your in a hurry you can bottle as soon as the SG stops falling.

 

[unionrdr]

I wait till I get a stable FG,however long that takes. Then give it another 3-7 days to clean up any by products of fermentation & settle out clear or slightly misty. Then bulk prime & bottle. This is typically 3 weeks or so.

 

[duboman]

I wait till I get a stable FG,however long that takes. Then give it another 3-7 days to clean up any by products of fermentation & settle out clear or slightly misty. Then bulk prime & bottle. This is typically 3 weeks or so.

+1
I usually take my first reading at day 10-14 to verify FG, then add a week to drop bright and then package.

Whatever you do, you do not want to remove the beer from the yeast until it has reached final gravity, meaning the same reading over a course of 3 days, no off flavors or stuck gravity

 

[Chadwick]

100% agree with the posts above. I even take it a step further and always allow 2-3 more weeks after all activity has stopped. Heck, I did a brew once that I left in the primary for....get this....3 months! Yes, 3 months. It turned out great. Although I did add a sprinkling of yeast to the bottling bucket just for insurance with that one.

I have found that extra time in the primary consistently equals better beer in the end. Think of it like this. The act of making beer is the man thing. The act of consuming beer is the woman thing. Now, be sure the woman is satisfied.

 

[ericbw]

100% agree with the posts above. I even take it a step further and always allow 2-3 more weeks after all activity has stopped. Heck, I did a brew once that I left in the primary for....get this....3 months! Yes, 3 months. It turned out great. Although I did add a sprinkling of yeast to the bottling bucket just for insurance with that one.

I have found that extra time in the primary consistently equals better beer in the end. Think of it like this. The act of making beer is the man thing. The act of consuming beer is the woman thing. Now, be sure the woman is satisfied.

Not sure what that last part means, but...

I have been doing 4 weeks in primary UNLESS something looks amiss, like a reactive red fermentation. That was the most notable improvement I've made.

I did follow a recipe to the T for a grapefruit pale ale, and it was in primary about 15 days. It was fantastic, so shorter can also work.

Someone said that long primaries are a crutch for bad brewing. I'm fine with that!

 

[unionrdr]

I've found that as soon as the beer cleans up & drops clear or slightly misty,it's bottling time. you want the hops & other flavors at their peak by serving time. Too much time isn't always a good thing.

 

[neo71665]

Most kits are aimed at newbies and sales. Most newbies want to mix something up and drink it tomorrow. If kits would suggest times for a good tasting product and not just something drinkable I bet sales would drop off.

I don't think brew shops want you just buying kits. They want you buying extra fermenters, bottles, and kits.

 

[dstranger99]

The recipes I have used and have looked at all say to keep the brew in the fermenter for 1-2 weeks then bottle. Is there a benefit to go longer? When do you decide to bottle?

I know the anxiousness to get those bottles filled, and ready to drink. But waiting is always best in beer land. Let that bucket sit for 30 days, then let those bottles set for 30 more. You will thank me later........

 

[boydster]

I'm usually doing 14 days in primary (gravity checks on day 10 & 12) and then into bottles for 2-3 weeks. Session beers carb fast. Of course not every fermentation allows for that schedule, and some styles require a little aging, but for an APA or a hefe or blonde, I usually am able to enjoy them about a month or 5 weeks after brew day.

 

[mmlipps]

I'm usually doing 14 days in primary (gravity checks on day 10 & 12) and then into bottles for 2-3 weeks. Session beers carb fast. Of course not every fermentation allows for that schedule, and some styles require a little aging, but for an APA or a hefe or blonde, I usually am able to enjoy them about a month or 5 weeks after brew day.

Isn't sampling the beer too much bad? Exposing the top of the carboy to air?

 

[boydster]

Taking 2 gravity readings to ensure you are at a stable FG doesn't really introduce a lot of risk for oxidation and does reduce your risk of bottle bombs from bottling before FG is reached. A healthy ale fermentation should be at FG well within 10 days, so I don't have to sample more than the two tests very often at all.

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah,I rarely have to take more than 2 FG samples at,say,2 weeks & 3 days ater for the 2nd one. You just get a feel for it after a while.

 

[IL1kebeer]

The recipes I have used and have looked at all say to keep the brew in the fermenter for 1-2 weeks then bottle. Is there a benefit to go longer? When do you decide to bottle?

The fault with those kits is that they are telling inexperienced brewers that they can have their beer finish in a week or two. This is wrong on many levels because the fermentation process of new brewers is spotty at best. Temp control, pitch rates, and yeast health are all things that are overlooked in most brewers' first batches. Most new brewers use ambient temp for fermentation, which we all know will not produce the best results. A beer that underwent an unhealthy ferment will most certainly not be done in a week and it will probably still be a bit rough around the edges at two weeks.

That being said, if you have fermentation dialed in like a pro the there is no reason to keep most ales in the fermenter for more than 10-14 days. High gravity, sours, and some dark beers are all exceptions, among other complex beers. You can rack most ales after 10-14 days if you have a healthy ferment, then you can cold condition in the bottle (after its carbbed of course) or in the keg for however long you like.

As always, let your taste buds and hydrometer be your guide. If it's at FG but doesn't taste like its cleaned up then give it more time.

 

[RM-MN]

I have a batch in the fermenter that at 4 weeks is still not at a stable gravity reading. It has been slowly dropping in gravity since I pitched the yeast. Should I bottle this beer at 2 weeks? 3? No way!

 

[boydster]

I just had one like that with S-33! Would have had some serious bottle bombs if I packaged at 2 weeks.

Obey the hydrometer, you must. <(-_-)>

 

[the_trout]

The problem with kit instructions is that yeast cant read.

 

[ericbw]

I just had one like that with S-33! Would have had some serious bottle bombs if I packaged at 2 weeks.

Obey the hydrometer, you must. <(-_-)>

I had the same thing with S-33. It went about a week and slowed down, then at about 2 weeks, it slowly ramped back up for a while. I let it go 4 weeks I think.

I prob won't use that yeast again. There are other Belgian yeasts to use, and if you save it, then it's a one time investment.