How do they do it??

[dukes7779]

Went to a brewpub recently and overheard a brewer mention to someone that the beer he was brewing would be on tap in two weeks.........really??? He said ferm for 1 week, pull off yeast and reuse, ferm for another week then on tap............huh????

 

[Doppelganger]

Depending on the brew. A simple hefe can be done in 2 weeks. 14 day primary, keg it on co2, shake, in 2 days you got heaven in the form of wheat beer in a glass

 

[PseudoChef]

Most of my beers only stay in fermentors for 2 weeks, then to keg. I've never seen the big deal with these extended primaries if you have a controlled fermentation with healthy yeast.

 

[Jay1]

I don't understand why it takes people so long. It seems like the big buzz around here is to leave it on the primary for a month. 2 weeks from brew to glass sound about right, even for an IIPA. Most of the microbrews around here are serving in about two weeks.

 

[xdalisx]

I brew in a pub on a 7 barrel system. 14 days in the fermentor, transfer to serving tank, carb and serve.

Active fermentation is done within 7 days, clean up for 7 more, then its ready to go.

With home brew we have the ability to wait as long as we want for the beer to be ready. In a brewpub its all about having beer to serve. will the beer be better if it aged for a little while longer? possibly, but then that's a longer period of time without something to serve customers.

 

[BradleyBrew]

Most of my beers only stay in fermentors for 2 weeks, then to keg. I've never seen the big deal with these extended primaries if you have a controlled fermentation with healthy yeast.

+1

Over the past few months I've got a stir plate, oxygen set-up, and a dedicated fermchamber. I don't see the need to let my beer sit past 3 weeks anymore in the fermenter.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

Many brewpubs also filter. There's not a real need to wait for the yeast to drop out of suspension.

Usually primary fermentation is active within 6 hours of chilling to ferm temps.

MC

 

[dukes7779]

makes sense. i have not seen any gravity changes past 5-7 days usually, they were brewing an amber at the time. but how do they get it carbed up so quick now too?

 

[gr8shandini]

Many brewpubs also filter. There's not a real need to wait for the yeast to drop out of suspension.

Usually primary fermentation is active within 6 hours of chilling to ferm temps.

MC

Yes, if you're waiting for them to do their own thing. But if you cold crash and add gelatin, you can force them out of suspension in just a couple of days.

 

[gr8shandini]

makes sense. i have not seen any gravity changes past 5-7 days usually, they were brewing an amber at the time. but how do they get it carbed up so quick now too?

Most commercial fermenters / bright tanks will hold pressure. So it's carbonating as it ferments / conditions. I haven't tried it yet, but there's a great thread about doing the same on a homebrew scale using sanke or corny kegs and a home-made "spunding valve."

 

[dukes7779]

Most commercial fermenters / bright tanks will hold pressure. So it's carbonating as it ferments / conditions. I haven't tried it yet, but there's a great thread about doing the same on a homebrew scale using sanke or corny kegs and a home-made "spunding valve."

great idea!! make the yeast do double duty!!

 

[ChillWill]

There are different ways to carbonate. They won't keep it under pressure the whole time, it'd be too much for the yeast. But they can seal it up when it's done a chunk of fermentation.

They can also keep top pressure on the tank (2 bar) and keep topping up as co2 is absorbed.

Or, just bubble it through the bottom discharge to get it there quicker, ideally with a sterile filter.

Two weeks is plenty of time if filtering. The beer will ferment out in 4-5 days, then it won't take long to condition after that as there will be plenty of yeast there.

 

[JJL]

If you filter and force carb, like many breweries and brewpubs do nowadays, there's no need to ferment more than 2 weeks max on a typical ale. Actually, even filtering isn't really necessary. Let it hit the FG, cool it, and throw in a carb stone and it can be ready to bottle or keg in a few hours. It'll be cloudy, but ready to drink.

 

[scottland]

I agree with everyone else. Most beers just don't need that long. People on HBT preach long primaries, and it's good advice for the new brewer who doesn't have a good grasp on yeast management or fermentation temperatures. But it's certainly not needed for every brewer. I'm usually kegged and carbing after 14 days. If the beer is dry hopped, maybe a little longer. My 8.5% double IPA is in the keg after 22 days, and that includes a 10 day dry hop.

 

[kerant]

Could it be it just takes longer to condition in bottles then force carbing a keg?

 

[grouperdude]

Could it be it just takes longer to condition in bottles then force carbing a keg?

yes force carbing is faster.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

This isn't too unheard of.

My Honey Orange Hefe goes from grain-to-glass in 10 days... and it's friggin amazing.

 

[richbrew99]

I've had good luck with fermentation for about 1 week or less at about 62 degrees in my basement then bring it upstairs for about a week at 68 - 70 degrees. Finishes fast and tastes great!

 

[BlainD]

I brew in a pub on a 7 barrel system. 14 days in the fermentor, transfer to serving tank, carb and serve.

Active fermentation is done within 7 days, clean up for 7 more, then its ready to go.

With home brew we have the ability to wait as long as we want for the beer to be ready. In a brewpub its all about having beer to serve. will the beer be better if it aged for a little while longer? possibly, but then that's a longer period of time without something to serve customers.

word. Time = Money.

I use to be a chef. Artists go broke. Way of the world.

 

[scottland]

I've had good luck with fermentation for about 1 week or less at about 62 degrees in my basement then bring it upstairs for about a week at 68 - 70 degrees. Finishes fast and tastes great!

I didn't want to get into all of the tips for getting better beer faster, but that is definitely one of the biggest ones.

Ferment cool (low 60s) until fermentation slows then raise the temp at the very end to help clean up the beer quickly. Cuts days off the process, and really makes for a clean fermentation profile.

 

[dukes7779]

Interesting.....I have to get a book on yeast.

 

[Beerbeque]

The instructions that came with my original brewing kit (morebeer) said to leave the ale in the fermenter for 14 days and bottle or keg. I've done it that way for over 115 batches now and it never failed me. I never even take an FG reading.I've never understood why some guys here wait 3 or 4 weeks and more.

 

[JRems]

I've never understood why some guys here wait 3 or 4 weeks and more.

They wait 3-4 weeks because some beers take 3-4 weeks to finish. I just had a Belgian that still had 2+ inches of krausen and a bubbling airlock even after 2 weeks. It finished by week 3 and I left it a week to settle a bit. Not every beer can be finished in 2 weeks.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

They wait 3-4 weeks because some beers take 3-4 weeks to finish. I just had a Belgian that still had 2+ inches of krausen and a bubbling airlock even after 2 weeks. It finished by week 3 and I left it a week to settle a bit. Not every beer can be finished in 2 weeks.

This

 

[imperialipa]

Also my experience is that higher gravity beers need to mellow out. they may be done fermenting in 2 weeks but if you force carb and serve a few days later your really going to miss out on getting the full flavor potential.

Now on a low gravity session beer or wheat beer thats a different story.

 

[PseudoChef]

They wait 3-4 weeks because some beers take 3-4 weeks to finish. I just had a Belgian that still had 2+ inches of krausen and a bubbling airlock even after 2 weeks. It finished by week 3 and I left it a week to settle a bit. Not every beer can be finished in 2 weeks.

That actually sounds like not pitching enough healthy yeast and/or not having steady fementation temperatures. Also, krausen still present, nor a bubbling airlock is a definitive indicator of fermentation.

 

[unionrdr]

I agree with rems. My beers usually take 3 weeks to be finished,settled,& ready to bottle. And I pitch plenty of re-hydrated yeast. My Burton got twice the amount needed minimum,& it still took 5 weeks to finish & settle with an OG of 1.065.

 

[PseudoChef]

Finished fermenting and settled is different than finished fermenting.

Cold crashing and/or fining and filtering ameliorate the waiting time for settling.

 

[ChillWill]

Finished fermenting and settled is different than finished fermenting.

Cold crashing and/or fining and filtering ameliorate the waiting time for settling.

Bingo.

A lot of homebrewers use completely different techniques to commercial brewers and they don't understand how it's done differently.

We're usually be dumping yeast out the bottom of the conicals 5 or 6 days after brewing a batch of 1.060 or below beer. We do stuff like attenuation tests so don't need "3 days of stable gravity" etc. We really don't want the yeast in there after it's done.

Oh... and looking at Mr malty figures we're probably pitching half the yeast the average homebrewer is using that calculator.

 

[Scooba]

So I have an Agave Wit in the primary for 2 weeks now. I usually go 1 month with med gravity ales. I reading that I can keg this thing now?

 

[dukes7779]

I'm thinking I would try bottling a portion of it now and leaving the rest a few more weeks and see what happens for later batches.

 

[PseudoChef]

So I have an Agave Wit in the primary for 2 weeks now. I usually go 1 month with med gravity ales. I reading that I can keg this thing now?

If you're kegging, why not? Getting it cold and carbonated ain't gonna hurt it. I just put a Wit on (regular Wit) that spent the same time in the fermentor. If it tastes good, there's no reason to keep them sitting around taking up fermentor real estate, IMO.

You palate is your best guide. If you think it needs a little more time, then give it some more time, but if it tastes good (it will take some "practice" to start figuring out how flat, warm beer tastes - but off-flavors are still usually readily detectable) then get it packaged. Proper fermentation with healthy yeast is the best to stave off these bad flavors from even forming, so keep those in check, and I think you'll start finding your beer is less "green" sooner.

 

[Scooba]

If you're kegging, why not? Getting it cold and carbonated ain't gonna hurt it. I just put a Wit on (regular Wit) that spent the same time in the fermentor. If it tastes good, there's no reason to keep them sitting around taking up fermentor real estate, IMO.

You palate is your best guide. If you think it needs a little more time, then give it some more time, but if it tastes good (it will take some "practice" to start figuring out how flat, warm beer tastes - but off-flavors are still usually readily detectable) then get it packaged. Proper fermentation with healthy yeast is the best to stave off these bad flavors from even forming, so keep those in check, and I think you'll start finding your beer is less "green" sooner.

Well, FWIW, I made a 1L starter. So I know I had healthy yeast. Thanks for the advice

 

[PseudoChef]

Well, FWIW, I made a 1L starter. So I know I had healthy yeast. Thanks for the advice

I'm not trying to be an ass, but just because someone makes a starter doesn't mean the yeast was healthy. That's why I always try to talk about fermentations in terms of yeast health as well as pitching rate. You can make a 5 liter starter, but if it's from old and/or stressed yeast, it's still not optimal.

In no way am I saying this is your case, just pointing out a distinction.