How long is too long in the fermenter?

[WrkdbfGuy]

I have been planning to brew a nice Irish Ale on Monday - the yeast starter is going along nicely now. But I just found out we will be leaving for 3 to 4 weeks, starting a week from Friday. That would make only 12 days in the fermenter before we leave.

So I have options on how to approach this:

1. Just leave it in the fermenter for what might be 5 weeks. (Is 5 weeks too long?)
2. Just before I leave (12 days in primary) check if it's near or at FG and if so, rack to secondary
3. Put my yeast starter in the fridge and don't start brewing till I get back

What do you think?

Bill

 

[TAK]

5 weeks is just fine. Certainly not worth worrying over. If it's done, really done, at 12 days, cool, but I'd err on letting it ride while you're away.

 

[mainiac]

I just bottled a 5 gallon batch today that has been sitting in the original (primary) bucket for about 7 weeks. I just had too much going to get to bottling it until now. It looked, smelled and tasted just fine. I'm off to Aruba for a week next Saturday, so it should be ready to drink when I get back. I expect that it will be yummy. I say brew it, pitch it and fuggedaboutit.

 

[masskrug]

Depends on how much brew you have on deck. Do you have something to drink when you get back, or should you bottle this and have it ready when you get back?

 

[WrkdbfGuy]

Depends on how much brew you have on deck. Do you have something to drink when you get back, or should you bottle this and have it ready when you get back?

I have 5 gallons of Kolsch finishing up bottle conditioning now. I'll have the Kolsch to drink for sure.