Primary or conditioning?

[lordrath1069]

Hypothetically let's say I needed a beer in 6 weeks. Would it be better to primary for 4 weeks and bottle condition for 2, or primary for 2 weeks and bottle condition 4? Does one give better flavor and/or clarity than the other? Either way, why? Thanks!

 

[unionrdr]

Try to pitch the right amount of yeast & keep the temp in the yeast's sweet spot & you might be able to bottle in 10-14 days. I had that happen with my ESB the first time. But 3 weeks or so is better for bottle carb/conditioning time.

 

[MonsterBrew]

It depends on the style of beer, but I'd go with the shorter time in the primary. It will be better for the beer to leave it in the bottles longer. It can stay in the bottles for a while but you generally do not want beer in the primary for any longer than 4 weeks. While it's not necessarily a bad thing, less contact with the trub will produce a better beer. The other alternative you could do is, 1-2 weeks primary, 2 weeks secondary, and then 2+ weeks in bottles. There are mixed views about secondary fermentation but it does help clarify the beer.

-Jeff

 

[flars]

High gravity beers will take longer in the primary and longer to bottle condition than low gravity beers.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Hypothetically let's say I needed a beer in 6 weeks. Would it be better to primary for 4 weeks and bottle condition for 2, or primary for 2 weeks and bottle condition 4? Does one give better flavor and/or clarity than the other? Either way, why? Thanks!

Much easier when kegging, but...

Enough yeast (Oxygenation would help, too)
Low ABV kit
Enough flavor to cover "off" flavors that additional primary time could clean up
No problem

This would be my dark mild. It can be in the bottle in 7-8 days or in the keg in 5-6.

Just remember that if you are pushing you bottle conditioning time keep the bottles at the high end of the yeast's fermentation range or even a little above.

 

[unionrdr]

Higher temps in the bottle don't matter as it does in the fermenter during initial fermentation. But low temps do. Too low & the yeasties go to sleep.