Your approach to beer maturation?

[OutsidersAl]

That's maturation, thank you very much.

Anyway... I'm just kind of curious. After your beer finishes fermenting and you hit your desired FG, then what do you do?

Do you rack it off the yeast cake and let it sit exposed to oxygen for another few weeks?

Do you package it right away?

Do you rack it off the yeast, keg it and cool it for another few weeks?

Do you??????

The reason I ask is that more and more I'm finding that letting my beer sit for a few more weeks is the right thing to do. Green characteristics mellow and the beer becomes much better. Especially with higher gravity beers, but even with something in the 5-6 ABV range as well.

Now I've been letting them rest at around 35* F and their maturation is quite slow. So I've been wondering if I just rack them off the yeast cake and let them sit at around 70* for a couple weeks if that's my best coarse of action.

Not so much a secondary fermentation, but more just a rest.

I'm curious about feedback on my process, but also input as to what your process is.

Thanks in advance!

 

[kapbrew13]

how long you fermenting for?

 

[mid_knight]

For a "normal" gravity beer - I ferment in primary 3-4 weeks. Then let it sit in bottle for at least 3 weeks before I let a friend try it.

 

[OutsidersAl]

kapbrew13: fermenting until it hits it's gravity... sometimes as little as 3 days, never more than 3 weeks.

mid: is there any reason you bottle it for the 3 weeks other than for priming?

 

[kapbrew13]

For a "normal" gravity beer - I ferment in primary 3-4 weeks. Then let it sit in bottle for at least 3 weeks before I let a friend try it.

+1 my approach. Let it ferment for 3-4 weeks not only completes primary fermentation but it also settles everything down. My 1 amber kit was a little harsh at 2 weeks , gravity fine, but at 3 weeks very mellow and smooth . Guess this is what everyone means by let the yeast clean up.
Also don't touch my bottled ones for 2-3 weeks.
Even let my kegged brews sit on CO2 for a couple weeks. I'm in no rush.

I just take the approach, to let the brew "age". Haven't had a problem yet.

 

[usfmikeb]

Beer usually tastes better with some maturation. Most of my brews sit in primary for a month, and only go into secondary if I'm fruiting or doing long term bulk storage. They get kegged, which is where I do my dry hopping. Normally, those kegs sit pressurized in a cool place for another month or two.

 

[OutsidersAl]

These are great, thanks you guys.

What I've been doing is fermenting for typically 3-10 days, once I hit my gravity, I crash cool to drop the yeast and rack it into a soda keg. I have been then putting those kegs in a fridge at 35* for about a month before putting on gas for another couple weeks before serving.

What I think I might do now based on your feedback is hit my gravity and then move it out of my fermenter to my utility room which sticks b/w 55-65* depending on the time of year to "clean up". Then after a few weeks of that I'll crash cool it and move it to another keg for gas and/or bottling.

Have you guys run up on any autolysis going past 4 weeks from pitching?

 

[cyclonite]

For a "normal" gravity beer - I ferment in primary 3-4 weeks. Then let it sit in bottle for at least 3 weeks before I let a friend try it.

+1 more. I go a minimum of 3 weeks in primary for all beers, and only secondary in rare circumstances (flavor additions that I don't want in my washed yeast, or if I need a primary freed up ;-)). I have found long primaries benefit my beers, as others here have as well (lets the yeast clean up after themselves).

 

[usfmikeb]

Have you guys run up on any autolysis going past 4 weeks from pitching?

Nope.

 

[wittmania]

Nope.

+1

There are far more risks with using a secondary than with a long primary. Autolysis has never been a factor, even in a beer I've had in the primary for nearly 3 months.

 

[BrewerinBR]

The 21 day primary seems to be a common theme. I also do a 21 day primary at 64 to 68, then dry hop, if necessary right in the primary, and cool to 42 over the next 5 to 7 days. Then bottle at 42. Take the bottles and warm to 68 to 70 and leave for 21 days. After 21 days put the bottles in the cool room and lower to 42 for 14 days sometimes more before I test them.

 

[Chap]

1 month in primary @ 68° before I check FG. If a keg is available and I am ready I will rack it and carb, if not it sits in primary until I am ready. My MoreBeer Fire in the Hole is almost 8 weeks old. Cold crashed it Sunday night, hope to keg this weekend.

Having a decent pipeline makes it a lot easier to let beer sit and "mature" IMO.

 

[LiBrewshed]

I am intrigued by this forum and I to would like some input on my practices. For a typical "normal gravity" recipe with (no dry hop) I primary for 1 week, drop and wash the yeast, secondary until fg is reached usually 7-10 days. At this point i'll crash cool for 3-4 days. Then i'll keg and force carb at 12 psi for 14 days and enjoy. I have noticed that the beer does mature slightly over time. Would anybody care to comment on this practice?

 

[RM-MN]

I am intrigued by this forum and I to would like some input on my practices. For a typical "normal gravity" recipe with (no dry hop) I primary for 1 week, drop and wash the yeast, secondary until fg is reached usually 7-10 days. At this point i'll crash cool for 3-4 days. Then i'll keg and force carb at 12 psi for 14 days and enjoy. I have noticed that the beer does mature slightly over time. Would anybody care to comment on this practice?

For your next brew session, try leaving your beer in the primary for 3 weeks and then cold crash it there. I think you will find that it matures quicker that way.

 

[LiBrewshed]

Will do, would this affect the yeast to the point that it should not be re-used. Assuming that it is washed with the same temp of sterilized h2o.

 

[hopsicle]

After 8 days I cold crash for 3, transfer, and serve.

 

[Yooper]

I am intrigued by this forum and I to would like some input on my practices. For a typical "normal gravity" recipe with (no dry hop) I primary for 1 week, drop and wash the yeast, secondary until fg is reached usually 7-10 days. At this point i'll crash cool for 3-4 days. Then i'll keg and force carb at 12 psi for 14 days and enjoy. I have noticed that the beer does mature slightly over time. Would anybody care to comment on this practice?

It sounds fine, for the most part. But I'd leave the beer in the fermenter until FG is reached, and THEN rack the beer to the clearing vessel.

I usually leave my beer in the fermenter for 10-14 days before packaging. Assuming the proper amount of yeast is pitched, and the fermentation temperature is in the optimum fermenting temperature range, most beers will be finished in 5 days or less.

But after fermentation ends, the yeast is still active and will continue to scavenge around looking for food to eat. At this point, they will eat less desirable things (since fermentable sugars are gone), and even digest their own waste products. This process takes a couple of days, so it's good to leave the beer in the fermenter for at least 24-48 hours after reaching FG so this can happen. Jamil Zainasheff even recommends raising the fermentation temperature a couple of degrees at this time, to encourage this to happen and so the beer can be coaxed to finish up fully.

After that (usually about day 7-10), the beer can be racked to a clearing vessel ("secondary") or left right where it is to clear a bit. Either is fine. After the beer starts to clear, it is fine to be packaged.

Some like to ensure this process has plenty of time, so they'll leave the beer in the fermenter for an extended time period- even up to a month. My preference is to not do that, and to package the beer in most cases in about 10-14 days.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Longer is better in my brews. (within reason)

3-4 weeks primary, then I do typically secondary, but only because I want the yeast, the fermenter, or both.

Nothing wrong with a looooooong secondary at 67F or so, unless it is an IPA orIIPA.

My processes are good, but I try not to be in a hurry. A couple of months never hurt even a light beer.

 

[LiBrewshed]

Thanks very much. To both of you I am continually impressed by the wealth of knowledge on hbt. the eagerness with which it members share their insight is commendable. everyday is a new chance to improve my brewing practices.cheers!

 

[RM-MN]

Will do, would this affect the yeast to the point that it should not be re-used. Assuming that it is washed with the same temp of sterilized h2o.

That practice shouldn't hurt the yeast at all. When you cold crash you make the yeast go dormant, clump up, and then settle out quickly. If you warm them up again the yeast will be ready to go again.

 

[phenry]

I feel like the "dangers" of using a secondary are far overstated around these parts. While I only use them for long term bulk aging, if my brewing situation was a little different I would probably use them more often. If you have any skill at all in terms of racking your beer to another vessel properly, oxidation shouldn't be an issue. If you have any skill at all in terms of sanitizing your equipment properly, infection shouldn't be an issue.

That said, most of my small-ish beers and IPAs/APAs undergo a >~1 week ferment in a water bath, then taken out and rest at a higher temp for another week and bottled afterwards. I try to avoid anything longer than 3 weeks in the fermenter for any of my hop driven beers. Non-hop driven beers, like ambers (for the most part) and stouts spend quite a bit longer in the primary, which usually ends up being a month or so. Big beers and Belgians usually get 3-5 weeks in primary and even longer in secondary (minus wits). Most beers spend the designated 3 weeks in bottles before opening, minus the bigs and Belgians, which I lay down for almost as long as I can stand. I haven't been brewing nearly long enough to open up a 3 year old Tripel of my own creation, but having some commercial examples that were even older is just motivation to keep some around until I'm putting money down for a house.

 

[cosmo]

Seems there's a big variation of timespan in primary. Anywhere from 1 week to 5 or more weeks. I wonder if this has anything to do with the amount of trub that gets into the primary. I.e. more trub requires more time to mellow and clear. Just a theory. I know there is a big variation in technique in this regard. Some dump all of the wort into the fermenter. Some use a screen or fine mesh to strain or filter the wort. Any thoughts? I have been siphoning the wort off the trub, and leaving most of the trub behind, but I think I can do better. I primary for 3-4 weeks, then keg and chill. It sometimes takes several weeks or months to clear and condition out any harsh flavors. On my next brew (tonight) I plan on using a paint strainer bag to strain out more of the trub. I want to see if the beer clears faster and tastes better. Please post your experiences.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Seems there's a big variation of timespan in primary. Anywhere from 1 week to 5 or more weeks. I wonder if this has anything to do with the amount of trub that gets into the primary. I.e. more trub requires more time to mellow and clear. Just a theory. I know there is a big variation in technique in this regard. Some dump all of the wort into the fermenter. Some use a screen or fine mesh to strain or filter the wort. Any thoughts? I have been siphoning the wort off the trub, and leaving most of the trub behind, but I think I can do better. I primary for 3-4 weeks, then keg and chill. It sometimes takes several weeks or months to clear and condition out any harsh flavors. On my next brew (tonight) I plan on using a paint strainer bag to strain out more of the trub. I want to see if the beer clears faster and tastes better. Please post your experiences.

I leave it all in, but more importantly, "Harsh" flavors will clear much faster in warm conditioning.

Lagers often have a warm period to "clean up". In the fridge, the yeast that do the cleaning up go to sleep.

 

[grndslm]

Currently....

- 1 week in Primary
- 3 weeks in Secondary
- Batch prime by slowly stirring the sugar water in the bottling bucket!
- Then Bottle (preferably brown bottles)!
- 4 weeks in dark place
- 3 days in fridge

++ (my friend was always afraid to stir the brew, but his carbonation was NEVER 100% right until I added my unprofessional opinion into the mix)

 

[spenghali]

Min of 3 weeks in primary, then rack to keg or bottle. Unless I am brewing a hef, then it's ~10 days until I am drinking that keg .

 

[cosmo]

Spenghali,
That's pretty quick. Do you strain the Trub when transferring from kettle to fermenter? Do you use hop sacks in the kettle? Just trying to see if there is any correlation.

 

[KozHops]

Since I started kegging I follow this procedure (from Wayne1) and have turned out some great beer. Primary for 10-14 days then cold crash 2-3 days. Rack to a secondary vessel, add gelatin and keep cold for 3-5 days. Once clear, rack to keg, carb @ 30psi for 2 days, drop psi to 5 and serve.

I am usually grain to glass in 21 days or so for beers <7%. I have even shortened the timeframe depending on the beer. My pale ale was brewed on 3/9 and will be ready to serve tonight.

 

[cheezydemon3]

unfortunately kegging sped up my "grain to cold" time.

For one you have to chill all 5 gallons to have one cold carbed sip.

That is Ok if your processes are impeccable. i am smart enough to know that while good, my processes aren't perfect.

"My beer turns out good" still holds true for me, but would it be better after 3 more weeks warm?

Probably.

Not attacking anyone, but:

"My beer turns out fine"

Is akin to someone who drank a lot of lead as a child saying "I turned out fine"

How would you know if you would have been 5% smarter? How would you know if your beer could have been 5% better?

You will never know.