2 Week Fermentation Possible?

So I'd like to brew a 5 gallon batch to serve on Memorial Day. I would be looking to brew a basic 1050 batch with nothing too special. Is it possible to have this beer ready in two weeks? I would force carb, but I'm concerned two weeks won't be enough. has anyone had luck with this quick of a turnaround time?

 

It could be beer after two weeks. However, that doesn't make it "ready" in my opinion. Even if you force carb it, it will more than likely be very green and very cloudy.

 

I'm actively trying to accomplish this right now with the Centennial Blonde recipe.

Pitch the right amount of yeast and watch the temperature and it's doable.

Edit: I'm planning on adding gelatin at day 10, racking at day 12 and force carbing. Should be nice and clear that way.

 

That's right! I forgot about that recipe. Could be perfect for what I'm trying to do.

 

I'm just a rookie, but made a nice porter that was drinkable after force carbing on day 13. I'll be the first to admit that it wasn't "ready" in the true sense of the word...but it was fine and drinkable. However, it was better after day 21 and pretty awesome after the 4th week. Of course, it was hard to discern "clearness" in a porter.

 

I agree with all that any batch would benefit from more time, but SWMBO decided we're hosting Memorial Day. It would be a crime to supply the party with commercial beer when I have more than enough ingredients to kick out a couple corny kegs. The Centennial Blonde is calling my name....

 

I find ALL of my beers improve dramatically after 2-2.5 months. I been drinking my brews after 2 weeks but it wasn't the best

 

Two days only on the gelatin? I've found I get the best results if I give the gelatin a week to settle. Have you done it that quickly before?

To the OP: A simple wheat, american or german, would be my suggestion. You can usually get those to ferment in a week - week 1/2. Keg and then shake force carb. It's a wheat so cloudiness doesn't matter and those are good fresh beers.

 

Use S-04 yeast for a super quick ferment, let it sit for a week, cold crash/filter and carb. Not ideal but should be good. Or better yet, buy some beer and do your home brew the right way.

 

I always start drinking my hefeweizens two weeks after brew day. Ferment for two weeks, force carb, drink.

 

Make it a wheat beer or something in the 1.030 range, and you could have respectable beer in the glass in 14 days. I wouldn't bother with finings like gelatin. (Of course for wheat beer that's a given anyway.) If it's a wheat beer, just keg it on day 12 and force carb to your heart's content. If it's just a light session beer (non-wheat) and you want to crash out the yeast, then the night before you keg (say day 11?), set your primary fermenter in a cooler with ice.

If you're doing all-grain, mash long at a low temp (75-90 minutes at 150° F or less) to make a highly-fermentable mash. This should help get the bulk of primary fermentation done within the first few days so that the yeast can be in "clean-up" mode for a week or more and your beer won't be as green on day 14.

 

I agree re: wheat beers from the above 2 posts. I bottle carb and even with that if everything goes well you can have a really nice beer in 2-3 weeks.

 

Brew a low abv mild or bitter with that yeast, and you will be more than fine.

 

One more vote for a wheat beer. Mine usually go from primary to tapped within 2 - 2 1/2 weeks.

 

If it's something hoppy like an APA or an IPA, you should be fine. If you're doing something with a little more complexity, it probably won't be ready...

 

fyi if you use Notty with the Cent Blonde - at week 2 for me it was still hazy and had an lingering aftertaste - cleaned up wonderfully by week 3 when I bottled

i'm sure results vary across the board though depending on ferm temps

 

pitch a lot of yeast and for the first couple of days keep it at the usual ferment temp, then ramp it up 4 or 5 degrees and let those yeast go crazy for 4 or 5 days. Then cold crash 2 days, and keg giving it 2 or 3 days to carb.

 

Another vote for a wheat, specifically a Belgian witbier. Two weeks is perfect for this style, and the orange is nice and refreshing for some hot weather. I just cracked one open after a two week primary, and it is excellent. Used WLP400, and that yeast is crazy - didn't get much activity after two days, then it blew through the airlock and finished most fermentation the next day. 72 hours from 1.060 to 1.013! That was with a 1.4L starter.

 

+1 for the wheat beer ideas. Hefes and wits are the way to go. I'm planning on a 10 gal batch to split between a hefe & wit for July.

 

I think I'm the third or fourth now to suggest a hefeweizen. I usually go two weeks grain to glass. Brew, and primary for 7 - 10 days, cold crash for 36 hours or so and then keg and carb.

The cold crashing doesn't make it super clear (it is a hef and therefore supposed to be a bit cloudy) but it does get some of the stuff out of suspension that you don't want in the finished product and the cold beer makes force carbing go faster.