3 2 1 Brew method - Whadda ya think?

[JoeMama]

Ive seen many a post from many a posters regarding the 1 2 3 method when doing their beer cycle.
1 Week in the primary (Initial fermentation)
2 Weeks in the Secondary (Clearing stage)
3 Weeks in the Bottle (To condition and carbonate)
(Correct?)

Well, I have been gathering little bits of information here and the argument has gone back and forth on the secondary etc... In lieu of all of this (and the wise (or wise ass) teachings of Revvy, and others who have experience I plan to run my beer on the 3 2 1 method.

3 Weeks in the primary - this will give my beer plenty of time to get good and tasty. The yeasties will have plenty of time to party, and then clean up. The cake will be pretty much settled by this point as well. (No need for a secondary - which many people say...)
2 Weeks in the bottle - Give the beers time to condition in the same location that the fermentation took place (my closet)
1 Week in the fridge - For an even further clearing stage. Ive read stories about 'beer haze' and frankly its not all that big a deal to me, I just want my brew to be ice cold when I crack the first one. Not to mention, this would follow suit of the original 1 2 3 to keep the beers in the bottle for the 3 week cycle. (As well as eliminate the need for the secondary - it needs to become another primary!)

Thoughts on this?
-Me

 

[carnevoodoo]

I would go 3 in the primary, 3 in the bottles, and then 48 hours or more in the fridge if you know they're fully carbonated. One you put them in the fridge, the yeast will go dormant, so be careful of that.

 

[DrinksWellWithOthers]

I would go 3 in the primary, 3 in the bottles, and then 48 hours or more in the fridge if you know they're fully carbonated. One you put them in the fridge, the yeast will go dormant, so be careful of that.

That's what I do. Sometimes I go 4 weeks in the bottle though depending what temp my bottles have been sitting at.

 

[Stile]

3 weeks in a primary for certain kinds of beer could be too long. A beer that ferments quicker would be sitting on trub for longer that it needs to, hence it parting some undesirable flavors. Other beers could need 3 weeks.

As for 2 weeks in the bottle... I'd go 3 weeks. I found that bottle conditioning (or kegging) is so important. It's amazing on how much mellowing beer will do when just left alone.

1 week in a fridge?? I'm like the other poster, 48 hours is good for me.

I am of the school of thought that you need to sample your beer as often as you can to understand the changes it makes through its transformation. It's through that process alone that has made me understand and more importantly....... not stress when home brewing.

 

[Endovelico]

You're basically cutting your aging by one week, and getting it on the fridge for that time. I guess it could work. From what i read you could end up with uncarbonated beers hence the 3 week rule.

I'm doing a 1 + 2 + 3 + 2 (on the fridge) and a 1 + 3 + 3 + 3 (on the fridge) for my first two batches.

For an even further clearing stage. Ive read stories about 'beer haze' and frankly its not all that big a deal to me, I just want my brew to be ice cold when I crack the first one.

Wait, what?

Anywho glad to see another MMA fan on the forum, cheers.

 

[Endovelico]

3 weeks in a primary for certain kinds of beer could be too long. A beer that ferments quicker would be sitting on trub for longer that it needs to, hence it parting some undesirable flavors. Other beers could need 3 weeks.

From what i read, i think most people see this as a myth to be honest. There has been people who did months in the primary withouth any off flavour. I have never read anything about someone getting off flavors from it (recently).

I left my first two batches in the primary 3 weeks and 4 weeks and didn't notice anything in the bottling samples.

 

[Bobby_M]

If you have the capability, I'd add 3 days of cold crashing just prior to bottling.

 

[carnevoodoo]

From what i read, i think most people see this as a myth to be honest. There has been people who did months in the primary withouth any off flavour. I have never read anything about someone getting off flavors from it (recently).

I left my first two batches in the primary 3 weeks and 4 weeks and didn't notice anything in the bottling samples.

that is correct. There's really no off flavors that could be contributed from a beer sitting on the trub for 3 weeks. Even the lightest of beers wouldn't be affected for much, much longer than that.

 

[noremorse1]

I do the 1 2 3 method some (i dry hop a lot) of my brews but, I add 1-2 days of a cold crash before I keg/bottle. This method works on the principle that most brews have finished primary fermentation within 4-5 days. With this, you leave it on the yeast an additional 2-3 days to let the yeast absorb some off flavors (however, they think of this as increasing their energy stores before they go dormant). In the secondary more of the yeast will fall out and continue to clean up the brew. Then you crash most all of that out and rack to your serving vessel.

However, doing just a 2-4 week primary is fine. I usually only rack to a secondary when I add something (ie dry hop, fruit) or when I want a really clear beer.

Be advised that the more times you are transferring your beer, the more you risk exposing it to sources of infection. Sanitize the crap out of everything involved.

 

[AKbrewer]

I`ve played around with different times in the primary and secondary, and basically came to the conclusion that what works best for me is ten days primary, ten days secondary, then crash cool and keg or bottle. I only leave big beers in the primary longer -up to three weeks- and secondary longer- I`ve left them up to a year with no ill effects. That is one advantage to using a secondary; if you cant get to the beer for some reason leaving it in the secondary for an extended period is no big deal.

 

[Revvy]

I hate to break it to you, but while you can somewhat control how long you keep he beer in primary (or secondary,) after fermentation is completed of course, and how long you chill the beer in the bottle...You really have no control over how long the yeasts are going to take to fully carbonate the beer. Outside of force carbing and bottleg.

Bottle Carbonation, like fermentation is not "arbitrary." It really is a function of the whims of yeasts in the bottle. We say three weeks, but that doesn't mean on the 21st day the beer will be magically carbed up, or the 14th day. I've had beers need 4-6 weeks before they carbed up. Especially if the ambient temp is lower than 70...not to mention of course bottle conditioning.

Hey AKbrewer, can YOU Really see the Soviet Union?

 

[AKbrewer]

Hey AKbrewer, can YOU Really see the Soviet Union?

Unlike my Governor, I can`t see Russia from my house... I think there`s a mountain in the way or something.

 

[Pivzavod]

The Soviets are coming?

 

[JoeMama]

Hmmmm.... The thought of getting a kegging system is becoming more and more appealing... Dont know how I would swing that by the war dept though... Its gonna be interesting having more than one brew going at a time. "Im an engineer not an alcoholic!" (Thank you sig of someone else)
-Me