3 week primary, why?

[Pyg]

I have a cream ale that is in its 2nd week. Sg was 1.052.
FG has hit 1.010 (target FG)
I was using s-05 ale yeast, which leads me to believe that this is done fermenting.
The bucket is still bubbling so I assume that is just gas
I have always been advised to do a 3 week primary to allow everything to settle more.
But what is the benefit to a 3 week primary?
Why should I rack to a carboy, cold crash over night and bottle Tomorrow?

 

[doug293cz]

There is nothing sacred about a three week fermentation. Some of us do that out of laziness. If you are at (or near) your projected FG, and the SG has been stable for 2-3 days, fermentation is done. No need to rack to a carboy before bottling (unless you bottle by siphoning out of the carboy.) You can cold crash in the primary fermenter, rack to your bottling vessel, and then bottle. Cold crashing will help things settle out of the beer, and minimize what junk makes it into the bottle. There will still be plenty of yeast left to carbonate.

Brew on

 

[ncbrewer]

There is another school of thought - that some additional time in the fermenter after fermentation is complete allows the yeast to clean up some off flavors that may have been produced. See http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter8-2-3.html

I feel that if you do a really good job with yeast starters, oxygenation, pitch rate, temperature control, etc., there won't be much to clean up. But my set-up is pretty basic, and I don't think I can count on all these things being perfect. So I generally ferment "average" beers for three weeks.

 

[Pyg]

There is another school of thought - that some additional time in the fermenter after fermentation is complete allows the yeast to clean up some off flavors that may have been produced. See http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter8-2-3.html



I feel that if you do a really good job with yeast starters, oxygenation, pitch rate, temperature control, etc., there won't be much to clean up. But my set-up is pretty basic, and I don't think I can count on all these things being perfect. So I generally ferment "average" beers for three weeks.

I just toss yeast Into the bucket, so maybe 3 weeks will allow for some extra clean up.
I am going to try to cold crash in the ferment bucket instead of racking to a carboy - cold crashing- racking to a carboy- bottle !

 

[DatsyukianDeke]

I like the extra time in primary so the yeast can clean up after themselves. I don't have a setup to control fermentation temps so I feel better knowing anything that may have been produced will have time to dissipate before I either rack to secondary or bottle.

 

[titansvol]

I do a 3 week primary for most of my brews. Have found over the years it gives a cleaner beer.

 

[aprichman]

Personally I think it depends on the beer and the yeast. I have had Belgian yeasts that needed 4 weeks in primary and English yeasts that were probably finished in 10 days.

 

[BigFloyd]

I just toss yeast Into the bucket, so maybe 3 weeks will allow for some extra clean up.
I am going to try to cold crash in the ferment bucket instead of racking to a carboy - cold crashing- racking to a carboy- bottle !

+1 on doing a cold crash. I like to do mine 5-7 days at 35*F.

No need at all for the carboy if you have a priming/bottling bucket (preferably with a spigot and a spring-loaded bottling wand attached with a short bit of tubing)

 

[rekoob]

Like stated, no real reason. However, I like a little longer just to clear the beer, if you can't wait, no issues. Try it for yourself, when making lighter beers, do a week or two difference between them. See the differences for yourself.

Good luck.

 

[Pyg]

+1 on doing a cold crash. I like to do mine 5-7 days at 35*F.



No need at all for the carboy if you have a priming/bottling bucket (preferably with a spigot and a spring-loaded bottling wand attached with a short bit of tubing)

I don't use a bottling bucket. I use a vacuum pump to rack and bottle.
I rack from primary to a carboy to get off the sediment. I then add prime sugar and then bottle.
I usually rack out of primary before cold crashing but this time I am thinking of crashing while still in primary bucket.
I am going to have to use an ice bath to cold crash as the outside temp is starting to get warmer (50-60). Figure I will cold crash mid week in prep for bottling the weekend of the 18th

 

[ncbrewer]

I rack from primary to a carboy to get off the sediment. I then add prime sugar and then bottle.

A little off-topic, but the more common practice is to add priming sugar to the bottling bucket and then rack the beer on top of it, with the tube entering in a way that swirls and mixes the priming sugar in with the beer. It helps mix it in well, and less, if any, stirring is needed.

 

[Pyg]

A little off-topic, but the more common practice is to add priming sugar to the bottling bucket and then rack the beer on top of it, with the tube entering in a way that swirls and mixes the priming sugar in with the beer. It helps mix it in well, and less, if any, stirring is needed.

There is no difference between racking out of primary to bucket and racking out of primary to a carboy.

I don't have a bottlin bucket, but since I am using a vacuum pump to bottle anyway I don't think I am complicating anything.
Once I add the sugar I use the raking to mix it in, I wait a minute and bottle.

I have not had any issues as of yet.

 

[ncbrewer]

I was unclear. The distinction I was making was racking the beer onto the priming sugar instead of adding priming sugar to the beer. The beer swirling in mixes the priming sugar pretty well. I've even done it a few times without stirring, and it still mixed well.

 

[flars]

Quite often making sure the fermentation is done, and then cold crashing, ends up being three weeks. I just leave the beer in the fermentor, no moving the fermentor and no need to clear space in my beer frig, clear beer in three weeks.

 

[skw]

It depends on the yeast flocculation to me. I like having the yeast settle in the fermenter and not in the bottle. Some strains like US-05 take their time and get their three weeks in primary, others like S-04 get bottled after they reach stable gravity.

 

[daksin]

Seriously? I typically do a 1 week primary or less and then package. If you fermented clean then your beer is almost certainly done unless it's particularly strong. If you aren't sure about your water, your yeast health, pitch rates, or fermentation temperature, longer ferment times can help alleviate those issues.