3 weeks vs 2 (big beers/abv vs Smalls beers)?

[Pyg]

I have always let my primary sit for 3 weeks (very much against my LHBS advice).

then again most my brews have always been over 6% abv.
The only time I have done a 2 week primary was when I made biermuncher's blonde. I believe the consensus was that only needed a 2 week primary.

I currently have a Marris Otter Smash 1 week in primary.
The OG was 1.060.( havent checked FG yet)

Considering the batch is sitting in my basement where it is warm 75F.
Will this batch benefit from sitting 3 weeks, or can I start dry hopping and prepare to cold crash/bottle at the end of 2nd week?

 

[jddevinn]

measure the gravity to figure out when it's done.

 

[Pyg]

measure the gravity to figure out when it's done.

I had always been under the impression that once the brew hits the FG, the yeast cleans-finishes up microscopically!
Maybe I have been Mia informed.

 

[CJ-3]

I have to agree with jddevinn.

Yeast is done when it's done. I have had 1.050 beers take 3 weeks to mature and 1.060 finish in 2. There is no real set time for it.

Always best to be safe and take gravity readings j6st to be sure.

 

[guitarguy6]

I have always let my primary sit for 3 weeks (very much against my LHBS advice).

What do they recommend?

I pretty much only use a primary unless it's a lager or beer I will age for a while. I'll keep an eye on the fermentation. When there's no air lock activity and the beer has cleared up a bit I'll take a gravity reading. If it's at or near my expected FG I'll wait another week, pour a sample into a test jar, taste it and see if it's clear (if it should be a clear beer). If it looks and tastes good I'll transfer to a keg.

 

[Chris_Primavera]

Considering the batch is sitting in my basement where it is warm 75F.
Will this batch benefit from sitting 3 weeks, or can I start dry hopping and prepare to cold crash/bottle at the end of 2nd week?

Your beer will benefit more from controlling your fermentation temperature. If the ambient temperature is 75°F, the wort is probably closer to 80°F during fermentation.

Once you have that bit, pitch enough yeast, oxygenate your wort and your fermentation will likely be done in a few days.

This batch is probably done fermenting. Check your FG, dry hop and check again in a few days. If it hasn't changed, cold crash and bottle.

 

[Pyg]

I checked my FG is 1.012.
Brewers friend gave me an estimate of 1.017.
I figure it is done.
Added hops and will bottle on sunday

 

[kristiismean]

There are a lot of people that recommend leaving it for 3 weeks, or longer. I used to be the type of person when it was ready, between 2-3 weeks, it was bottled.

Then life happened. and 2 5 gallons were left for 1 1/2 to 2 months.

well, we bottled it (ESB and a Red) and they turned out to be some of my best beers. Now, I don't worry so much if I have to put off bottling for a week.

IPA's are different. but still a few weeks will not effect them to where you can notice.

 

[Pyg]

There are a lot of people that recommend leaving it for 3 weeks, or longer. I used to be the type of person when it was ready, between 2-3 weeks, it was bottled.

Then life happened. and 2 5 gallons were left for 1 1/2 to 2 months.

well, we bottled it (ESB and a Red) and they turned out to be some of my best beers. Now, I don't worry so much if I have to put off bottling for a week.

IPA's are different. but still a few weeks will not effect them to where you can notice.

I have never worried leaving my beers in primary for longer, however I have always worried by bottlin too soon.
I can understand with an IPA or a beer that has a lot of characteristics.
But does something simple benefit from longer aging?
Guess ultimately I would have to test a batch by bottling 1/2 early and leave the other half in prinary

 

[Yooper]

I had always been under the impression that once the brew hits the FG, the yeast cleans-finishes up microscopically!
Maybe I have been Mia informed.

Remember that the "clean up" process happens within 24 hours of the beer reaching fG, so it doesn't need weeks to do it.

After the FG is reached, a few days will allow that clean up process to happen and then the beer will start to clear. Some yeast strains don't want to drop out very well, but cold storage will encourage that.

Aside from clearing, there isn't any reason at all to hold a beer in a fermenter longer than when it reaches FG plus a day or so.

Will it hurt? No, it won't.

That said, there are plenty of brewers who dislike the flavor imparted by a long contact with the trub. Of course, there are an equal number who do like it. So it's really up to you. Try it for yourself. Leave one beer in the fermenter for 3 weeks, and then leave the same or similar beer in the fermenter for 10 days. Package them up and see which YOU prefer. Mine is less time on the trub, but yours might be opposite.

 

[Chris_Primavera]

Just checked a 1.048 / 1272 batch that was brewed on Saturday and is at 1.011 on Tuesday.
I'm going to dry hop this week and fine/crash/keg after 3 more days.

 

[wulf]

Aside from clearing, there isn't any reason at all to hold a beer in a fermenter longer than when it reaches FG plus a day or so.

That said, there are plenty of brewers who dislike the flavor imparted by a long contact with the trub. Of course, there are an equal number who do like it.

So it seems like there is a reason. I've always done 4 week+ primaries, maybe I should try it the other way to see if I like the change

 

[worlddivides]

When I can, I always do 2 weeks. With the exception of sour beers and "wild" beers (assuming we're only talking about beers here and not meads, ciders, wines, etc.), 100% of my beers have finished fermentation within the first week and I use the second week for clean-up. Even super high-gravity beers (such as an 11% ABV beer I did a while back) 100% finish their fermentation within the first week if you've done everything correctly (i.e. haven't underpitched and so on).

I see no benefit of doing 3 or 4 or 5 weeks. Obviously higher gravity/higher alcohol beers do better with more time, but they age just as well in the bottle as they do in the fermenter. With high-gravity beers, I oftentimes bottle at 2 weeks and then just wait 4-6 weeks after bottling before trying them out and they usually don't hit their stride until 6 months or so.

Personally, all of the times I've let a beer remain in the fermenter for 3, 4, or 5 weeks have only been when I was too busy to bottle them (again, excluding sour and wild beers).