Beer On A Short Timeline

[Rocketman574]

Howdy! I've got an event coming up in five weeks that I hope to have some homebrew ready to go for. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to start brewing until yesterday, so I'm working on a very short timeline. To make things worse, I don't have the means to keg the beer, so I have to bottle and condition during this time as well. The recipe's estimated OG is 1.047, but I don't yet own a hydrometer and thus couldn't verify what I actually ended up with. The beer is an Irish Red, and fermentation started quickly and the airlock is bubbling swiftly.

Given that I have five weeks, what schedule would you recommend for this brew? My thought was somewhere around two weeks in the fermenter and three in the bottles, but I'm still afraid that just isn't enough time to condition. Would it be worth it to pull it out of the fermenter a couple days early to give it a little more time to condition?

 

[fartinmartin]

I would go the other way, I would keep ferm temps on the high side, and make sure it's finished 3 weeks, then two weeks in bottle. I'm having a good go at mine at two weeks all the time. Don't go high on the priming sugar, but keep them on the hot side for at least a week after bottling. Flavour and quality depend on the fermentation more than the conditioning. If you bottle quick before it's really ready you will get sweet beer and probably get gushers.

 

[Braufessor]

+1.... I would not pull it out of the fermenter early. I would go 2-3 in the fermenter, bottle, keep bottles at low 70's.

 

[billl]

If you are controlling your fermentation - temps, proper pitch, aeration, then 2 weeks is not "short". In fact, it would be "long" for most normal strength beers and most yeast. If you've got issues with your fermentation process, then you may need to let it sit for 2 or 3 weeks or even longer. Under optimal conditions though, that is way overkill.

 

[Braufessor]

If you are controlling your fermentation - temps, proper pitch, aeration, then 2 weeks is not "short".

I agree that 2 weeks is not short..... but, I am assuming that since he does not have a hydrometer he did not make a starter and does not have temp. controlled fermentation. Could be wrong, but that was my guess. I think 2 weeks is fine, but I don't think I would go less than that based on his description of the situation.

 

[Rocketman574]

Thanks for the quick feedback!

I am assuming that since he does not have a hydrometer he did not make a starter and does not have temp. controlled fermentation.

That's correct. This is only my third brew and the first I've done solo, so it's more of a "pitch and pray" approach to fermentation. Given the season here in Texas, the temperatures in the house here range between 68 and 73. If it would help to be slightly warmer, I can move them upstairs to gain a couple of extra degrees.

 

[billl]

" If it would help to be slightly warmer, I can move them upstairs to gain a couple of extra degrees."

No. That is already much too warm for most yeast. The yeast themselves generate heat and will raise the internal temp 5+ degrees over the room temp.

Rushing beer doesn't work. If you try to make the yeast go faster, they have all sorts of issues and spit out various fermentation byproducts - and most of them don't taste very good. They might "finish" fermenting faster, but then it takes them much longer to clean up those byproducts and actually taste decent.

The yeast are going to work on their timeline no matter what you decide. While they are working away, you should head to a HB store and pick up a hydrometer. If you want to move along as quickly as possible, you need to be able to measure your gravity. That is the only way you'll know it is safe to bottle on a shorter time scale. I'd take a measurement at 7 days and 10 days (and taste on the 10th). If it is stable and tasty, you can bottle. If either isn't true, give it another 3 days and test again. It is just going to take as long as it takes, you just are trying to avoid having it sit there unnecessarily if it is finished.

 

[JimRausch]

I agree that you have a low enough OG to go 2 weeks in the fermenter. I would then coldcrash for 2 days and gelatin it to clear it up and bottle. Almost always with my beers, 3 weeks is necessary for the bottling to become perfect.