Carbonation and too long fermenting?

[user 121283]

What's up homebrewtalk... First time brewer long time brew lover. My first attempt is an upland wheat clone. I chose this because the wife loves upland wheat and I think this will help me smooth over the spending spree I'm about to embark on building a decent brewing area at the house. Ha!

My first question has probably been answered a million times... Is it possible to ferment beer too long?

Second question is about carbonation.
I boiled my priming sugar and racked the beer on top of it in my bottling bucket then bottled in 20oz Grolsch style bottles. Its been two weeks so I cracked one open for a taste test... No carb... From ready other threads it's probably because right after bottling I put them in the beer fridge not knowing they needed to carb up around 70 degrees. With all that said... Can I take the brew out of the fridge to store them at room temp for better carb or will that skunk the brew? Part two question... If I leve the brew in the fridge will it eventually carb up?


Sorry for the huge post and thanks to everyone ahead of time for your advice.

 

[helibrewer]

It will eventually carb in the fridge but it will take a long time, especially ale yeast that like it warmer.

Remove from the fridge and leave them at room temp for a couple weeks. You might want to verify that your cap seals are in good shape also.

 

[kh54s10]

Question one: Can you ferment too long? Probably, many feel that you should bottle as soon as fermentation is complete in most cases. Others feel that you should ferment for a month or more.

In the past it was thought that you needed a secondary to get the beer off the yeast cake. Current thinking is that secondary is unnecessary unless adding something or long aging of high gravity beers.

Question two: It should not hurt to warm the beer up to carbonate then chill again. Also they will carbonate eventually at refrigerated temperatures but may take many months.

For your Grolsch bottles if the seals were old/dry maybe they didn't/won't seal well. Then the beers will not carbonate properly.

 

[user 121283]

Thanks guys... I've removed the bottles from the fridge and I have them out of direct sunlight in the house. I'm almost positive the seals are good. None of them looked cracked or dried up before I bottled. I'll pop one open in two weeks to see what kind of carb I'm getting. In the meantime... Gonna have a Sun King Wee Mac and maybe a yuengling to cap off a night at the ball park in Cincy.

 

[zheol]

take them out of the sun and put them some place warm 65-75 thats dark the sun will skunk the **** out of beer fast just like it will bleach hair and other items left in the sun to long


opps miss read carry on ^^

 

[user 121283]

Awesome... One week in the hutch, one week in the fridge... Nice and tasty banana wheat 5.9%. It was supposed to be an upland wheat clone but for some reason it's a lot sweeter... not a bad thing, just not what was planned.

Thanks for the advice everyone!

 

[Revvy]

There's no such thing as fermenting "too long" a beer ferments for just as long as it needs too. And not a moment more. When the available sugars have been consumed fermentation stops, and the yeas goes to sleep.....

That usually takes between a week and two, depending on the gravity of the beer, and the yeast.

And you determine if it is done, with 2 consecutive hydro readings.

If you're asking how long you can leave a beer in primary after that, that's not the same thing. After the beer is done fermenting, anything else before bottling, whether it's an extended time in primary, or a secondary is NOT fermentation, it's conditioning.

You don't CHOOSE how long a beer ferments for.....you let the yeast do it's job...you want a beer to finish fermenting.

Now as to how long after fermentation is complete you want to leave your beer for, This is the most discussed topic on here, it has been readily covered. I suggest you read THIS thread, it's become the "uber discussion" on this topic thread.

To Secondary or Not? John Palmer and Jamil Zainasheff Weigh In .

Many of us leave our beer in primary for a month minimum then bottle.....We find out beers to be clearer and better tasting.

I suggest you read that thread, and experiment for yourself, and make up your own mind.

There's thousands of threads where folks have ventured their opinions, and argued incessantly, but it ultimately comes down to what works for you......me, it's a minimum one month before I bottle.

I've left beer in primary for upwards of 6 months with no issues, but of that time, the beer was only FERMENTING for around two weeks...

 

[medic2887]

PLEEEASE send me the Upland wheat clone recipe. Its my favorate beer and I would LOVE to brew it.

 

[user 121283]

My bad on not replying at all and I really do appreciate the posts... I've moved from bottling to kegging since this post and I'll never go back!! lol We'll, I'll still bottle from the keg for those who ask for it. lol

 

[PierreDeFerment]

Thanks Revvy you've really helped to put me back at ease with the phrase:
"I've left beer in primary for upwards of 6 months with no issues."

I've searched and searched unsuccessfully for an answer on maximum fermentation times wondering how long it would be before my beer inevitably turned bad.

It's stuck on a ferment that's already six weeks in and nothing seems to be happening. It's fine to the taste but the hydrometer won't budge beyond 1040.

I was beginning to fear the worst. I guess I'll just keep hanging in there.