Did I go to fast

[thisisbeer]

I started a cream ale a couoke weeks ago. I fermented for 8 days at 64 and brought it up to 68 for 4 days after that for 12 total days of fermentation. On the 12 day I crashed to 36 degrees and have been holdong it there for about 6 days. I was going to continue to cold crash for another week then put it over to the keg to serve it on july 4th. I started thinking about it today and was wondering if I crashed to soon. Or if im just going to fast in general.

 

[thisisbeer]

Sorry the FG was at 1.011 after the initial 8 days of fermentation.

 

[Pratzie]

U could be good but the only way would be to check the gravity while it was at fermentation temp. If the gravity is stable for 2-3 days ur good.

What stain of yeast did u use though? 12 days could be ok. And what was the anticipated FG?

 

[thisisbeer]

I used the white labs cream ale I believe the wlp080 the FG was consistent for the check at 8 days then 2 days later. I was just hoping the yeast had time to clean up.

 

[thisisbeer]

O and the anticipated fg was 1.012

 

[Yooper]

Sounds fine to me!

I normally keg, and cold crash in the keg so it can carb up while cold crashing. If you want to serve it on July 4th, I'd keg it and get it on the gas sooner rather than later.

 

[thisisbeer]

Thanks looks like its headed for the keg Wednesday then

 

[Pratzie]

Sorry I must have posted while u were typing the FG. But ya follow Yoopers advice. She knows what she's talking about

 

[thisisbeer]

Ya sorry about that after I posted first it hit me that that was probably pretty important. Better late than never I guess.

 

[lumpher]

i've been re-reading the book "brew like a monk". they almost never go over 7 days primary. i'm still a little hesitant to go that short, as they've been brewing 100-900 years, and i'm still a LITTLE ways from that , but just a thought. yooper's preaching of 10 days in most cases has merit

 

[Rys06Tbss]

That's what she said

 

[woozy]

Well, you should have taken a second reading three days later to be sure it had stabilize, but as cream ales are pretty light and you hit the anticipated FG, and that is a fairly typical fermentation time for a beer as light as a cream ale, you're going to be a-okay.

I think people have a tendency to really want to rush everything so as a response on these boards we have a "*whoa* slow the #@&~ down" reflex. Which is never bad advice. But it's far more pertinent to those who rush far heavier beers on far more regular basis.

And if yooper says it's okay, it's okay.

 

[Pratzie]

i've been re-reading the book "brew like a monk". they almost never go over 7 days primary. i'm still a little hesitant to go that short, as they've been brewing 100-900 years, and i'm still a LITTLE ways from that , but just a thought. yooper's preaching of 10 days in most cases has merit

Ur right to question going that short depending on the style ur brewing. They are known for their belgian wits with spice and cloves and a whole bunch of esters that are signature to those types of beer. U can rush primary with those since the ester byproducts are desired for that style.

With something light like a cream ale, u'd wanna give them a little bit more time to clean up after themselves.

 

[thisisbeer]

Thanks for all the feed back. I normally don't try to rush things but I brewed this later than i wanted and was hoping to serve for the fourth of July. The thought was I had time but, after I cold crashed I thought it probably should have fermented longer and cold crashed shorter.

 

[funnycreature]

I just brewed my cream ale with the same yeast on Sunday, fermenting at ~18 °C. This will help me with my timing (although I do want to add some vanilla beans in a secodary after 7 days in primary). I'm also bottling so I cannot do the cold crash/carbonation combo...

 

[thisisbeer]

Im really wishing I would have added the vanilla to it.

 

[funnycreature]

Im really wishing I would have added the vanilla to it.

There's your excuse for a repeat of that brew!