Ferment time

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Bluedog

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Any of you gents bottle sooner than the 3-4 week average? If so, did you have any trouble? I just made a 1.070 brown ale that fermented down to 1.010 in 5 days and held there for another 5. There was no off smell or taste at any time so I saw no reason to let it sit on the trub.
 
Bluedog said:
Any of you gents bottle sooner than the 3-4 week average? If so, did you have any trouble? I just made a 1.070 brown ale that fermented down to 1.010 in 5 days and held there for another 5. There was no off smell or taste at any time so I saw no reason to let it sit on the trub.

8-10 days for the average ale for me. My 1.052OG American Wheats hit FG in about 4 days, and then after 2-3 more days of cleanup I can keg in 6-7 days from brew date. Keep in mind that you really need a healthy fermentation to be able to turn around beers this fast without off flavors or attenuation problems.

Higher FG ales and all lagers will obviously take longer. My last batch was an Imperial IPA at 1.082 and it looks like it probably won't be ready to keg until 13-14 days from brew date. Dark beers and high gravity beers shouldn't take a whole lot longer in the fermenter, but some age after packaging may be necessary to smooth out the flavors.

Although it's possible to keg after FG is reached and the yeast have cleaned up, a period of cold conditioning will be beneficial for just about all beers. That being said, I notice no flavor issues drinking an average ale as soon as it's carbed up.
 
I used a 24 hour 1056 1 quart starter. By cold conditioning, you mean crashing to settle everything on the trub?
 
Bluedog said:
I used a 24 hour 1056 1 quart starter. By cold conditioning, you mean crashing to settle everything on the trub?

Cold conditioning is letting the beer sit cold for a period of time, and the amount of time really depends on the beer. You can do it when you cold crash or you can do it in a keg or in the bottle. This allows some compounds drop out and can round out flavors. IMO it's not absolutely necessary for a lot of ales, but there is definitely something that will be gained if you let a beer sit cold for 2-3 weeks. I personally drink my IPAs, APAs, and Wheats as soon as they are carbed and do not have off flavors; however, I notice they are a bit more rounded out and are more clear after a couple of weeks. Not big enough of a difference to have me tie up a space in my kegerator for a couple of weeks though.

As always, let taste be your guide. If its ready in 10 days because it tastes ready then package it up (as long as it hits FG and has cleared, of course). If it doesn't quite taste like its there yet then the yeast still might be cleaning up.
 
Any of you gents bottle sooner than the 3-4 week average? If so, did you have any trouble? I just made a 1.070 brown ale that fermented down to 1.010 in 5 days and held there for another 5. There was no off smell or taste at any time so I saw no reason to let it sit on the trub.

I NEVER go 3-4 weeks in primary. I generally package beers by day 14, depending on whether I've dryhopped or not.

If the beer is done, has been done for at least 3 days (to allow clean up to occur), and is clear (or clearing), it's not going to get "doner". :cross:

I'm not a gent, but I hope I still count! :mug:
 
Yo Dog,
It's funny how much opinions change on this site. When I first joined this site, most of the opinions were to switch product to secondary after 2 weeks, then it is done after clearing, at the same time there were a lot of people that left product in primary for 4 weeks (this is what I adopted). I guess that's what make's the world go around.
cheers
 
I NEVER go 3-4 weeks in primary. I generally package beers by day 14, depending on whether I've dryhopped or not.

If the beer is done, has been done for at least 3 days (to allow clean up to occur), and is clear (or clearing), it's not going to get "doner". :cross:

I'm not a gent, but I hope I still count! :mug:

Having trouble reading your post, my eyes keep wandering to your avatar :) I was thinking just what you said. I've left beers in primary for 3-4 weeks before, only because they didn't taste or smell right. This one was spot on.
 
Yo Dog,
It's funny how much opinions change on this site. When I first joined this site, most of the opinions were to switch product to secondary after 2 weeks, then it is done after clearing, at the same time there were a lot of people that left product in primary for 4 weeks (this is what I adopted). I guess that's what make's the world go around.
cheers

I hear ya, I don't think there can be a general rule of thumb anymore with so many different styles, ingredients, methods and gravities.....common sense is our best tool. :mug:
 
I go completely by rule of thumb. I wait for FG to settle, then I give it enough time to become "clear enough", which is determined by a highly scientific method of looking at it and tasting samples. Then it gets bottled the next weekend or whenever I have spare time and feel like it.

The result is that beer ends up being bottled somewhere between 7 and 30 days after pitching.
 
3weeks is max I would go on trub... transfer to secondary if needed. Cold crashing is dumb when you want yeast to carb your beer... you should have a pre determend fg and bottle 3 days after you hit it you should hit your fg after 8 to 10 days sometimes sooner .... now for bad smells..... possible infection or maybe just the year itself should never smell bad
 
3weeks is max I would go on trub...

Read this and somehow immediately knew that the number of posts its writer would have on this forum would be in the single digits.

*Checked*

Yep... go figure. :smack:
 
Read this and somehow immediately knew that the number of posts its writer would have on this forum would be in the single digits.

*Checked*

Yep... go figure. :smack:[/
...why would you leave wort on dead yeast wishing it will do something how about instead if insulting you come back with a reason you disagree.... I have 6 years of all grain brewing and 3 working a brewery
 
#11 you should go a little more in depth about your scientific process of tasting and looking at the beer. :D maybe make a youtube video for us layman's
 
My dad is notorious for being impatient. I would say if you are patient why bother trying to move the brew so quickly. If you wait 4 weeks you don't even have to measure Fg. If you try to time it perfectly, you have to sample the brew and that just sounds like work.
 
I let my Pale Ales and IPA sit in primary for about 10 days, check gravity at 7 or 8 days and then again at 10. My Chocolate Oatmeal Stout, I let that sit in primary for 20 days, check gravity a little over 2 weeks, and then again a few days later.
 
left coast was my 3rd guess. they make hop juice right? my buddy never shuts up about it every time i mention ipa or hops. I am way north of you under Devil Mountain.
 
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