Fermentation time

[schmurf]

lets say my brew reaches FG in 3 days (my last did more or less). ive read that yeast usualy does it "clean up" in 1 day, so ... what would a reason be to not cold crash after say 5 days? and keg/bottle after that?

 

[ncbrewer]

For bottling, I just wouldn't trust it to be finished after five days - gravity tends to drop a few points after initial rapid fermentation. Stable gravity readings three days apart is the general guideline, but five days still seems like it's rushing it. To quote Clint Eastwood, "You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya, punk?"

 

[Sparger]

You would not “hurt” the beer by giving it a week before cold crashing, even if it seems done at day 3. Also, the only 3 day fermentations I’ve ever experienced is using turbo yeast on a sugar wash. Three days for a beer seems pretty fast.

 

[Lefou]

Lower gravity table beers or "three two" beers can finish fairly fast with healthy yeast pitches, but personally, I wouldn't try to hurry a fermentation. My beers are typically in the 1.040 to 1.050 range, fermented near 58F-65F, and stay in the primary for two to three weeks before bottling.
This is just me, but I'm no fan of "green beer" or broken bottles lost through carbing mistakes.
Patience.
You MIGHT get away with this when kegging, but if you're bottling, be on the safe side.

 

[Shwagger]

Good question. I also question the "way we've always done it" technique of letting normal gravity beers stay in a fermenter for weeks.

I dont know the definitive answer

 

[JimRausch]

I've read posts from people going grain to keg in 1 week. But...............

 

[JimRausch]

To finish a thought- I believe that the cleanup phase takes a bit more than 24 hours. Some of the compounds that yeast are working on are byproducts from early in fermentation and involve some fairly complicated biochemical pathways. Since I bottle, I'm usually waiting on accumulating empty bottles, so it's not an issue with me. But I still am a firm believer on letting the yeast do what they do best and giving them a good 2-3 weeks before bottling.

 

[schmurf]

thanks for the replies

the reason for the question was my last brew of a bitter using wyeast 1318. pitching was done Aug 6 morning, 9-ish, and og was 1.045. 7-8 ours later fermentation was on it way (i use a TILT hydrometer so i get instant feedback). Aug 9 sg was 1.015 and seemed to become constant (i mashed higher than first intended, expcted fg was 1.012, so i figured it would be something like 1.014/15). i let it sit until aug 10 and put it in cold crash about 32 hours after what seemd to be fg (1.015) had been reached.
aug 16 i kegged/carbonated and had my first sip of it this sat, 18th. it tasted very good actually, not green at all even if it perhaps lacks some intersting flavors.

it challenged my usual process which always been to let the beer sit in the fermentation for 10 to 14 days before bottling. the extra days after fg been reached i guess we usualy have for believing the beer will mature some more and maybe because it makes us feel better/confident. but will it "mature" better in fermenter than in keg/bottle?

 

[kh54s10]

I would be very cautious of bottling one so soon. The tilt may make it look like it is finished, but it may still be fermenting very slowly. I also let mine go longer to allow the solids in solution drop out giving a much more clear beer. I also believe that the yeast continue to clean up longer than one day.

Most of mine the krausen doesn't drop until at least day 5.
IMO, wait longer, maybe not 2-3 weeks but at least a few days longer.

 

[Shwagger]

Definetly can't hurt waiting a couple of days

 

[gimmeaberrr]

From my own experience I’ve had (and seen others) turn a DIPA around in 7 days. But not bottle it. Just kegs. That’s the safe way. It also helps to do a brew you’ve made before so you know roughly how it ferments based on experience. Certainly not for a first time brew of a recipe.