Fermentation times

[jstringer1983]

Just curious to see what everyone elses policy on fermentation times are, because....well, im bored at work. Anyways, ive stumbled across a recipe or 2 in the last bit that said to keg after 7-10 days. I would never dream of a 7 day ferment, none of my beers are less than 2 weeks in the fermenter, i find the flavor of my beers way better at 2 weeks than ones ive done in the past at about 10 days. So whats everyone else doing?

 

[aryoung1980]

I tend to let my ales sit in primary for 2 to 3 weeks before kegging or bottling. However, with my lagers I typically do a 5 to 10 day primary (usually falls around 7), 3 day diacytel rest, and then keg and condition for 2 to 8 weeks depending on the OG.

 

[SpeedYellow]

You asked about "fermentation " duration, but that's not really what you're asking. It seems you're asking whether or not leaving the beer sit in the fermenter for a week or so after fermentation is helpful. No?

Assuming you're actually asking about fermentation time, then 5-7 days for an ale and 7-10 days for a lager. What you do thereafter is another question entirely.

 

[jstringer1983]

I guess thats correct, i meant the overall "conditioning" time most people like to use. My initial fermentations usually start to die out around the 5 day mark. My beers stay in primary start to kegging for 2 weeks minimum.

 

[PoppinCaps]

I might be the minority here, but after final gravity is reached, mine gets cold crashed and kegged immediately. It conditions and smoothes out in the keg, but not in a time frame any different than in the primary. Figure I might as well be drinking while it finishes.

 

[brew_darrymore]

I ferment in glass carboys. I keep my ales for not less than 3-4 weeks, stouts - 4 weeks, high-gravity Belgian ales - 6-8 weeks.

 

[masaba]

When it's done, it's done. I leave most ales for about 5 days after primary is done, cold crash, then bottle. Total amount of time between brew day and bottle day is about 13 days.

 

[jstringer1983]

Right on, i think its one of those individual things, everyones different when it comes to this. I was just curious what the general population was doing. I think my beers just taste better after 2 weeks on yeast, but thats just my personal opinion. Ive rushed in the past and kegged at 7 days and by the time the beers turning awesome its on the last few pints lol so i try to be patient now. Cheers

 

[schematix]

2-3 weeks for lagers and ales. At least wait a few days after it has dropped clear though.

 

[Beezer94]

I think the real key to faster beer is in clarification. For me, a cold crash as close to 32F (the colder without freezing the better) as I can for a couple days makes a big difference; especially if combined with gelatin. It's about the best homebrewers can hope for without a centrifuge or filtration.

I aim for drinking (from keg) within 2 weeks of brewing for most reasonable gravity ales. Now real life gets in the way frequently and the actual time varies, but I've learned I don't have to wait a month+ like when I started brewing.

 

[jstringer1983]

For sure, cold crashing was a huge advancement for me when i started doing it. Honestly between whirlfloc and cold crashing my beers achieve clarity thats pretty damn close to a commercial beer.

 

[Ole_Smoky]

I've only got 10 batches under my belt (4 AG and 6 extract), all my batches sit for 3 weeks before cold crash and keg. I had one extract batch, I think it was #2 or 3, it only went 2 weeks and it has been my only batch to this day that gives anyone who drinks it extreme gas, like room clearing... I don't know if that's just coincidence or what but it's enough reason for me to let things go to 3 weeks from now on!

 

[KangerBrew6]

Not everyone has the room or ability to keg or cold-crash. I usually let them settle for a week or so after final gravity then bottle. Ole Smoky, it's what you feed them not your beer mate.

 

[Ole_Smoky]

What I feed the yeast is what your saying? How critical is the temps after FG is achieved? I'll ferment in my chamber until I hit FG then stick the buckets in my furnace room for the rest of the time, in the summer now it gets down to around 62° in that room but all winter it sits around 52°.

 

[m00ps]

After the intial fermentation phase (5 days maybe) temperature control becomes much less important. Its best to not have large swings, especially down since that can stall some yeasts. I generally let them warm up to room temp after a week for most ales

 

[slym2none]

I let mine sit in primary for 3 weeks at fermentation temps, no matter what. No ramping up of temperatures, no secondary, none of that. My fermentation was mostly done on my first batch within a week, but I can't see any harm in letting it "bulk condition" for the remainder of the time. My second batch was a pretty big beer, and krausen didn't drop for almost 2-1/2 weeks. I let it sit in primary for another 8 days, to be sure, before cold-crashing for 2 days, then bottling.

I have an IPA going right now, ~7% ABV, that will sit for three weeks. After bottling, I will let them carbonate for 3 weeks before trying one.

 

[jstringer1983]

Same here, i quit secondary a while back and see no change in my beers. If and when i start doing lagers that will probably change, but for now 2 weeks on the trub works well for me.