how long in secondary is safe.

[justin22]

I have an IPA in a secondary its been in there for maybe 1 month. It was in the primary for a month also. I'm really busy can I leave it in the secondary for another month and be ok?

 

[Evan!]

Depends on what you mean by "ok". The beer will not spoil or go bad or anything like that, if that's what you're asking. However, the fact that it's an IPA means that the hop flavor and aroma will fade by the time you get to it. If I were you, I'd drink it sooner than later. If you want to extend the flavor and aroma, you can dry-hop for a couple weeks as well. But the longer it sits, the less fresh, vibrant hop flavor and aroma you'll get in the end.

 

[homebrewer_99]

When I lager my brews are in carboys for over 3 months...

 

[defenestrate]

with an ipa evan is totally right.... but i've had a pale ale sit in the secondary for over 6 months (forgot about it) and it carbed up very quickly and tasted amazing.

 

[BuckBros]

I had a Rye Pale Ale sit in the primary 6 months with no off flavors detected. It will be ok as long as you are carefull with sanitation.

 

[shortyjacobs]

I don't understand how you people are so damn patient! I brewed YESTERDAY, and I can't wait to get home and look at it. 20 more days until I keg!!!!!!!!!!! Ugh, the waiting is killing me.

 

[kyleobie]

I don't understand how you people are so damn patient!

Me neither. I'm usually itching to drink my brew the day after I bottle it.

Oh well, that's what hydro samples are for!

 

[knappster]

I had a Rye Pale Ale sit in the primary 6 months with no off flavors detected. It will be ok as long as you are carefull with sanitation.

What kind of temperature control were you using (if any)?

 

[ak40kush]

I don't understand how you people are so damn patient! I brewed YESTERDAY, and I can't wait to get home and look at it. 20 more days until I keg!!!!!!!!!!! Ugh, the waiting is killing me.

dude i know what you mean exactly! I remind my self that it will taste better and i will appreciate the flavour that much more if im paitent. not to mention if you can ration your beer then you will never be out of it.

In some respects paitents is key to brewing but if you want to also kill the goose that laid the golden egg who are we to judge? we all have temptation to just down all our beer at once but what good will that be when the next day we want another one but dont find one at all!

 

[shortyjacobs]

dude i know what you mean exactly! I remind my self that it will taste better and i will appreciate the flavour that much more if im paitent. not to mention if you can ration your beer then you will never be out of it.

In some respects paitents is key to brewing but if you want to also kill the goose that laid the golden egg who are we to judge? we all have temptation to just down all our beer at once but what good will that be when the next day we want another one but dont find one at all!

See, the key is, you just have to make LOTS of beer, then you don't have to ration.

I've only brewed one batch, and it's been fermenting for less than 24 hours, (with a huge krausen and some crazy blow off tube activity, woot!), but I've already got big plans....gonna brew again next week, and the week after, and the week after....

I need more primaries

 

[ak40kush]

See, the key is, you just have to make LOTS of beer, then you don't have to ration.

I've only brewed one batch, and it's been fermenting for less than 24 hours, (with a huge krausen and some crazy blow off tube activity, woot!), but I've already got big plans....gonna brew again next week, and the week after, and the week after....

I need more primaries

well you really need only 2 primarys if you intend on brewing weekly just cycle them. I have to say your persistance with brewing is commendable.

cheers

 

[JoeMama]

But the longer it sits, the less fresh, vibrant hop flavor and aroma you'll get in the end.

That is if he decides to consume his beer rectally. LOL (Sorry)

Evan! is correct, are you currently dry hopping in the secondary? (That has been sitting for a month?)
-Me

 

[humann_brewing]

I don't understand how you people are so damn patient! I brewed YESTERDAY, and I can't wait to get home and look at it. 20 more days until I keg!!!!!!!!!!! Ugh, the waiting is killing me.

It's all about the pipeline of beer you have.

I have 2 full kegs sitting by my kegerator just waiting for another keg to be killed.

 

[humann_brewing]

That is if he decides to consume his beer rectally. LOL (Sorry)

Evan! is correct, are you currently dry hopping in the secondary? (That has been sitting for a month?)
-Me

The other thing is that you don't want to dry hop too long and get any grassy flavors. I have heard typical 1 week at 75 or 2 weeks at 65 for dry hopping but it just comes down to taste. Take tasting samples when you get in this range to make sure you rack before you go too long.

 

[TheMan]

As said, it won't kill your beer. But hop flavor will be lost the longer you leave it.

As for ShortyJacob, once you have enough homebrew on hand you lose a bit of the impatience. I remember my very first brews, I went home and stared at the carboy for like 10 minutes every day for a week. Now I just sit it and forget about it while drinking my other brews. Sounds like you'll get there in a couple months.

 

[shortyjacobs]

well you really need only 2 primarys if you intend on brewing weekly just cycle them. I have to say your persistance with brewing is commendable.

cheers

Yup, I've got two primaries already...but I'm planning on going the "3 weeks in primary, then straight to the keg" approach. So, I need at least one more primary to hit that goal, (3 primaries, one per week), but that leaves no wiggle room for extra long fermentations.....so I'm just keeping an eye on craigslist...

 

[BuckBros]

Hop flavor and aroma will mellow to some degree. It will not drop out. It will not taste as sharply bitter or smell as floral/grassy. For the majority of beers, 3-6 months aging I find greatly improves the overall flavor.

It won't kill your beer. It will make it greatly better.