How long is too long?

[Majikcook]

Hey all,
How long is too long for a batch to sit in the primary? I want to brew this weekend but will not be able to move to secondary for about 10 days. Still ok?

 

[homebrewer_99]

10 days is fine.

But you really should get your beer off of the yeast as soon as you are able.

Relax!

 

[Tony]

How long is too long in the primary though? Im very curious about this.

 

[Janx]

There is no "too long". Your beer will always be good, even if you don't do a secondary. Heck, maybe fermenting in a primary only will give your beer the extra zing that makes it special. There are no rules.

Par example, we've been making a bunch of beer lately and I need some more kegs, so all the primaries, kegs and secondaries were full. So a couple of batches had to stay in the primary at least 3 weeks. The Pale Ale done this way was just awesome. Maybe one of the best. It had a very British character...maybe some esters and whatnot from long yeast contact, but in Belgium they call "off flavors" a style

In my opinion, best practices for the cleanest tasting beer is to rack to secondary within one week. But, this is definitely not something that can make or break your beer. By all means, brew this weekend! Brew every weekend! Racking in 10 days is no biggie.

Cheers!

 

[homebrewer_99]

I've only made 1 batch that I did not use a secondary and I am TOTALLY UNSATISFIED with the clarity. It is a nice golden yellow though that looks pretty.

It tastes a bit more bitter than I expected. Still very drinkable, but not to my tastes. My son-in-law loves it.

Not a loss, but I would definitely use a secondary ALWAYS!

I left a Hefe Weizen in the primary (plastic) for like 32 days once (I had a heart attack and couldn't do any heavy lifting, etc., for a while). I thought I ruined it, but it won Best of Show and Best of Style over 100 entries.

 

[Tony]

Great, thanks for the info!

 

[NUCC98]

...maybe some esters and whatnot from long yeast contact, but in Belgium they call "off flavors" a style

Belgian Beer Drinker: Wow....it's not bad, but it's got this weird sorta...I don't know.....'off' flavor to it....you must have screwed up the recipe...

Belgian Brewer: Um...yeah...no, that's um SUPPOSED to be like that...yeah....REAL old technique.....I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it....

LOL!!!

 

[homebrewer_99]

I'm bottling a Hefe Weizen tonight. It spent 28 days in the primary and 26 days in the secondary.

FWIW: OG 1.052, FG 1.006

 

[Janx]

FWIW: OG 1.052, FG 1.006

Wow! How can you tell the gravity so specifically?

 

[jhudson]

Wow! How can you tell the gravity so specifically?

With a hydrometer.

 

[user 574]

With a hydrometer.

Oh my jhudson... You have no idea what you just started

 

[homebrewer_99]

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!

He doesn't know does he?

OK! Where's Janx.....again? (I'm glad we got that straight!)

Later!

 

[rightwingnut]

..... .....

 

[rightwingnut]

Belgian Beer Drinker: Wow....it's not bad, but it's got this weird sorta...I don't know.....'off' flavor to it....you must have screwed up the recipe...

Belgian Brewer: Um...yeah...no, that's um SUPPOSED to be like that...yeah....REAL old technique.....I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it....

LOL!!!

.....LOL!!

 

[SwAMi75]

How about in the secondary?

With luck, I'm going to be doing an IPA this weekend. I guesstimate its SG somewhere north of 70. If I do it Friday, March 11th as planned, it'll go into the secondary on the 18th.

Here's my quandry....I have to go out of town on April 5th, and I'll be out of town until May 17th. So should I try to bottle before I leave (after about 2 weeks in the secondary), or should I just leave it in the secondary for 2 months and bottle when I get back?

Sam

 

[phuzle]

How about in the secondary?

With luck, I'm going to be doing an IPA this weekend. I guesstimate its SG somewhere north of 70. If I do it Friday, March 11th as planned, it'll go into the secondary on the 18th.

Here's my quandry....I have to go out of town on April 5th, and I'll be out of town until May 17th. So should I try to bottle before I leave (after about 2 weeks in the secondary), or should I just leave it in the secondary for 2 months and bottle when I get back?

Sam

i would brew a week or two later, rack to secondary the day you leave, and let it sit in secondary for an awesome two months.

 

[homebrewer_99]

...as long as the secondary is a glass carboy I see no problem letting it sit....

 

[Janx]

Yeah a beer that big will be great with all that time in the secondary.

The only concern I would have is the airlock drying out...probably not an issue unless it's really dry where the fermenter is.

 

[SwAMi75]

Cool. I'll show my wife how to maintain the airlock, and remind her whenever we talk. I think that's what I'll do, then. Thanks!

 

[Franiblector]

I left a Hefe Weizen in the primary (plastic) for like 32 days once (I had a heart attack and couldn't do any heavy lifting, etc., for a while). I thought I ruined it, but it won Best of Show and Best of Style over 100 entries.

ROCK ON HB99!
Glad you're OK and "allowed' to drink beer after a heart attack!

 

[Franiblector]

and good luck with the brew sam!
i am so impatient i think i would have to go on a trip to leave my beer in secondary that long. just kidding.

i can't help it - i love homebrew. i'm a total beer snob now.

and now that i've seen the benefits of long secondary-ing, it's worth the wait!

 

[SwAMi75]

and good luck with the brew sam!
i am so impatient i think i would have to go on a trip to leave my beer in secondary that long. just kidding.

i can't help it - i love homebrew. i'm a total beer snob now.

and now that i've seen the benefits of long secondary-ing, it's worth the wait!

Thanks! I'm the same way. If I didn't have to go on this trip, it would be a miracle if I were to let it go two weeks in the secondary!

I've got two batches bottled up and one in the secondary now. I think if nothing else, this trip is going to teach me the value of letting the stuff mature for a while before chugging it down. In other words, patience!

Sam

 

[homebrewer_99]

ROCK ON HB99!
Glad you're OK and "allowed' to drink beer after a heart attack!

Thanks. Yeah, I'm fine now.

My last 2 reports indicated that I didn't have any signs of the big H. It's been just over 9 years now and no problems.

I am certain my health is better because of living in Germany for 5 years where they don't use a lot of preservatives, food is prepared on the spot (not fast food), and the beer does not contain all the preservatives and garbage they put in American beer (I stay away from it myself).

I drink several hundred HBs for every 1 American beer I drink. That's why I say I don't really drink American beer.

I read a great quote about beer last night. I'll have to look for it and pass it on later.

 

[TJ-Bill]

I have 2 batches on now, a wheat I pitched on Dec 2nd and and IPA on the 14.

Wheat is stilll in the primary and the IPA is in the Secondary. I only plan moving them out of my fermenting cabinet next week so I can make room for more. Won't Actually Keg the wheat until next weekend. I'm planning ahead so the beer can spend as long as possible in the buckets/carboys.

 

[Jamo99]

Longer is better. Although, if you left it in primary as long as this thread has been around, we'd have a confirmed case of autolysis methinks.

 

[Revvy]

Longer is better. Although, if you left it in primary as long as this thread has been around, we'd have a confirmed case of autolysis methinks.

Yeah I was a little shocked to see such an old post bumped up...Someone uses the search feature


But yeah...4 years...not so good I would think.