just how long does yeast live in primary?

[mmead]

I'm hearing it's OK to leave my Stout in primary for 9 weeks. I was just wondering if such old spent yeast will be in any mood to contribute to carbonation at that late bottling day.

 

[usfmikeb]

You'll be fine. There are people that have left it on the yeast cake a lot longer than 2 months. I generally leave it on the yeast cake for a month, and have gone as long as three months.

 

[Yooper]

You'll have plenty of yeast for carbonation. But why on earth would you leave a stout sitting on the yeast cake for more than two months?!? I guess if you're out of the country and you have to that you might not damage the beer too much, but it'd be easier to just bottle it after about 2-3 weeks and not worry about it.

 

[ArcaneXor]

9 weeks is pretty long. Having tasted my share of autolyzed beers, I wouldn't leave it on the yeast for longer than ~6 weeks at the most, and even that doesn't really do the beer any good. If it's a high gravity beer that needs extensive aging, I'd bulk conditioning it in secondary. Otherwise, 3-4 weeks in primary should be plenty.

 

[day_trippr]

Oh boy, I see a red flag waving in the face of the resident "Myth Busters"...

Cheers!

 

[ArcaneXor]

Oh boy, I see a red flag waving in the face of the resident "Myth Busters"...

Cheers!

The "myth busters" probably don't drink other people's homebrew on a near-daily basis as part of their job description. Autolysis is fairly rare (much more rare than oxidation, DMS, or diacetyl, for instance) and it usually takes quite a bit of abuse to produce, but I do come across a handful examples each month. It's a very distinct flavor and aroma.

Now HSA, that's about as close to a myth as you can get. I certainly have never been able to pinpoint it as the cause for a flawed beer.

 

[mmead]

So let me get this clear. 3 weeks in primary is plenty for a BIG beer such as a Russian Imperial Stout. 3 weeks on the yeast, bottle, then age for at least 4 months in the glass? Is that about right?

 

[Yooper]

So let me get this clear. 3 weeks in primary is plenty for a BIG beer such as a Russian Imperial Stout. 3 weeks on the yeast, bottle, then age for at least 4 months in the glass? Is that about right?

Well, 2 weeks is probably plenty in primary, to be honest. But three weeks won't hurt.

I like to leave the beer on the yeast for at least 3 days after FG is reached, or about 7-10 days at a minimum. For me, two weeks is when I either DO something (dryhop, oak, etc) or package. But I never package beer that isn't fairly clear and ready to bottle.

Once it's bottled, I leave it at room temperature long enough to carb up, often 3-4 weeks, and then cellar if it's needed.

Instead of leaving the beer in primary a long time, it makes a better beer to pitch enough yeast at the beginning and control fermentation temps. A well made beer will never need a lengthy time to "clean up" but aging bigger beers will smooth it out and meld the flavors. Beers with high ABV and/or roasty flavors will generally be smoother and better with some age on it. But not aging on the yeast cake.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

What does autolyzed beer taste like? My readings seem to suggest that this was a problem early in the hobby when people were using yeast not specifically bred for beer (Baker's yeast for example) but I am certainly no expert.

 

[ArcaneXor]

What does autolyzed beer taste like? My readings seem to suggest that this was a problem early in the hobby when people were using yeast not specifically bred for beer (Baker's yeast for example) but I am certainly no expert.

In lighter beers it usually has a meaty, beef broth-like taste. In beers with roasted malts, it vaguely resembles soy sauce. Both have a "burned rubber" type aspect to it as well. It's pretty disgusting.

 

[mmead]

Many just don't believe they have to hassle with the secondary.

WRONG WRONG WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Where do people come up with some if this stuff?



I don't don't EVER cold crash, I leave my beer for a month in primary and I have had judges describe my beer as extremely clear and "jewel like"....AND half the time I forget to add any moss.

Appearance ALWAYS scores high on my beers as well as taste. But there not one contest where a judge doesn't make a comment on the clarity of my beers.

That's precisely why I don't secondary....because my beers are much better than when I secondary.

After a month in primary your beer is crystal clear, very clean and crisp tasting. And when you rack to bottle you leave behind a really dense yeast/trub cake.

Believe me, after three years of doing the long primary/ no secondary I find no need to go back to doing it any other way. The quality of my beers has upped 10 ten fold.

Even John Palmer talks about this in How To Bew;

 

[ArcaneXor]

Many just don't believe they have to hassle with the secondary.

Secondaries are not necessary for most beers. They are beneficial when making fruit beers (actual secondary fermentation) and for bulk conditioning lagers, sours and very high alcohol beers.

As an aside, many people who don't think they secondary actually do - anyone who kegs, for instance. The keg isn't just a serving vessel, it's also a bright/conditioning tank.