Poll how long do you primary

[Special Hops]

3 weeks minimum before I do a gravity check, then it's either off to the keg or let it go longer.

 

[Baldy_Beer_Brewery]

I actually like threads like this... I think it is good for people, especially new brewers to see that different people do things different ways.

The majority of my beers get dry hopped and I'll primary for at least two weeks. Not necessarily because I want to that long, but because that works out to when I usually get the opportunity to rack to secondary.

I'll try to not dry hop over 10 days, but if I can't get to it, I don't worry about it. I think pretty much most beers will wait on us if we want to RDWAHAHB.

 

[RugenBrau]

3 weeks

 

[sjlammer]

bump 12345690

 

[woodstone]

That was the "old school" thought. Now, the thinking has changed. The beer won't get autolysis from sitting in the primary (in reasonable temperatures) for a month or two or more. The yeast available now is of much better quality than back when Papa Charlie taught us the Joy of Homebrewing. Unless you're storing the primary at 80+ degrees, the yeast will not autolyze in three weeks.

There are still many brewers who use a secondary, and who rack off of the yeast cake in 4-7 days. But most of the brewers I know now just leave it in the primary about three weeks then package.

I'm talking about ales here, as I still do things "old school" for lagers. Lagers are a whole different set of techniques.

I'm gone for a little bit and everything changes?! I feel old and archaic for thinking that more than a week is unnecessary in the primary...

Not sure how all of this got by me and I too feel old and archaic.

15+ years and I still learn something new EVERY day about this hobby!

 

[Steven9026]

3 to 4 weeks

 

[tcory77]

4 weeks for me. if I dry hop I do that the last week of the 4.

Works for me.

 

[vegas20s]

2-3 weeks then I bottle and start drinking after a week.

I've recently started making a quick cider so I can drink that and let my beer age longer.

 

[jmprdood]

Usually 2 weeks - with wheat beers about 10 days

 

[Transamguy77]

3 to 4 weeks is average but I'v gone as long as 6, I find the beer is nice and clear and the cake is packed for the most part, depends on strain.

 

[prrriiide]

As long as it takes. Usually 3-5 weeks primary then bottle. Secondary after 3 weeks if dry hopping/fruiting, etc. Secondary for an indeterminate amount of time...til I think it's done.

 

[BBKing]

You forgot "I dont"

Not to dry hop, not to oak, not to fruit (actually, I dont fruit).

I've done a secondary once in the 3 years I've been brewing.

I'm not knocking the practice at all by any means. Its just that I live in a 2 bedroom home without a ton of space, so 2 fermentors and a bottling bucket is about all that I have room for.

The one time I did do a secondary was with a 9.9% RIS, and I just so happened to be between brews with my second bucket.