Short Fermentation advantages

[Homercidal]

So I normally just let me beers hang out in the primary for about 2 weeks, maybe 3 because I'm lazy and I get to them when I get to them and anyway, that amount of time is probably good to be sure the fermentation is complete.

Well, due to a lack of beer, and because my ESB is stubbornly still cloudy after 3+ weeks (from pitching) I decided to use last night's spare time to check my IPA. It was 1.012, which is about where I planned on it being with 1 lb of crystal malt. And the hydro sample didn't even taste sweet.

It fermented only 8 days.

For me, this is pretty early. It was fairly clear by then, but I transferred to keg and placed in the kegerator to chill before I add Gelatin and dry hops (I'm in a hurry!)

Anyway, I noticed someting that I didn't think about before. Besides getting the beer ready faster, kegging earlier means the krausen ring rinsed RIGHT OFF rather than needing to be wiped repeatedly. With extended primaries, the krausen usually becomes a crusty PITA.

 

[defrandj1]

The turn around time depends on the yeast you use, the amount of yeast you pitch, and how well you control fermentation temperature. Most yeast will finish fermentation within 5-7 days, provided you pitch adequate and healthy yeast. Others even sooner (San Diego super yeast).

Also, controlling fermentation temps and pitching the right amount of yeast will lessen the amount of off flavors produced during primary fermentation.

So, if you do all these things, it is reasonable to turn around a beer in 7-10 days.

 

[brewshki]

From what I have heard, as long as the finishing Gravity is stable and there are few off flavors, you should be fine. It's my understanding that leaving it longer would allow the yeast to clean up some of the off flavors. I could be wrong though, take it with a grain of salt.

 

[defrandj1]

The yeast should clean any off flavors 48 hours after primary fermentation is complete. After you've reached your final gravity, raise the temperature a bit (this will allow the yeast to work a bit faster and therefore clean the beer faster).

 

[Homercidal]

I chose to pitch 2 packets of US-05 specifically to get it to finish quicker. It was a mid-range gravity beer for an IPA.

Temps were controlled in the ferm chamber chest freezer. One reason I wanted to get it out quickly is because I wanted to crash cool the other stuff in there and I needed room to put something in there, and I could crash cool the IPA in the kegerator.

Adding Gelatin tonight. I haven't had good luck with it so far, but I'll try again. I plan to use it for the other stuff as well (Except the Altbier, which can lager a bit longer now that I have beer on tap.)

 

[ol-hazza]

Quick beers are something that have been playing on my mind this week.

A courier parcel from the brewshop got stuck in the depot over the weekend so I couldn't brew. Having a party on the 31st so looking at 14 day grain to glass from brewing this weekend, and would prefer to keg 3-4 days out to allow the beers to settle and the carbonation to set in. (I feel the quick carbonation methods work but the carbonation is better, kind of smoother after a few days).

I was thinking of brewing a Pale ale with plenty of late hops and a Porter so that the bolder flavours help mask any green flavours, as well as double sachets of yeast (05 and 04 respectively). With the temp profile I was thinking 18° (64°) for 4 days, 21° (69°) for 4 days, cold crash at 0° (32°) for 2 days and keg.

Thoughts and improvements welcome

 

[Yooper]

I brewed an IPA on 9/24. We've been drinking it for a few days.

I didn't write down exactly my timeline on this one, but I'm sure it was typical.

Once fermentation slowed/stopped, I waited until the beer was clearing (maybe day 7(?)) then dryhopped and 4 days later I kegged it.

Some yeast strains (like S05) take forever to clear for me, but most others clear fast. This beer used Wyeast 1335 for one batch and WLP007 for the other, and it cleared right up within a day or two of fermentation ending. Since I won't use gelatin, I like to use yeast strains that clear well and quickly.

I'm taking a keg of this to a friend's camp this weekend. He'll love it. So, the beer is 19 days old now. It will be gone by the time it's 24 days old, at least this keg.

I always say that leaving the beer in the fermenter for an extra long time probably won't hurt, although I dislike the extra yeast character often imparted. But if the beer is done, and clear, it's not going to get "doner". The only beers I make that improve with age are generally either stouts, or the rare Belgian tripel.

 

[JonM]

002 is the fastest son of a gun I've ever used. It blasted through a mild in 48 hours for me and it handled a big robust porter in maybe 3 days. I don't keg that quickly, but it works so darn fast.

 

[ol-hazza]

Some yeast strains (like S05) take forever to clear for me, but most others clear fast. This beer used Wyeast 1335 for one batch and WLP007 for the other, and it cleared right up within a day or two of fermentation ending. Since I won't use gelatin, I like to use yeast strains that clear well and quickly.

What fermentation temp do you use Yooper?

 

[Yooper]

What fermentation temp do you use Yooper?

It depends on the yeast strain, but usually 64-68 degrees.

 

[Homercidal]

Weird. I brewed an ESB with some S-04, you know, because it's supposed to be an English strain and clear nice and quickly. And that batch is still muddy as hell! It's two weeks older than the IPA I brewed using US-05!

I've been using US-05 for most all my pale ales and I've found it to clear pretty good, actually.

Normally I like to cold crash in the ferm chamber as I'm not usually in a hurry to drink. That really helps.

I didn't get to try gelatin last night. I doubt it will happen tonight either due to commitments. I got 4 weeks before the club competition, so I'm not worried about the IPA. I might even just skip the gelatin for that keg after all.

The US-05 seemed to drop really good for me.

 

[Andyoesq]

I always say that leaving the beer in the fermenter for an extra long time probably won't hurt, although I dislike the extra yeast character often imparted. But if the beer is done, and clear, it's not going to get "doner". The only beers I make that improve with age are generally either stouts, or the rare Belgian tripel.

a) you are my recipe goddess (not on point, but thank you for all of the recipes you put up, I haven't made a bad one yet).

b) do you think anything is going on, once fermentation ceases and the yeast drops clear? It seems that most people put forth that, after active fermentation ceases, and the yeast drops clear, the yeast is still cleaning up mysterious things and flavors. you probably have more practical experience than anyone on here - when making APAs or IPAs, once it clears up is it safe to keg? Usually (for me at least) by the end of week two in fermentation, fermentation is done, and it has dropped pretty clear. But I let it go another week, under the belief (but not experience) that the yeast is still cleaning up. Do you think this is a waste, waiting another week?

 

[philosofool]

One note on speedy fermentations: diacetyl precursors can be in beer before the diacetyl shows. I once tried to turn a porter around in 5 days; on day 5, I checked it. Clean, ready, yum. I specifically checked for diacetyl. The beer was a diacetyl bomb, and I learned later about the precursor effect; if you crash the yeast too soon, it won't handle the latent diacetyl. This effect is probably more pronounced in rapid fermentations than slower ones. 48 hours at ale temps is enough to knock out the diacetyl.

 

[Yooper]

a) you are my recipe goddess (not on point, but thank you for all of the recipes you put up, I haven't made a bad one yet).

b) do you think anything is going on, once fermentation ceases and the yeast drops clear? It seems that most people put forth that, after active fermentation ceases, and the yeast drops clear, the yeast is still cleaning up mysterious things and flavors. you probably have more practical experience than anyone on here - when making APAs or IPAs, once it clears up is it safe to keg? Usually (for me at least) by the end of week two in fermentation, fermentation is done, and it has dropped pretty clear. But I let it go another week, under the belief (but not experience) that the yeast is still cleaning up. Do you think this is a waste, waiting another week?

A "waste"? No. Necessary at all? No.

Some people like and prefer the taste of the beer fermented a bit longer on the yeast cake, and the character it imparts. I do not.

I saw a blind study done by Basic Brewing Radio a few years ago, and brewers who tasted a short primary and a long primary were divided on which they preferred. If you like the flavor imparted by a longer contact time with the yeast cake, then that's the best course for you. If you don't, then like me, a shorter time in the fermenter is the best course.

After about 24 hours after FG is reached, the yeast don't "clean up" any more. They are done. They may continue to fall to the bottom, leaving a cleaner beer but there is no real yeast activity to speak of. The contact time on the spent yeast (the trub) can impact flavor. That's about it.