Time to second, third, forth, etc. fermenting vessels?

[FifteenTen]

I poured my first batch into my fermenting vessell on Monday. At that point in time I was of a mind that I would stay in my primary for two weeks, then bottle and condition for two weeks. Its a wheat so I'm not all that concerned with clarity. A month before my first glass of home brew. Seems painful. Now I have read many and more posts on this faboulous forum and it seems that the consensus is that two weeks in a fermenting vessel will make drinkable beer but not awsome beer. I think now I'll stay in my primary for at least three weeks, maybe four. But fermenting time is not my question, as it now occurs to me that I will need to have two or three batches fermenting or conditioning on a regular.

I'd like to know from you seasoned brewers that started with one fermenting vessel, how long until you had mutliple batches fermenting at any one time.

 

[Demon]

I like to brew at least every other weekend, so I usually have multiple beers fermenting at the same time. About two months after I initially started brewing is when I got into having a "pipeline" going at all times.

 

[ayoungrad]

I brewed a kit for my first batch. While it was in primary (that was the only batch that ever went to a secondary) I went out and bought a 3 gallon better bottle and brewed a second batch, fermenting it in there.

It can be addicting.

I suggest buying some really good craft brews while you painfully wait.

 

[Golddiggie]

Took me all of about 2 days after starting my first batch, before I went back for the ingredients for my second batch...

If given a choice, I think many of us would be on the 2 week rotation of brewing... Basically, brew a batch every other weekend (or whatever your brew day ends up being). If the weekend, then the other weekend day is either a bottling day (if you don't want to bottle on the brew day) or you're checking on a brew that's about 2-3 weeks in process. That way, by the time your first batch is ready for drinking, you already have another batch that's been in bottles for a week, and another batch only a week away from being bottled.

Normally, I would say 2-4 weeks on the yeast, before bottling, then ~3 weeks in bottles before they're ready for drinking. So you can do 6 weeks grain to glass, if things line up. Of course, there will be brews that take more time. I've done one so far that were about 7 weeks from boil to bottle, and another that was just over 9 weeks from boil to bottle. Both of those spent time on oak chips before being bottled. I have another brew that I've just not been able to bottle yet, so it's approaching 6 weeks on the yeast... I might be able to bottle it tonight. If not, I HAVE to bottle it tomorrow. Basically, because I'm already set to use that primary for another brew that's being made tomorrow evening.

I have about 4 primaries right now that I can use... So once I'm living in a place where I can do it on my schedule, my pipeline should never run dry. Even with the occasional 'big brew' in the mix. :rockin:

 

[BryanJ]

I have four carboys and three buckets. Its nice to have an empty fermenter just in case I want to do anything short notice. But establishing a pipeline of beer is tough without multiple fermenters.

 

[Golddiggie]

Only 'problem' with having enough fermenters to have empty ones is that chances are you'll see that empty one and think of something to ferment in it before you were going to... :rockin: Not really a problem really, more of the home brewer's dilemma...

I have two 3 gallon, one 5 gallon and one 1 gallon fermenters (all glass carboy's or jug) with mead in them. I also have a 3 gallon PET carboy with a batch of hard lemonade in it going (about 2 weeks in)... I have one 5 gallon PET carboy with my strong Scotch ale in it, that's coming up on 3 weeks in. I have my 6 gallon PET carboy with my Boddington's Pub Ale clone in it (needs to be bottled) and finally a 5 gallon corny keg with a honey cream ale that was started on 2/26... I also have one empty 5 gallon PET carboy looking at me with puppy-dog eyes...

I need a bigger place so that I can ferment more.

 

[mikeysab]

For me, it wasn't until I switched to PM's that I thought "Yeah, I gotta have this stuff on hand at all times". But I started with hopped LME, so the process wasn't even close. Now I do all grain, have a 20 gallon BK, a MLT, wort chiller......everything you need to get very specific batches of beer. I think it depends on you, the time you have, and the investment (time AND money) you're willing to make to extend your pipeline. If you're willing to brew once a week, then you need more than one bucket. But if you have 20 buckets and no time, the buckets will mostly be empty. I have the capacity to do 18 gallons at a time, and I only get time to brew once every 3 months. So I basically HAVE TO brew as much as I can on brew day. So I'll do two batches, or brew a bunch of one recipe on brew day. I recently did back to back weekends, but that was 5 months ago and I haven't brewed since. But there are people that brew every weekend. So it's really up to you. As for WHEN people bought their second fermenting vessel.....I'd say for most, it was right after they finished BREWING their first batch, or right after they TASTED their first batch.

Hey Gold, gimme that 5 ballon BB......I'll get something in it.