Timetable question

[jeremyO]

First time brewing, just ordered my kit and 2 beer kits from AHS. I got the Falconer and Double IPA. At the time of the order I was trying to save on shipping by ordering two beer kits. Now I am worried about the shelf life and timing.

I plan on doing the Falconer this Saturday. If it takes a week in the primary I could start the Double IPA the following weekend. My problem is the bottling. I can bottle the falconer around the weekend of may 7th. The double will not be ready for bottling until the following weekend in which i plan on being out of town for a few days.

Is it safe to leave a batch of beer untended to for a week? Or would it be better to save the second kit for when I get back and hope it does not go bad?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Guden]

Leaving beer in the primary for several weeks is not only acceptable, it's recommended for most styles. The first batch might not even be done fermenting after a week, and even if it is leaving it in an extra week or two would not be a problem, same goes for the second batch.

 

[Pezman1]

The kits won't go bad that quickly.

If you have LME, put it in the fridge. If you have DME or specialty grains, keep them in the proverbial cool, dry, place. Keep your hops either in the fridge or freezer.

As the previous poster suggested, your beer will most likely not be done fermenting in only a week - More like two or even three.

I order multiple beer kits at a time also. I cannot tell a "freshness" difference between the ones I brew right away and the kits that sit in the fridge for a month or more.

I DO wrap my LME and hops in tinfoil to discourage any possibility of odor transfer in the fridge.
Pez.

 

[jeremyO]

thank you both. Finally figured out what LME stands for!