When should I shorten my boil to bottle time?

[skuhn2004]

I've seen this quote a lot on this site. It's a very general statement but it makes a lot of sense to me.

"Originally Posted by Yooper View Post
A well made beer doesn't need time to age out off flavors, and youdon't create off-flavors in the first place."

I have seen posters say they are bottling after as little as 9 days in a primary. How do I know when I am ready to do this and not end up making a batch of bottle bombs?

I am pretty sure I am improving in all the right ways. I am absolutely seeing the cold break thanks to the wort chiller. I built a stir plate and I can't possibly think I am under pitching. My lag time is down to 8-14 hours on average. My attenuation phase is very vigorous and I am hitting FG in 4-6 days on a Generic Pale Ale with a SG of 1.054.

I've been doing the same recipe because I love the style and I wanted to improve my processes and a single style makes it easy to compare. It is going to become my 'house' beer.

So when do I take the plunge and crank up the production?

 

[llvllayhem]

Depends a great deal on the style and gravity of the beer. However, if you take gravity readings spaced out over a few days (3-5) and your gravity does not change and it is around your estimated final gravity, you should be safe to bottle.

 

[RCCOLA]

I have seen posters say they are bottling after as little as 9 days in a primary. How do I know when I am ready to do this and not end up making a batch of bottle bombs?

The biggest thing to help speed your process will be fermentation temp control. Most brewers who follow kit instructions and pitch yeast into 75+ degrees wort or too little yeast and ferment at those temps create off-flavors which need to be aged out.

When the gravity is stable after a few days, the beer has dropped clear, and the beer tastes and smells good, it is time to bottle. If those criteria have not been met then wait until they have been.

 

[dzlater]

You say it's done fermenting after 4-6 days.Make sure you don't have a diacytl problem
Give it a couple more days for the yeast to settle out, cold crash or fine
and bottle it up.

 

[WileECoyote]

I've seen this quote a lot on this site. It's a very general statement but it makes a lot of sense to me.

"Originally Posted by Yooper View Post
A well made beer doesn't need time to age out off flavors, and youdon't create off-flavors in the first place."

Hello, that statement isn't really true, you have to chose a recipe designed to ferment out quick and that is low gravity and over pitch yeast.

Just try that with a well made Imperial Stout, its not going to taste very good.

Cheers