yeast cake times

[Merleti]

Everyone seems to have a general time they keep their beer on the yeast cake in primary.
What is yours and why?
Maybe I get caught up in reading to much but I got worried. I know this can vary from different types of yeast, but if the yeast can last after totally fermenting the beer then exactly what happens ?
From what I've read it then will feed on off flavors. If so how can you track the yeast to see when it has given all it's got?

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

Generally I do a minimum 2 weeks on the cake. But I know from experience in a relatively temperature controlled environment 6 - 8 weeks will cause no problems on multiple different yeasts and styles of beer.

If a beer is clearing and at or around expected final gravity without any weird flavors or aromas I will move it out off primary if I have something coming down the pipeline.

If your are worried about autolysis, like you left your beer on the cake for like 12 weeks. I wouldn't worry. Unless you manage to put it in a super bad environment that would give you a bad beer anyway(too high of temps, fluctuating temps, too much sugar additions). Autolysis is primarily a concern for commercial level batches, at homebrew amounts usually you would have to try and cause autolysis.

Edit: I have moved a beer off the cake in as little as a week without issue as well if you were worried about the reverse, taking it off the cake too soon.

 

[helibrewer]

1-2 weeks for fermentation (2-3 weeks for lager)
3 days at terminal gravity for yeast cleanup (70-72F if doing D-rest)
1 week cold conditioning for clarification (~40F)
Rack off yeast to package
Package (another week in the keg carbonating - force)

This is for a "standard" beer, no dry hopping, no fruit, no oak.

 

[Merleti]

Thank you for your answers.
I use a fermentation chamber. I tend to keep things a little cool in the first few days, then raise the temp a deg a day till I hit the highest temp I want. I then keep it on the yeast cake for a month total. Meaning a month after the day of pitching. My thoughts are the more yeast the cleaner the beer can get. I'm wondering am I going in the right direction?

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

Thank you for your answers.
I use a fermentation chamber. I tend to keep things a little cool in the first few days, then raise the temp a deg a day till I hit the highest temp I want. I then keep it on the yeast cake for a month total. Meaning a month after the day of pitching. My thoughts are the more yeast the cleaner the beer can get. I'm wondering am I going in the right direction?

A month is great. The only real considerations are, does your beer taste good, then does 4 weeks primary work for your pipeline flow rate (do you find you wish you could brew but something is stuck in primary).

 

[MXDXD]

3 weeks, unless I'm doing a Mild or a Bitter or an otherwise low OG beer with no dry-hopping.

 

[Calder]

3 weeks for most beers. Hoppy ales, I usually move thru quicker. Bigger beers could be longer. Sours could be a couple of years.

 

[Yooper]

This is general terms, of course- but assuming a normal gravity ale- I generally leave the beer in the primary for 10-17 days, and then either package or dryhop. I'm not a fan of the flavor imparted by the yeast of a super long primary.

 

[Merleti]

Arkotramathorn the beers are tasting good. My chamber is big enough were I can juggle two brews at a time if I skip a cold crash or let one sit a little longer than the last.

Yooper what type of flavors do you find with longer primary times?