3 weeks in a fermenter

[PeterB]

Hi

I normally leave my all grain beer (bitter, IPA, not lager) in the fermenter at 19 deg C for 2 weeks, reducing to 5 deg C for the last 2 days, then rack into a cornie.

Because of my full cornies, I'd like to reduce to 5 deg as normal, then leave it in the fermenter for a further 1 week (so 3 weeks in total) in a relatively cool garage (say 12 deg C). I could rack into a clean fermenter for conditioning easily enough, but would prefer not to so to reduce the likelihood of infection.

What do people think? Will the yeast bed taint the beer taste?

Cheers

Pete

 

[foxbat]

No problem whatsoever. My lagers are in there for at least 3 weeks.

 

[Graz]

Fine, you won't have any issues with the yeast bed unless you leave it for months.

 

[Kybren]

I have left quite a few IPAs I have done for 3 weeks in the fermenter never tasted a problem

 

[PeterB]

Does the change in temperature matter? i.e from 5 to 12 deg C.

 

[foxbat]

Does the change in temperature matter? i.e from 5 to 12 deg C.

No. Problems often occur going the other way because cooling shrinkage sucks back water/sanitizer/oxygen through the airlock. None of which you want in the fermented beer.

 

[PeterB]

yeah - I usually pull the airlock out before cooling. It is only a small hole and the fermenter will be in a fridge which is kept cold anyway, so I think infection is unlikely.

 

[Gerryjo]

I have a strawberry blonde in the fermentation fridge this last 5 weeks and just dry hopped though will be kegged at the weekend.

 

[PeterB]

I guess I am also leading back to the age old "to fine or not to fine, that is the question".

If I am leaving the beer in the fermenter an extra week, that is a potential opportunity to fine the beer so it clears entirely during that week.

But I am uncomfortable taking a liquid that has been in the fridge for a month, adding warm water and stirring it into my beer. Surely that is a real opportunity for infection? But the concept of entirely clear beer in a cornie, even if I move/disturb the cornie is also quite attractive. Currently, if I do move one one of my kegs then the beer gets disturbed and has to re-clear.