Fermentation times

[Kevin Marien]

I just finished another batch of beer, and I was wondering about fermentation times. I seem to read most people people try to ferment for a couple of weeks. But mostly I find my fermentation to be done in about 3 days with a dry yeast (like a safale us05) and maybe a day or two longer with liquid yeast. I try to keep it in a day or 3-4 longer just to be sure. I just wondered how long you guys (recommend to)
ferment? Does it impact the final beer a lot or does it mainly make the conditioning shorter?

 

[steveinUS]

Howdy. Depends a lot on the beer, gravity, temperature, yeast strain, yeast viability and pitching rate, ... anything else? Some of my beers are racked after a week (Bitters and most standard strength beers), while some (Saisons, barleywines, big Belgians, etc.) are left in primary for 10-14 days.

Leaving it on the yeast for a few days after your hydrometer says it’s done is a good practice. Too soon, before the yeast has cleaned up after itself can leave that acetaldehyde (green apple) tint to the beer, let alone leaving behind unfermented sugars. I never quite understood why there are some homebrewers who want to rush to the finish line.

 

[Kevin Marien]

They might rush it because they are thirsty :). That would make sense. I usually go for mid strength beers, finishing a keg is enough work out for me let alone it being 8+ABV. So you reckon other than that (not considering dry hopping) leaving it in the fermenter much longer after fermentation is finished shouldn't enhance the flavour.

 

[Sandimas]

Are you sure yours are really done in 3 days or so?

Mine seem to be taking nearer 3 weeks than 2 weeks lately, usual dry yeasts Gervin / US-05 fermented at 19C. I have a fairly crude method of checking: about 1.5 weeks in I swap the FV lid with the airlock for a solid one, when it stops bulging the CO2 production has stopped and I cold-crash for 24hrs then bottle.

I just bottled one yesterday, had meant to do it last weekend but it was still producing CO2 on Day16.

 

[Brew_DD2]

A bulging lid wouldn't necessarily be indicative of fermentation continuing. Most likely it's CO2 produced during fermentation coming out of solution.

Most fermentation is done in 3-4 days and will usually be completed inside a week. The best, and cheapest, way to determine that fermentation is complete is to take a gravity reading.

 

[DavidDetroit]

I make all big beers. I wait three weeks, could do two probably. Also, I don't like opening the lid to check exactly when it's done. Mine all follow a pattern of settling down after four or five days.

 

[chrisb8]

Maybe I am being too patient but I generally leave mine in the fermenter for around 3 weeks - this includes a diacetyl rest where necessary and 'cold crash' and gelatine fining stage.

 

[chrisb8]

Also, I don't like opening the lid to check exactly when it's done.

I also don't like opening the lid if I don't have to and would rather give it time to finish than keep opening and checking in order to rush ahead.

I tried to rush an ipa once to get it done before going on holiday and ended up with a butterscotch popcorn diacetyl flavour - lesson learned...

 

[Sandimas]

A bulging lid wouldn't necessarily be indicative of fermentation continuing. Most likely it's CO2 produced during fermentation coming out of solution. Most fermentation is done in 3-4 days and will usually be completed inside a week. The best, and cheapest, way to determine that fermentation is complete is to take a gravity reading.

Yes I know and do that too. Mine don't seem to finish in a week.