Primary Fermentation period when bottling.

[ZimboBrewer]

Hi all...

I am getting back into brewing again and I have a brew currently in the fermenter and it has been happily fermenting for the last 7 days. In the past, when I was doing extract brewing I used to bottle between 7 and 10 days. I have been reading a few forums and I am seeing that many people recommend leaving the beer to ferment for 14 days in the carboy and then to move to bottle conditioning.

If anyone has advice for fermentation length and bottle conditioning I would be very greatful. :-)

 

[svenito]

In the past I've left it in primary until I get a constant gravity for at least two consecutive days. Then I bottle and leave it in the bottle for about two weeks at room temp and then chill it.

If I cold condition, I drop the temp when I hitthe constant gravity for a few days (2-5) and then bottle as above.

I've had constant gravity in 5 days and sometimes in more, depending on the yeast and OG

If you are fermenting cool (15C or lower) you might want to do a diacetyl rest for a few days near the end of fermentation by upping the temp a few degrees for a few days to help the yeast clean up some byproducts

 

[terrym]

My target is clear or nearly clear beer for packaging, which typically means a film of settled yeast on the botttom of the bottles after carbing up, not 3/4mm. That usually means about 16 days in the FV with the last two in a cold place, but it might take longer. I'm in no rush. Whats an extra few days matter when you might have the finished beer in storage for weeks or even months?

 

[ZimboBrewer]

Thanks @terrym and @svenito. I am slightly nervous about keeping opening the FV to take SG readings. Nervous about contamination. With all the helpful advice above...I will test on day 10 and then see what the readings are. Of course this being my first all grain brew...I am having to work on my patience...all good things come to those who wait! :-)

 

[ACBEV]

This is what I do... I leave the beer in the fermenter for 14 days, I don't look at it, open it or take any readings. If after the 14 days the beer hasn't dropped clear and/or the reading is too high, I decant into a secondary vessel for another week or two. This usually does the job...

 

[ZimboBrewer]

Thanks @ACBEV, I will be patient and wait...:-) I think I will need to buy a second FV so I can have another brew on the go...:-)

 

[terrym]

Thanks @terrym and @svenito. I am slightly nervous about keeping opening the FV to take SG readings. Nervous about contamination. With all the helpful advice above...I will test on day 10 and then see what the readings are. Of course this being my first all grain brew...I am having to work on my patience...all good things come to those who wait! :-)

You have to be extremely unlucky to get a contaminated brew by simply opening up your FV from time to time. However, if you leave it long enough, the first reading you do will usually be the FG or near enough. I usually rack off into secondary at day 10 or longer, then another 6 days with or without a dry hop, and the SG readings are rarely different by more than a point. I think the idea of testing the SG on consecutive days to see if its finished is OK up to a point, but when you get a few brews under your belt, and especially if you leave it long enough, all that is unnecessary since you instinctively know that its finished and ready for packaging.