Primary fermentation time

Will B · Jun 24, 2024

Grateful for help.
Started Festival Ale Kit (Golden Stag) this eve, thinking I could just about squeeze in primary fermentation before I keg in 10 days time - am away for a while after this. Did not factor in cooling down period needed before adding in yeast. It's now midnight and the mixture it's still 26 degrees. If I wait until first thing tomorrow it leaves 9 and a half days before kegging. Do you think this is likely to be enough for primary fermentation? Have never got head round hydrometer but usually keg at 10 days with no probs. Do you think 9 and a half will make much difference? Keen not to put yeast in too warm so hoping for liquid to cool over night. Also that warm weather will accelerate fermentation. Help gratefully received!

emmever · Jun 25, 2024

Hi! I don't know the kit you are using, so I can only answer in general terms.

Generally fermentation will last less than 10 days. The risk in bottling or kegging early is more related to the yeast not having time to clear after itself, resulting in an haze beer.

You said after 10 days you will be out for some days. How long?
I don't think it will be an issue to leave the beer in the fermenter up to 20 days or so

An Ankoù · Jun 25, 2024

Will B said:
Grateful for help.
Started Festival Ale Kit (Golden Stag) this eve, thinking I could just about squeeze in primary fermentation before I keg in 10 days time - am away for a while after this. Did not factor in cooling down period needed before adding in yeast. It's now midnight and the mixture it's still 26 degrees. If I wait until first thing tomorrow it leaves 9 and a half days before kegging. Do you think this is likely to be enough for primary fermentation? Have never got head round hydrometer but usually keg at 10 days with no probs. Do you think 9 and a half will make much difference? Keen not to put yeast in too warm so hoping for liquid to cool over night. Also that warm weather will accelerate fermentation. Help gratefully received!

9½ days should be fine. In the unlikely event fermentation hasn't quite finished then any excess carbonation would blow off through the safety valve.
It does depend on the yeast and I'm getting fermentations finished in 3 days and leaving the beer a further week for the bulk of the yeast to settle out.
Don't try to speed things up by increasing the temperature, though, it could spoil the beer.
If you're not happy that it's ready then leave it in a cool place until you come back.
Two things for the future:
Get to grips with using a hydrometer, it's not rocket science.
Get yourself a variety of dried yeasts to suit the temperature. You could look at the yeast specs on the CML site.

Cwrw666 · Jun 25, 2024

A bit late now but you could have pitched your yeast easily at 26 degrees. By the time the yeast gets working it would be easily down to proper temperature.

Will B · Jun 25, 2024

emmever said:
Hi! I don't know the kit you are using, so I can only answer in general terms.

Generally fermentation will last less than 10 days. The risk in bottling or kegging early is more related to the yeast not having time to clear after itself, resulting in an haze beer.

You said after 10 days you will be out for some days. How long?
I don't think it will be an issue to leave the beer in the fermenter up to 20 days or so

Thank you

I am away for around 2 weeks afterwards so think ideally would need to keg it before I go. It is only 8 hrs off the 10 days specified in the recipe and it is warm so I am hopeful...Will come back to hydrometer- just have not managed to read correctly yet!