What sort of results can I expect for a 6 week brew?

[mancer62]

I know this isn't ideal but I am aiming to get a brew drinkable in a 6 week period (was brewed on the 27th jan). I know this is very much on the quick side but when needs must.
Am I therefore better doing it 2 weeks in primary x 2 weeks warm x 2 weeks cool? What sort of temps should I be looking at for warm & cool?
What sort of results should I expect after this period(6 weeks) and does anyone indeed regularly brew to this sort of time scale.
I am brewing a Wilkos Stout.
Also normally I don't do secondary and just prime batch straight from primary. I want to know if leaving the brew in the FV for a month is fine or would 3 weeks be better? Cheers :

 

[graysalchemy]

What are you planning on brewing?

 

[robsan77]

Ive done brew day to glass, crystal clear and highly drinkable in 1 week! That was a 3.8% pale but my last stout I fermented for 1 week with Nottingham, used finings and was deliciously drinkable in a few days after that. Of course it would improve a bit but is definitely possible.

You need a good pitch of healthy yeast, Fermentation temperature control and finings.

Without these you can still get drinkable beer in your 6 week time scale so don't worry. Sounds ideal.

ferment at 18 - 20c and keep as stable as possible.

warm means the same fermenting temps or just room temp is fine.

cold is the garage. under 10c is good. Don't let it freeze.

 

[MattN]

If I were in need of an 'emergency brew' this is the one that I would brew again. I made one of these on the 19th Sept, bottled on the the 30th Sept and according to my notes on day 5 (5th/6th Oct) "excellent pint, best yet, great head" needles to say the rest of it didn't last long but it did improve slightly after a bit of time in the bottle.

Matt

 

[winelight]

Yes a Wilko or Coopers stout will be fine in 6 weeks just as you say, 2 weeks ferment, 2 weeks warm (just regular room temperature), 2 weeks cool (anywhere, shed, porch, cool hallway, even fridge).

In fact they are fine in less time than that, you could make it 1 week in each 3 weeks total as long as it has fermented out. As has been said in another thread, you can drink the Coopers stout out of the FV...

 

[mancer62]

graysalchemy.

Don't think you noticed I said I was doing a Wilkos Stout. Thanks everyone for feedback so far excellent stuff. Any opinions about normally leaving brew in the Fv in primary for 3 weeks to a month or is this wrong? :

 

[winelight]

I used to leave for 3 weeks until I got an infection (that was with Coopers Stout)... now I transfer to a second FV after a week or so. But it is only a small risk, generally you should be OK, many do leave for 3 weeks regularly.

 

[graysalchemy]

graysalchemy.

Don't think you noticed I said I was doing a Wilkos Stout. Thanks everyone for feedback so far excellent stuff. Any opinions about normally leaving brew in the Fv in primary for 3 weeks to a month or is this wrong? :

Sorry I have a terrible habit of skimming through posts

 

[Maysie]

graysalchemy.

Don't think you noticed I said I was doing a Wilkos Stout. Thanks everyone for feedback so far excellent stuff. Any opinions about normally leaving brew in the Fv in primary for 3 weeks to a month or is this wrong? :

Sorry I have a terrible habit of skimming through posts

I re-read the original post twice and missed it too. And that was when I was specifically looking for the words 'wilko stout'.
At least the thread makes much more sense to me now...

 

[Sly Fox]

Most of my "regular" beers are in the keg after a couple of weeks. I try to hold off for another week for conditioning before I start drinking them, and they are splendid! That's not to say that what's left a week or two later isn't better still, but there's no reason I can think of to keep ordinary strength ale as long as 6 weeks.

When I worked in a microbrewery I think our usual 3.6 - 4% brews were usually consumed within 3 weeks of making them, and certainly didn't benefit from keeping any longer. It's the bigger beers that need time in my book.