Primary fermentation

[bobbytinner]

Had a year off brewing and decided it's time to kick start my interest and reassess my old methods. After some light reading this past month I have realised that I've been too eager to bottle my brews, usually after one week.
Today, I've just brewed Graham Wheelers recipe for Adnam's Explorer. I've a 10 gallon set up and have always left the ferm lid loosely snapped with covers thrown over the bin. I've never had any issues.
Instead of bottling after a week I intend to leave the brew in the primary for about 4 weeks inside the house. I do have the option of using my shed, as I do have heat pads and submerged thermostatic heaters should I need them.

Will this be feasible with the loosely closed lid for 4 weeks in my utility room? The Safale 04 is settling in nicely so I wondered if snapping the lid shut after 24 hours would offer more protection.
Does anybody have any advice on this matter

Thanks
BT

[Rick_UK]

2 weeks seems to be conventional wisdom. Fast yeast like S04 may need less, slower yeasts more. My rule of thumb is to leave it 3-5 days once FG is reached. 4 weeks probably won't do any harm but it may improve more conditioning in the bottle or keg.

I wouldn't seal the lid on tight unless it has air holes for the C02 to escape otherwise you may be woken up by a loud explosion of beer!

Rick

[Billb]

I use S-04 a lot, and I always get a bit nervous at around ten days, and rack it before 2 weeks are up. Obviously it depends on your starting gravity and fermentation temperature, but I really can't see 4 weeks as being necessary. 2 weeks sounds about right to me.

Bill.

[killer]

I rarely leave my beers in primary for more than two weeks - you rarely need to with most beers. Fermentation is usually done and dusted in a week - then I might dry hop/ leave for one more week, then bottle/ keg.

It's probably fine to do so but unless you have a specific reason (holiday etc.) or fermentation isn't finished, I wouldn't bother.
And if fermentation isn't finished in 2 weeks there might be something wrong - stalled ferment/ temp too low...

[orlando]

If you have a controlled fermentation temperature then the advice so far is spot on. You mention submersible heaters so I would suggest you get a builders trug that you can put the FV in so it is reasonably snug then fill it with water at around 20 c and put the heater into the water and set for around 1 degree higher than you want to ferment at. I've found that keeps the brew at almost exactly what you want. Do this and 2 weeks is plenty. I would make a hole in the lid for an airlock and keep the lid snapped tight, there is a school of thought this is unnecessary ( ) but it does no harm and can prevent a lot of potential problems particularly in the summer months.

[bobbytinner]

Smelling good, so far.
I've got a few post boil hops floating around the top. Do you suggest clearing the trub as per normal. Then after two weeks syphon into the bottling bin and job done?

Thanks for your help so far..

[orlando]

Smelling good, so far.
I've got a few post boil hops floating around the top. Do you suggest clearing the trub as per normal. Then after two weeks syphon into the bottling bin and job done?

Thanks for your help so far..

How do you clear the trub?

Timing of this is difficult to say, the hydrometer is the big clue, a minimum of 3 days the same is my mantra. Even after you have racked off I am keen to let the beer bulk "age" for a few days without priming to allow more of the yeast to drop out, racking off onto my priming syrup and then packaging. Multiple racking is risky so be careful not to introduce too much oxygen and keep covered the whole time just allowing for gaps necessary to insert your syphon and tubes.