How long is long enough? (fermenting)

Cozzyb · Post by **Cozzyb** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 2:38 pm

Hey everyone,

moving from kit brewing to BIAB has made me a little confused, I was reading a bunch of threads in this section of people saying that they can have a beer drinkable (bottled) in 3 weeks etc, so how long do you need to give an AG beer (using dry yeast) to ferment, one beer is on its 8th day today and is not bubbling at all, seems to be done, I would normally leave it two weeks, but is this necessary with AG?

Reason I am in a rush is I am currently brewing with dechlorinated water via Campden and boiling and need to try a beer asap and see if this is fine before making a bunch of batches.

Cozzyb · Post by **Cozzyb** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 2:38 pm

Brewing at a very constant room temp or 20-22c never higher.

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 3:18 pm

It must first be said that I find myself at odds with a great deal of current thinking on these matters, but an hour since I had a snifter of a beer mashed on August 27th, fermented with Nottingham and casked on September 4th. This, relatively uncomplicated beer, is in my opinion ready for drinking, not yet at its best but it will add to the variety on offer.
Chlorine is used almost excusively here to clean and sanitise equipment. A rinse with plenty of clean tap water then sweetened with some sodium metabisuphide has never failed for me since doing it this way.
Has the yeast dropped out yet?

Cozzyb · Post by **Cozzyb** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 3:21 pm

Eric wrote:It must first be said that I find myself at odds with a great deal of current thinking on these matters, but an hour since I had a snifter of a beer mashed on August 27th, fermented with Nottingham and casked on September 4th. This, relatively uncomplicated beer, is in my opinion ready for drinking, not yet at its best but it will add to the variety on offer.
Chlorine is used almost excusively here to clean and sanitise equipment. A rinse with plenty of clean tap water and sweetened with some sodium metabisuphide has never failed for me.
Has the yeast dropped out yet?

haha oh yes, i have a thick two inches of settled yeast even on the one I only brewed 15th (But that still has airlock activity slightly) but the first one, brewed 12th, no activity and it has settled nicely.

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 3:24 pm

Two inches? That's a lot. I think you have more than yeast there, so I'd be a bit more circumspect. Can you chill it?

Cozzyb · Post by **Cozzyb** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 3:27 pm

Eric wrote:Two inches? That's a lot. I think you have more than yeast there, so I'd be a bit more circumspect. Can you chill it?

Not really, ha. I brew in my room which is constant temp, but no access to anywhere easily to chill sadly. And it looks like yeast through the FV but could be some other floties etc settled out.

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 3:42 pm

It took me a long, long time to quickly get clear beer and for nearly all that period I never knew why. There were of course many reasons and maybe it might be better to wait a little longer in this case. I wouldn't be worried about the extra debris, just that the more there is, the longer it will take to clear and it would be best if there wasn't a lot in the bottles. In the case I quoted there would be 2 or 3mm of yeast.

Cozzyb · Post by **Cozzyb** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 3:57 pm

Eric wrote:It took me a long, long time to quickly get clear beer and for nearly all that period I never knew why. There were of course many reasons and maybe it might be better to wait a little longer in this case. I wouldn't be worried about the extra debris, just that the more there is, the longer it will take to clear and it would be best if there wasn't a lot in the bottles. In the case I quoted there would be 2 or 3mm of yeast.

I use my auto syphon at an angle and rarely pick up anything really from the bottom, so I wont be worrying too much about yeast in the bottle, I'm just not entirely sure how long to ferment for with AG compared to kits, is the full two weeks I said really needed, or could I happily get away with 7-10 days?

jonnyt · Post by **jonnyt** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 4:41 pm

Depends on the Yeast Strain, the wort strength and the temperature so no definitive answer.

However in most cases 10 to 14 days would usually be around the correct measure.

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 5:16 pm

It's not what's at the bottom that's of concern, but what is still in suspension. The general concensus on here seems to be, leave it in the FV for a fortnight. I aim for one week, then fit it with other commitments meaning anything from 6 days and have noticed no advantage of a longer period. Why not, with care, bottle a couple?

Cozzyb · Post by **Cozzyb** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 5:31 pm

Well Friday evening will likely be my first chance to bottle, so I will bottle then and see how it goes.

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How long is long enough? (fermenting)

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