Why 21 days in primary?

Here is why I ask my question:

As my first brew I had some learning "opportunities", to be generous. One of those opportunities was when I potentially, and most likely oxidized my brew. I have been testing gravity and taking samples and it still tastes ok but I want to get it into bottles and carbonated ASAP.

So in my haste, another "opportunity" occurred. I added sugar to my brew to activate the yeast and suck up all the oxygen I potentially infused. As a very wise person stated, *tips his hat at Yooper*, the oxygen binds with the brew and you can't get it out. So that was pointless.

Now however, 10 days into my 21 days I added sugar and my yeast have now woken up and consumed it. Do I need to/should I wait 21 more days from the addition of sugar to bottle?

I am testing gravity over the course of a few days as well but wanted to see what the general wisdom stated.

Yes, I know it was a bonehead move. No, I won't do it again. I already moved on and have made a batch of Ed Wort's Pale Ale with great success thus far. I am learning!

So what are your thoughts?

I am thinking that just checking gravity for consistency three days in a row will be the answer.

Just take a sample wait a day or two then sample again if the readings hold your good to go.

Thanks, BeaksnBeer! (Sorry, I just saw you responded to this!)

It generally takes about 21 days for the beer to get down to FG & clean up & settle out clear or slightly misty. When you see the mad bubbling from the beginning slow down or stop,it's just initial fermentation getting done. It'll then slowly,uneventfully creep down to FG from there. Then another 3-7 days to clean up & settle out clear or slightly misty. That all takes about 3 weeks (21 days) to complete. Patience is def in order...

Yes...you must resist the urge to putz with your fermenter for a minimum of 2weeks no matter what! Then, open once to transfer to secondary or bottle. 2 weeks...RDWHAHB

I believe it was in your other thread that I posted to add more sugar for the yeast to scavenge the oxygen. It's incorrect that the oxygen binds to the beer forever, that's not how oxidation reactions work and it doesn't happen instantly. In simple terms the oxygen causes chemical changes in other molecules in the beer that changes their taste.

Take for example very high gravity brewing where there are multiple infusions of oxygen while the yeast are still actively fermenting. If it were the case that oxygen binds forever, then a significant dose of pure oxygen into the beer would surely ruin it.

Another example is commercial bottle conditioned beer. Commercial bottling lines typically don't bother with flushing bottles with CO2 when bottling beer dosed with additional yeast and fermentables.

The very small quantity of sugar you added probably fermented out rapidly. Consider that an average strength beer will finish fermenting in less than a week. It may have slightly reduced the impact of your introduction of oxygen, but it certainly did no harm. You won't need to condition the beer for any additonal period beyond your original schedule.

That's not what is generally meant by oxidation. It's like when you shake or stir the wort after it's been fermenting. Or splashing like crazy when transfering to secondary or a bottling bucket. It can get oxidized that way. And it'll taste like sherry or wet cardboard.

unionrdr said:

That's not what is generally meant by oxidation. It's like when you shake or stir the wort after it's been fermenting. Or splashing like crazy when transfering to secondary or a bottling bucket. It can get oxidized that way. And it'll taste like sherry or wet cardboard.

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Promise, my MIL loves Sherry doesn't care for beer

Youd be surprised how forgiving making beer can be. In general yes you can oxidize your beer,and depending what you did I think it would take awhile for you to notice the effects of oxidation. I filtered a beer siphon (because of loose hop debrie)once and for some reason I got 20-40% foamy bubbleing coming through the tubing with that batch, I was worried but it turned out fine even with age nothing bad happend to it.Turned out to be a pretty good one really.