Pale Ale/IPA fermentation time

[pdog44450]

I've brewed probably 2 IPA's and 2 Pale Ales in my career. As a rule of thumb, I usually let all my beers, regardless of gravity, ferment in the primary for a minimum of 3 weeks, usually 6 weeks for 1.070+. I brewed a Pale 4 days ago that's currently in the primary which got me thinking... I've never bottled a hop forward beer after say 7-10 days, only 21 days. I was wondering if there is a loss in aroma or flavor in that time period that is substantial. The hoppy beers I made in the past lacked that strong fruity aroma and flavor from commercial beers. It still tastes like a hoppy beer but they seem to be missing that crisp hop "OOMPH" (regardless if I FWH, dry hop, or whirlpool) which got me wondering if it is because I am fermenting too long for such a beer style.

I'm sure some people out there have qualitative personal experience on this topic and if you do, did you notice that the flavor was better with a shorter fermentation then straight to keg/bottles?

 

[chris0879]

I usually don't go over 2 weeks for hoppy beers. Are you dry hopping? If so I would give it at least 4 days dry hopping. Good luck!

 

[TheMadKing]

I just kegged a pale ale that was in primary for 5 weeks. I dry hopped at week 4, let it sit for 7 days and kegged it. Tastes delicious and very well balanced hop flavors at kegging

 

[muels]

Mine is in the keg within two weeks. Check gravity at 1 week then again at 9 days. Dry hop for 5 days and keg. I cold crash the last day of dry hopping. If my gravity doesn't cooperate I will let it ride but healthy yeast and good ferm temps have worked out so far!

 

[day_trippr]

My pipeline is optimized around this basic schedule:
7 day ferment, 4 day dry hop, 3 day cold-crash, two weeks cold-conditioning/carbing.
That handles pretty much everything aside from my big stouts, and lets me brew two 5g batches every two weeks and not choke the pipe anywhere...

Cheers!

 

[pdog44450]

I usually don't go over 2 weeks for hoppy beers. Are you dry hopping? If so I would give it at least 4 days dry hopping. Good luck!

Yes, but a very minimal amount. I have a little Citra left from the brew that I was gonna use

 

[pdog44450]

My pipeline is optimized around this basic schedule:
7 day ferment, 4 day dry hop, 3 day cold-crash, two weeks cold-conditioning/carbing.
That handles pretty much everything aside from my big stouts, and lets me brew two 5g batches every two weeks and not choke the pipe anywhere...

Cheers!

That schedule is literally exactly what I was thinking about doing. It's been about 4 days since I pitched and the airlock is still going strong. I'll throw my dry hops in on day 7 then cold crash day 11. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[pdog44450]

I just kegged a pale ale that was in primary for 5 weeks. I dry hopped at week 4, let it sit for 7 days and kegged it. Tastes delicious and very well balanced hop flavors at kegging

Wow, that example almost has the ability to put the autolysis debate to rest. Unfortunately I didnt have that success but that is pretty cool!

 

[govner1]

My pipeline is optimized around this basic schedule:

7 day ferment, 4 day dry hop, 3 day cold-crash, two weeks cold-conditioning/carbing.

That handles pretty much everything aside from my big stouts, and lets me brew two 5g batches every two weeks and not choke the pipe anywhere...



Cheers!

I usually go 10-14 days in primary. It usually depends on the yeast ( & beer). Then I go to secondary for about a week to 10 days. (No intention to start the argument re secondary) it works well for me. Then if I plan to dry hop that will be a part of the secondary for 7-10 days.
Then I keg, cold crash @ 34-35°F and carb at 12-15 PSI for about 5 days.

 

[pdog44450]

Mine is in the keg within two weeks. Check gravity at 1 week then again at 9 days. Dry hop for 5 days and keg. I cold crash the last day of dry hopping. If my gravity doesn't cooperate I will let it ride but healthy yeast and good ferm temps have worked out so far!

That's my plan. US-05 usually gets me my final gravity inside a week, anyway. Thanks!