Should I extend my primary phase?

[Froyd]

Just brewed a fairly low gravity brown ale with Imperial yeast. Between the high cell count, 68F temps, pure O infusion, and low gravity, the fermented was on the verge of blowing from 3h after pitch to 48h later. Things have calmed down and I even jiggled the fermenter a bit to get things a little more lively in the fermenter on days 3 and 4. We are now on day 5 and I'm one point below my target FG (1.012 vs 1.013).

Question for the group: any value letting the beer sit in the primary 4-5 more days (10 days total)? My inclination is to go to the keg right away. My thinking is that this is a low gravity beer, and tasting the FG hydrometer sample did not reveal any weird flavors to clean up.

At the same time, I've never kept a beer in primary less than a week, and I don't want to short circuit some chemical process that might be going on after the beer reached FG.

Thoughts?

 

[IslandLizard]

Yeah, leave her alone for another 4-5 days before kegging.
She's conditioning right now. You may raise the temps to 70-72F if you can/want.

What temps did you ferment at?

 

[RM-MN]

Agreed with IslandLizard, keep the beer in the fermenter for another 2 to 3 weeks (notice the change in the time) as it will mature more and sediment will drop to the bottom of the fermenter instead of in your keg.

 

[Froyd]

Yeah, leave her alone for another 4-5 days before kegging.
She's conditioning right now. You may raise the temps to 70-72F if you can/want.

What temps did you ferment at?

68F.

 

[Froyd]

Thanks guys. I'll wait a few more days before I keg. I usually force card at the serving pressure letting the keg come to the right pressure over 10 days, so the beer will mature a little longer in the keg (although it will be at 40F).

I'm not trying to be any grain to glass speed records here just thought the maybe for a lower Gravity beer an extended a primary would not be necessary

 

[Brooothru]

Agreed with IslandLizard, keep the beer in the fermenter for another 2 to 3 weeks (notice the change in the time) as it will mature more and sediment will drop to the bottom of the fermenter instead of in your keg.

^^^^this

After 'primary' is 'done', do nothing for another 2-3 weeks. Call that 2-3 weeks period 'secondary'. If the gravity readings are stable, rack to a keg and carbonate. Your beer will be finished.

Brooo Brother

(note: The above is mostly TIC. There's really no need for 'primary' fermentation and 'secondary' fermentation. There's only one fermentation. There may be different phases of fermentation when different things are happening. But as homebrewers we only need to think in terms of "fermentation" as a process that starts when we pitch the yeast and ends when the conversion of sugars into CO2 and alcohol ends. The less we mess with the process in between those points, the better our beer will be.

 

[IslandLizard]

Thanks guys. I'll wait a few more days before I keg. I usually force card at the serving pressure letting the keg come to the right pressure over 10 days, so the beer will mature a little longer in the keg (although it will be at 40F).

I'm not trying to be any grain to glass speed records here just thought the maybe for a lower Gravity beer an extended a primary would not be necessary

IMO, you're better off leaving it in the fermenter longer to condition. Or condition at low room temps in a keg (oxygen free!). You can make up for that extra time by chilling then burst carbonating (rolling for 5-7' under 30 psi). Bleed off and set to serving pressure. You can drink it right away, although the pours improve somewhat over the next few days.