So how long should it really take?

[CaptKaos]

I have consumed my first batch of IPA (maestro series). It was fantastic. It was better when it went past the times specified in the directions for aging in the bottle.

After reading all the posts about how long members leave beer in the primary and secondary I was shocked. The directions in the three kits i have purchased say three weeks at the longest for both primary and secondary. Then, leave it in the bottle for two weeks to age for proper carbonation. After that, throw it in the fridge and drink it. Now the HBT members say to leave in a primary for a month then secondary for another couple of weeks, bottle it for at least three weeks, cold crash a bottle in the fridge for at least a week for best clarity. Pardon me but this sounds like an enormous amount of torment having to wait this long to enjoy home brew.

I understand that some recipes may take longer to ferment. I just don't understand the conflict in opinions between manufacturers' instructions and the methods used by members to brew the extract/ partial mash kits I am using.

Why would you use a secondary for an IPA that has already sat in a primary for a month? Fermentation has stopped long before racking to a secondary, so has all the other clean up work (from what I have read).

 

[codyjp]

I have consumed my first batch of IPA (maestro series). It was fantastic. It was better when it went past the times specified in the directions for aging in the bottle.

After reading all the posts about how long members leave beer in the primary and secondary I was shocked. The directions in the three kits i have purchased say three weeks at the longest for both primary and secondary. Then, leave it in the bottle for two weeks to age for proper carbonation. After that, throw it in the fridge and drink it. Now the HBT members say to leave in a primary for a month then secondary for another couple of weeks, bottle it for at least three weeks, cold crash a bottle in the fridge for at least a week for best clarity. Pardon me but this sounds like an enormous amount of torment having to wait this long to enjoy home brew.

I understand that some recipes may take longer to ferment. I just don't understand the conflict in opinions between manufacturers' instructions and the methods used by members to brew the extract/ partial mash kits I am using.

Why would you use a secondary for an IPA that has already sat in a primary for a month? Fermentation has stopped long before racking to a secondary, so has all the other clean up work (from what I have read).

I would imagine they know it'll work (sort of) so they do that to get people drinking beer a bit sooner. It'd be hard to sign up for a lot of work knowing it might take 6-8 weeks for results. Most people just aren't patient enough!

 

[jigidyjim]

Why would you use a secondary for an IPA that has already sat in a primary for a month? Fermentation has stopped long before racking to a secondary, so has all the other clean up work (from what I have read).

I don't think that necessarily reflects the majority opinion here. A lot of people don't use secondary at all. I'm assuming you used a secondary because you wanted to dry hop. In that case you'd probably hear 3 weeks primary, 1 week secondary as the majority opinion. But everyone has their own technique.

Regardless... I'm being nit picky - the general idea is that yes, you can make good beer really quickly like the manufacturer's instruct you to. But if you want to consistently make great beer, don't rush it.

 

[COLObrewer]

In my experience, the last one is usually the best, however I don't usually go in for the heavilly hopped beers. I have however made a dank special red with 8 oz. hops that was ready and drinkable by week two, it was all gone before week four, it's all in your procedures, ingredients and planning.

 

[Tall_Yotie]

3 weeks fermenting, 3 weeks in bottle is fine for most styles. They do however get better with time. 2 weeks for carbing, but the extra week helps for conditioning.

Belgians, especially dark Belgians, and any "big beer" tends to need a longer conditioning time. Doing this in the fermenter (bulk conditioning) for a portion of it is recommended.

I have a pale ale that did 3 weeks / 3 weeks, cracked it open today at the exact mark, and it is damned tasty. I have a Belgian that did 2 months in fermenter, 2 months in bottle, and seems it still needs to age some.

As for using a secondary, I find it is only encouraged for a big beer that you are bulk conditioning.

Follow the instructions on the kit. If the beer tastes a bit rough then just give it longer in the bottle.

 

[onipar]

I've been doing about 3-4 weeks in primary (no secondary) and three weeks minimum for bottle conditioning. But as most will tell you, this changes depending on beer style.

One thing I noticed in my own taste, and how it differs form others, is that I actually prefer the taste of my beer after a shorter refrigeration period.

Generally you'll hear that a week in the fridge will give better clarity (this is true) and cleaner flavor. That's also true, but for some reason or another, I'm finding I like my beer better after only 2-3 days in the fridge. After that, the flavor does indeed change, but I find the "mellowing" it goes through to be less desirable (this is my personal taste, and only based on two styles thus far).

I only mention this because beyond best practice, you also have to please yourself. If you do something the "right way" and hate it compared to "your way," then you know how to proceed.

 

[Malticulous]

I found that if you pitch enough healthy yeast and control fermentation temps the beer tastes better, even young. Most of my ales are being served by three weeks.

Why would you use a secondary for an IPA that has already sat in a primary for a month? Fermentation has stopped long before racking to a secondary, so has all the other clean up work (from what I have read).

I wouldn't. It would have four or five days in the sixties then two or three at room temp (the rest at 70+ will finish it and clean it up.) Then I'd rack it to secondary on the dry hops for three to seven days. After that I would cold crash (and possibly fine) it before packaging it. Regardless of if I bottle or keg it could be brilliantly clear and carbonated in three to four weeks.

 

[birvine]

I agree that it is odd that we know about the importance of these extended times in comparison with kit instructions. Are the manufacturers living in a void? Are they short-term focused - meaning that if we churn out garbage in 2 or 3 weeks we'll quickly buy another kit and another and another.... Or is it more likely that if we drink green/unready beer we'll quit? I would think so!

Just my 1199 cents.

B

 

[johnnyspade]

Kit instructions will almost always post the minimums. In following those instructions you will have made beer, but not necessarily as good a beer as you could have made by waiting a little longer, or being a bit more careful, at different stages in the process, particularly where the amount of priming sugar they recommend or provide is concerned.

 

[Calder]

For years I brewed a typical batch in about 3 weeks. Thought my beer was pretty good.

Slowly over the years I have built up a 'production line' of sorts, Have plenty in the bottle, and plenty lined-up. If I produce a beer in 4 weeks now, I feel like I have rushed it. I also feel my beers are better for the extra time.

 

[Hatchbrew]

It is always nice to taste a beer at two or three weeks in the bottle, but usually most of my ales are hitting prime time from 5 weeks on.

 

[hops2it]

I go off FG now but even if I reach it early, I'll leave it alone for 3 weeks minimum in most cases. There's a few varieties that were made for a faster primary though so there's no "one size fits all" answer as seems to always be the case in this hobby of ours. Main thing I'm looking for is +1 week minimum after stable FG. Anything extra is for clearing/settling mainly. For me, 3 weeks in the bottle period. Then at least 48 hrs in the fridge, 1 week preferred. I never wait the full week to try one though, trying one at 1 day, 2 days, 1 week etc, will train the palate for what is "ideal" for the various beers you concoct.

 

[eastoak]

Pardon me but this sounds like an enormous amount of torment having to wait this long to enjoy home brew.

once you have a pipeline going you're not waiting for anything. i'm drinking beer that i bottled in april and by the time i get through all of the beer i have stock piled i'll be drinking the beer i bottled a few days ago. i still buy locally brewed craft beer too.

 

[bluemoose]

Kit instructions will almost always post the minimums. In following those instructions you will have made beer, but not necessarily as good a beer as you could have made by waiting a little longer, or being a bit more careful, at different stages in the process, particularly where the amount of priming sugar they recommend or provide is concerned.

Exactly right. You can drink real young wine, it'll get you drunk. It will even taste pretty good, but there is a reason people save wine cellered for long periods. Beer is the same principle on a shorter timetable. If two weeks is good 4 is better. Patience is a virtue.

 

[bottlebomber]

Anybody who can't wait a few months to drink something... isn't brewing enough! If you have 20-30 gallons of beer already made, it isn't going to break your heart to have to wait a while on a beer

 

[Yooper]

Exactly right. You can drink real young wine, it'll get you drunk. It will even taste pretty good, but there is a reason people save wine cellered for long periods. Beer is the same principle on a shorter timetable. If two weeks is good 4 is better. Patience is a virtue.

I age most of my wines, but I rarely age beer! Most of my beers are consumed by week 4. There are some (like a tripel and my oatmeal stout) that need a bit longer, but a well made ale should not need weeks and weeks of conditioning.

 

[CaptKaos]

Anybody who can't wait a few months to drink something... isn't brewing enough! If you have 20-30 gallons of beer already made, it isn't going to break your heart to have to wait a while on a beer

I wish I had the equipment for that. I wish I had enough bottles. I can really only have... Wait, two carboys, one bottling bucket, one sanitizing bucket that can't be used as a fermentor anymore due to scratches, 120-16 oz flip tops and 48 crown top bottles. I have to better plan my supply chain. Secondary fermentors is what I need.

 

[bottlebomber]

I wish I had the equipment for that. I wish I had enough bottles. I can really only have... Wait, two carboys, one bottling bucket, one sanitizing bucket that can't be used as a fermentor anymore due to scratches, 120-16 oz flip tops and 48 crown top bottles. I have to better plan my supply chain. Secondary fermentors is what I need.

I used to have that problem too, not enough storage. I envy your flip top hoard, im just starting to get those, they are strong and nice but at 30 bucks a dozen it'll take me awhile to build up to 10 cases. The crowntops on the other hand, I have many cases of. I have a friend who kegs, but also buys a lot of craft beer so he gets me a case or two a month. I found that Trader Joes (I don't know if you have one of those) has a very exceptable brown ale and hefeweisen for 1.99 a bomber, so I've been grabbing those quite a bit. Eventually I had enough bottles that there's always plenty... I just did the math though, you should be able to hold 20 gallons of beer in the bottles you have. Not too desperate of a situation

 

[onipar]

I wish I had the equipment for that. I wish I had enough bottles. I can really only have... Wait, two carboys, one bottling bucket, one sanitizing bucket that can't be used as a fermentor anymore due to scratches, 120-16 oz flip tops and 48 crown top bottles. I have to better plan my supply chain. Secondary fermentors is what I need.

On the fermenter front, you can try going to your store bakery for free ones, though they'll probably only have up to 5 gallon sizes. Still, free is free.

I recently got 3 4-gallon buckets, and 1 2-gallon for free from the bakery. Not ideal, but I figure now I can do split batches and/or partial batches.

I need more bottles too.

 

[bottlebomber]

It think most hardware stores can sell a 6.5-7 gallon bucket for under 10 bucks, and drilling a hole in the lid is easy

 

[CaptKaos]

It think most hardware stores can sell a 6.5-7 gallon bucket for under 10 bucks, and drilling a hole in the lid is easy

Tried to find those at lowes but they were only 3 and 5 gallon sizes. If I can find the 6.5 gallon at another hardware,is it ok to use them? Is there honestly any difference in plastic between those buckets and a "food grade" bucket?

Buying an ale pail for 22 bucks is a rip off. My LHBS charges 16 bucks for the pail and lid for another 6 bucks. I wanted to tell the guy where he could shove that lid and bucket.

 

[bottlebomber]

Man that's rough! My LHBS isn't the cheapest by a long shot, but the buckets there are still only 6 or 7 bucks and a dollar for the lid... good point on the food safety issue. All of those buckets are HDPE as far as I know, but I don't think they're all necessarily food safe.