Duration Of Secondary Fermentation

[cpsmusic]

Hi,

I brewed a batch of AG American Amber Ale on Saturday using S04 yeast. The primary fermentation has been quite vigorous and is already starting to slow down.

In the past, once the gravity has stabilised (three days at the same reading) I've bottled the brew. However, I have read in a few places that the beer can be left in the fermenter for a secondary fermentation (Palmer recommends 2 to 3 weeks).

What is a suitable length of time for this secondary fermentation?

Cheers,

Chris

 

[dougsbrew]

hi chris, i would leave it in fermenter no longer than a week after fermentation is done.
as you are going into bottles with your carb drops/sugar, your beer will do another little
ferment and continue to condition for as long as you want. a month in bottle is good.

 

[warra48]

I never bottle before 3 weeks in primary, sometimes I'll let it go up to 4 weeks.

It does no harm to leave it, and it ensures it's totally fermented out and cleaned up.

That's for ales. For lagers, I'll rack to a lagering container, and it can sit in the fridge for up to a further 2 months.

 

[cpsmusic]

hi chris, i would leave it in fermenter no longer than a week after fermentation is done.
as you are going into bottles with your carb drops/sugar, your beer will do another little
ferment and continue to condition for as long as you want. a month in bottle is good.

Why no longer than a week?