How Long Can I Keep My Brew In The Primary For?

[zrated]

I've come into a bit of a problem...

My plan was to keg my beer a few days ago however my regulator & fonts did not arrive in time. I've now been told that they will take another 10 - 12 days to arrive which is a pain because both of my kit brews have been in the fermenter for 2 weeks. I added finings to my brews & whacked the fermenters in the fridge on Thursday with the hope of kegging them over the weekend however I dont have the regulator to gas my kegs yet!

Am I at risk of ruining my beer if I keep them in the fermenter for another 12 days? That would total almost 4 weeks in the fermenter.... help!

 

[Adamt]

As long as it is kept below 20C, you will be fine.

 

[zrated]

As long as it is kept below 20C, you will be fine.

Well both fermenters are in seperate fridges... one below 10deg and the other one in my freezer with temp controlled to 2deg... so everything will be ok? Doesn't the yeast die off or something causing bad tastes, etc?

 

[Adamt]

100% sure it will be fine. The yeast won't do much at those temperatures.

 

[Fatgodzilla]

100% sure it will be fine. The yeast won't do much at those temperatures.

Agree. The yeast is nicely asleep and dreaming of things other than eating.

 

[crozdog]

zrated, adamt is right, your beer will be fine. I have left brews on the primary yeast cake for over a month with no issue. The cold conditioning will help clear it up nicely & make it all the better when you do get your reg & font.

FWIW, I don't use finings simply leave in primary for 10 days then rack to secondary for another week then into the fridge for a few days then into the keg nice & bright.

 

[zrated]

zrated, adamt is right, your beer will be fine. I have left brews on the primary yeast cake for over a month with no issue. The cold conditioning will help clear it up nicely & make it all the better when you do get your reg & font.

FWIW, I don't use finings simply leave in primary for 10 days then rack to secondary for another week then into the fridge for a few days then into the keg nice & bright.

Excellent, thanks guys! My mind is at ease....

I threw them into the fridge to clear up while I was waiting for them so I guess it will be nice and clear and ready to force carbonate (ross method) when the reg gets here! :beer:

 

[Maple]

If you have the kegs already, why not transfer to the kegs and put them in the fridge? There might just be enough movement to get a little more CO2 out of the yeast in suspension to ensure your keg has a pressurized seal, and you get the beer off the yeast cake. Never tried it, but might be an option...anyone's thoughts on this, I might be overlooking something.

Maple

 

[zrated]

If you have the kegs already, why not transfer to the kegs and put them in the fridge? There might just be enough movement to get a little more CO2 out of the yeast in suspension to ensure your keg has a pressurized seal, and you get the beer off the yeast cake. Never tried it, but might be an option...anyone's thoughts on this, I might be overlooking something.

Maple

If I can transfer them to the kegs and cool them down without gassing please please please let me know! I'd be really keen to do this as it would free up my fermenters for the all important next brew.

 

[drag]

Dont you want the beer to clear a little before puting in keg?

 

[zrated]

Dont you want the beer to clear a little before puting in keg?

yeah true.... what about after a week, can I keg it without carbonating it and let it stand for 5 - 10days?

 

[FazerPete]

yeah true.... what about after a week, can I keg it without carbonating it and let it stand for 5 - 10days?

It's fine. I always keg straight from primary after 10 days and have never had any probs. If you don't want to carb it, just purge the oxygen out by burping the keg with CO2 then leave it for as long as you want.

Any remaining cloudiness will settle out in the keg.

 

[crozdog]

yeah true.... what about after a week, can I keg it without carbonating it and let it stand for 5 - 10days?

You can, but I wouldn't. After finings & a weeks CCing I don't think there isn't going to be a lot of active yeast left to form the protective blanket of CO2.

 

[deano]

Why not just naturally carbonate it in the kegs.

 

[SJW]

Why not just naturally carbonate it in the kegs.

Only if your desparate. But that would work fine. If u need the fermenters just rack to the kegs and thow in a couple of grams of dex just to ensure a little co2 action and they will clear up fine.

 

[zrated]

Only if your desparate. But that would work fine. If u need the fermenters just rack to the kegs and thow in a couple of grams of dex just to ensure a little co2 action and they will clear up fine.

I don't really want to naturally carbonate the kegs....

I've got a stack of those brewcraft carbonation drops, should i throw in 5 or so to get the ball rolling? Would that be enough to purge out the oxygen?

 

[Screwtop]

If your brews have not been racked off the yeastcake to secondary, here's your chance. Rack to the keg, you can do this and give a flush with CO2 then leave the kegs at ambient if you wish, reduces the risk of autolysis (getting the beer off the yeast for long term storage at ambient temps that is). In your case where your unable to flush with CO2 as you don't have your reg then it's probably not a good idea. But popping them back into the fridge would be perfect, adding fermentables at the temp you are storing at is pointless and keg conditioning would negate any fining already done. At the low temps you are storing at at the risk of infection is low. As soon as your reg turns up give each keg a flush with CO2. Then you can keep them in CC until ready to force carb and put them on tap. Alls Good!

 

[zrated]

If your brews have not been racked off the yeastcake to secondary, here's your chance. Rack to the keg, you can do this and give a flush with CO2 then leave the kegs at ambient if you wish, reduces the risk of autolysis (getting the beer off the yeast for long term storage at ambient temps that is). In your case where your unable to flush with CO2 as you don't have your reg then it's probably not a good idea. But popping them back into the fridge would be perfect, adding fermentables at the temp you are storing at is pointless and keg conditioning would negate any fining already done. At the low temps you are storing at at the risk of infection is low. As soon as your reg turns up give each keg a flush with CO2. Then you can keep them in CC until ready to force carb and put them on tap. Alls Good!

yeah sounds like a plan.... I'll leave them as is till the reg arrives.