How Long Have You Left Beer In Primary

[vicelore]

Hey guys.

Well iv got a hoegaarden stitting in primary from about 5 weeks ago.

I got lazy about botteling then went on holidays..

I now have 2 new xmas pressie Kegs that im going to use but just wondering how long it can sit in primary for ? As im waiting till next pay for the Gas bottle.

So it might be in there for 7 weeks..

Cheers Vice

 

[Adamt]

Leaving your beer on the primary yeast cake for extended periods of time after primary fermentation will eventually lead to autolysis. Autolysis gives your beer a distinct vegemite flavour, yum yum. Just racking it off the primary yeast cake will avoid this. If for any reason you must leave it in the same vessel, keep it as cool as possible.

 

[vicelore]

Thanks for the reply adamt

Yea i only have 1 fementer big enough.

Is 7 weeks considered extended ?

Vegemite is allright for brecky but i dont know about vegemite hoegaarden..

Cheers Vice

 

[rclemmett]

Is 7 weeks considered extended ?

Yes.

 

[ozpowell]

Thanks for the reply adamt

Yea i only have 1 fementer big enough.

Is 7 weeks considered extended ?

Vegemite is allright for brecky but i dont know about vegemite hoegaarden..

Cheers Vice

7 weeks may be pushing it - how warm is your fermenter? Here's one of my favourite descriptions of the effects of autolysis on beer: Palmer - How to Brew. Worse than just a bit of a vegemite smell...

I'd probably rack to the keg anyway even though you can't purge the O2.

Cheers,
Michael.

 

[brettprevans]

the problem is if the yeast isnt still working or if its run out of food. it then begins to eat itselk (Autolysis like Admant said). Some conditioning will be fine.

I had my RIS in primary for 7-8 weeks but thats a differant kettle of fish.
lagers are normally 6 weeks or so
ales 2-3 weeks (although i have had one for 4 weeks).

all fine. obviously its not ideal for a hoegaarden style beer but hey what are you goingt to do?

Id rack to a keg and throw some sugar into it with a little yeastcake, that way you can try and get some keg fermenting going and get a small blanket of CO2 in the keg.

 

[np1962]

I'd probably rack to the keg anyway even though you can't purge the O2.

Cheers,
Michael.

Pardon my ignorance, would it be a better idea to prime keg with dex and rack beer to kag rather than let it sit any longer?
Would be carbonated by the time you get gas saving you from using gas to prime and be ready to drink.

Nige

Edit:- CM2 beat me to it.

 

[Leigh]

I bottled an imperial ale last night that had been in the primary since 3/11/08 (8 weeks)...taste test said it was fine...kept it below 20 during the first 3 weeks and has been as high as 28 degrees since then...

I had an english ale in the primary for 12 weeks during last summer, reached temps above 32 degrees after fermentation had ceased. People on here had me worried about autolysis, but the beer was fine!

While autolysis can occur at these temps, the rate of autolysis is quite slow compared to higher temps. As Thirsty Boy stated earlier this year, the conditions for autolysis to occur in noticeable amounts are unlikely to be met in the average homebrew setup.

 

[brettprevans]

While autolysis can occur at these temps, the rate of autolysis is quite slow compared to higher temps. As Thirsty Boy stated earlier this year, the conditions for autolysis to occur in noticeable amounts are unlikely to be met in the average homebrew setup.

yup and the other thing is the heavier or more 'sturdy/rugged' (as opossed to delicate) the beer the harder it is to notice. so a real pale ale would pick it up easily than a stout. theres a reason they say to brew a stout or dark beer fopr your first AG as its more forgiving with making mistakes.

just rack it, keep it cool ansd she'll be fine.

EDIT: or just drop it round to my place and i'll drink it for you, just in case its bad

 

[Leigh]

EDIT: or just drop it round to my place and i'll drink it for you, just in case its bad

Well you do need something to pour from those 6 shiny taps

Vice, follow CM2's advice (rack, carb and chill).

Cheers

 

[Tanga]

My first beer was forgotten and left for a few months. I guess that was bad huh?

Turned out OK though. Was a lager style (though I used an ale yeast).

 

[flattop]

We had this discussion a few weeks ago, i think the thread could be found with a search.
Basically autolysis apparently rarely occurs in HB's and is not common in any event. No one could recall having had it in a brew.
That said, lighter flavored beers such as Wheats and Cerveza's are going to be less tolerant to external factors whereas heavy brews will hide problems.
I try to leave my beers less than 2 weeks in primary.
Racking is the solution anyhow.

 

[vicelore]

Thanks for the replys guys.

A mate of mine said he would bottle it for me if he could have some soo hes doin that today..

Cheers Vice

 

[rclemmett]

We had this discussion a few weeks ago, i think the thread could be found with a search.
Basically autolysis apparently rarely occurs in HB's and is not common in any event. No one could recall having had it in a brew.
That said, lighter flavored beers such as Wheats and Cerveza's are going to be less tolerant to external factors whereas heavy brews will hide problems.

I missed that thread. I have experienced autolysis in one batch, and it was a very noticebale big vegemite flavour. It was a coopers bitter toucan, not a light flavoured beer, that I dumped onto the yeast cake of an IPA. The yeast cake was only twenty days old at the time of bottling, and reached a max temp of 27C. The IPA fermented out in 12 days at temps of 15-19C, the toucan hit 27C very quickly and tried to leave the fridge due to such a vigorous fermentation.

So..... It can happen, but it might not. I don't think anyone would argue that leaving a beer in primary post primary fermentation and diacetyl cleanup is a good idea. It does happen, I do it due to time constraints, but it is not good brewing practice.

 

[gros21]

i have 2 largers that were femented at 10-13c then temp has been droped to 2c and its bee a fair while 8 weeks min im hopeing the lo temp has cause teh yeast to sleep. i have to keg asap i've just been crock as a dog and planning to move

 

[petesbrew]

My usual length is about 2 weeks in primary, but I just bottled a saison last night that was close on 8 weeks. The yeast just took forever to do it's thing.

 

[flattop]

If i am lucky i stretch to 2 weeks, my rellies are cleaning me out and more than of 1/2 my stockpile is gone so i will be looking at about a 10 day turnaround on Fermenters until i run short of bottles again.