How long in the fermenter?

[Ckilner]

I generally brew light beers around the 5% ABV mark. I have one stainless steel fermenter so I can't start another brew until the fermenter has been freed up. Yeast activity finishes in about three days and the FG is about right after this time too. Does the beer need to stay in the fermenter longer? I keg all my beer and don't use bottles. How long do commercial brewers leave beer in the fermenter for I wonder?

 

[Dunkelbrau]

I leave my beers on the yeast 2-3 weeks, as they clean up flavours post fermentation, and I'm never in a hurry. I then bottle as normal.

I'm pretty sure a lot of people would go "grain to glass" in a week or a little over. I think this is dependant on beer style, wheats would be quicker than big dark ales, lager fermentation a usually take longer anyway, especially at the lower end of the temp range.

Why don't you pick up a bucket style fermenter for cheap and just have that as a backup?

I wouldn't take it off the yeast at 3 days though!

 

[Yob]

5% is a light beer?

FG + 3-4 days I'd my general rule of thumb so looking at a week or there abouts as a minimum, commercials have bright tanks to free up fermenting tanks.

Cheers

 

[barls]

Been lazy and left one around 3 months it was fine

 

[NewtownClown]

Why not use a free keg, after 4 days, as a bright/settling tank and free up the fermenter? I have donr this many times
Be aware that you will have a lot more trub in the bottom of the keg than normal and you will probably want to filter off that into another keg.
Some cask beers are racked with about 5 gravity points to go until FG. It carbonates the beer and frees up fermenters

 

[macca05]

My last brew fermented for about 2 weeks and has been cold crashing for about 2 weeks. Ive been too lazy to bottle it as i love my kegs but dont have any spare. Just sterilized king browns last night so i can bottle it today.
Macca

 

[HBHB]

Like Barls, a Munich Helles in the fermenter 7 weeks post primary, was probably my best Helles to date. I've left an APA for 8 weeks post racking to secondary....it did lose a bit of the hop aroma, but otherwise was fine.

Normal for a lot of guys to leave a beer for up to several days post primary.

 

[durgarth]

A couple of years ago I got some very good advice from an Australian champion brewer and retailer who asked me " why do you only have one fermenter, I leave mine on the cake for as long as possible"

I thoughts bout that a lot and it makes sense, why would you pull it from the cake unless you had too (not crazy weeks and weeks but at least 2 and perhaps more, depending on ale or lager) anyhow.........I expanded my fermenters (and hence my fermenting fridges) by 3 since that time and have not looked back. My beers are better, much better.

As long as your practices are good let it linger.

 

[Byran]

I had a ale that was done in 3 days, tasted good so I kegged it and drank it.
Others usually after 7 to 10 days in primary then crashed and secondary till clear, then kegged.
Lagers usually done in 5 to 10 days in primary then d rest for a few days, secondary without crashing and lagered for as long as needed until they taste good and are clear, then kegged. Usually have beers finished quite quickly if the yeast is healthy and temps are tight. But it definitely doesn't hurt them to leave them longer I'm just impatient. If they taste good, then they are good.
Edit-an (stupid fingers)

 

[philmud]

I haven't really had any issues with needing to free up fermenter space, but fridge space is more of a concern. How important is maintaining a constant temperature once fermentation is done.

 

[lukasfab]

I haven't really had any issues with needing to free up fermenter space, but fridge space is more of a concern. How important is maintaining a constant temperature once fermentation is done.

Was thinking the same thing. ???

 

[JoeyJoeJoe]

From what I have read alot of comercial breweries start lowish say 18-20C stay there for one or two days and then just let the temperature come up to ambient. I assume this is just for ale yeast and for people that dont live at alice springs.... They probably drop alot of yeast out the bottom before it finishes too so who knows.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

I haven't really had any issues with needing to free up fermenter space, but fridge space is more of a concern. How important is maintaining a constant temperature once fermentation is done.

Was thinking the same thing. ???

Anyone able to expand on this?

I've only got a small fermentation bar fridge but like the idea of being able to free up my fermentation fridge.

If I brew ales in the fridge for primary, then once at FG I normally want to let the yeast cleanup. Could I take the FV out of the fridge and let it sit at room temp for the cleanup phase with negligible effects (should be between 14-22C but will fluctuate obviously)? As therfire U could start my next brew in the fermentation fridge accordingly. I can cold crash the first brew in my keg fridge once that has been given a week to cleanup after itself at room temp. Anyone see any problems with letting the yeast cleanup at fluctuating room temps? Does it undo all the hard work keeping tight primary fermentation temps?