Durations of primary fermentations

Brewharhar · Aug 22, 2014

On 3rd brew, I'm surprised by the varying durations of primary fermentation.

So far I have seen 36 hours, 4 days and now my latest is 8 days (and 5 hours) in and it still has a 1 inch foamy top. I am starting to wonder if somebody has made a large merangue and stuck it on top as a joke.

It's got me wondering how long others have had to wait for various stages to complete?

I'm pretty sure this impatience thing is common :)

penguinarmy · Aug 22, 2014

I always from the time you dont see any more bubbles (or more then 1 min 30 sec apart) wait another 7 days after that I take it as its finished. ( for bitter and ale) not done lager.

:hat:

Brewharhar · Aug 22, 2014

I have a primary fermentation bucket for the initial fermentation, once the krausen drops I wait a day or so then transfer to carboy until gravity stable and the blooper goes quiet.

This thing has been in full blast primary since Friday last week with 1" krausen. Maybe that's ok. I'm starting to wonder though. It's s little cooler here and it's sitting at 20.5 degrees, maybe that's too cold.

Fil · Aug 23, 2014

If you can provide a constant temperature with something like a brewfridge it takes all the guess work out, S04 completes primary in 4-5days like clockwork at 18-19C.

However the only copper bottomed test to check for completion is constant gravity readings over 2-3days..

Brewharhar · Aug 23, 2014

Thanks Fil, I haven't tested the gravity since I made it. Figured the krausen meant it was still busy. I will test it tomorrow and again in a few days time regardless, see how it's progressing.
I used US-05 yeast. I don't have a brew fridge but the temperature has been very steady around 20-21 ish all week. This one was a partial grain & liquid malt extract mix, maybe this takes longer than a kit.

dan125 · Aug 23, 2014

I don't think it needs to be warmer or you'll risk strong estery flavours.
It does sound like quite a long initial ferment - I started a AG brew with an OG of 1.056 last Sat with S05 and initial fermentation took about 4 days Its had just a few surface bubbles for the last couple of days.
Having said that I have found that fermentations can vary quite dramatically, I suppose due to a whole host of variables, and that most things seems to sort themselves out given a little extra time.
I tend to not to open the FV to take gravity readings for fear of infection, especially at this time of year, and like penguinarmy, wait an extra week (or two) after all has gone quiet and assume that fermentation is complete. I then just take a final gravity reading when racking/kegging so I can work out the ABV.

Brewharhar · Aug 23, 2014

Thanks Dan125, that's what I did with the first 2. I have peaked under the lid breifly a few times to make sure the krausen is not just foam stuck to the edges (and that it smells ok).

Slid · Aug 23, 2014

Brewharhar said:
Thanks Fil, I haven't tested the gravity since I made it. Figured the krausen meant it was still busy. I will test it tomorrow and again in a few days time regardless, see how it's progressing.
I used US-05 yeast. I don't have a brew fridge but the temperature has been very steady around 20-21 ish all week. This one was a partial grain & liquid malt extract mix, maybe this takes longer than a kit.

Sounds like you are doing all the right things here, mate.
Just stop lifting the lid, because that will not improve anything and may introduce unwanted nasties once the CO2 production reduces.

2 weeks in primary is a good rule, and unless you have the Coopers fermenter's krausen ring, there is no real reason to open the lid at all.

We all do / did it though :doh:

Hopping_Mad · Aug 25, 2014

I was like that.

Now I bung them in the FV, check something is happening on day three, then forget about it for at least 10 days (fortunately the temperature in my under stairs cupboard is a fairly constant 20*C!)

If the gravity seems somewhere near on day 13, and is the same the next day, then I bottle it.

It's less stressful that way! :hat:

Brewharhar · Aug 25, 2014

Thanks Hopping Mad, I left it well alone for several days. The krausen is now lower but still thick layer. I'm a bit paranoid it is infected, but will have to wait to find out. I did some other searches and found others at a different site having long fermentation with US05, which has made me feel a tad better. It will be 2 weeks on Thursday. I'm going to name this batch "long red".

janplank · Aug 27, 2014

I leave my extract kits in the carboy nothing less than 14 days.

Brewharhar · Aug 29, 2014

Krausen dropped day 13/14 and I transferred it to a carboy earlier. Calculated 4.7%. seems ok, a slight fruity note but understand to expect that with US-05 yeast & think will add rather than take from the overall beer. So I *think* it's going to be ok! thank you all for chipping in with your advice! always appreciated.

Durations of primary fermentations

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