Conditioning time?

Snrub · May 19, 2018

So... like most new homebrewers, I'm very eager to try what I've brewed.

General rule so far is ferment for approx 2 weeks, bottle and leave in a warm room for 2 weeks, then put in the cellar.

If I understand the '2+2+2' recommendation, I should be drinking beer after it's been in the cellar for 2 weeks, right?

For most of my beers, I am, but the best one I brewed yet, it was awesome without conditioning in the cellar. I'm not noticing much difference in the time spent down there.

What do you do? What would you suggest?

tobyjrn6 · May 20, 2018

Ive found it can be quite the opposite for some hoppy beers, i tend to ferment 10 days to 2 weeks depending on ferm finish (usually 5ish days + 2 for a diacetyl rest during which any dry hops are added - 2 more days for the hops to take and then cold crash it down), then bottle. I taste after 1 week, start drinking in 2 and whilst theres normally a noticeable difference between week 1 and 2 its almost the fresher the better once the beer has 'settled down' in the bottle in my opinion anyway. This said i am brewing with a lot of fruity juicy hops so thats really the standout and will begin to fade

foxbat · May 20, 2018

Hop character does seem to change more in bottles than in kegs. It's some combination of oxygen exposure, temperature or the secondary fermentation that goes on. Nobody's really sure. An extreme and very visible example is the NEIPA. Take a look at this.

Bigcol49 · May 20, 2018

Snrub said:
the best one I brewed yet, it was awesome without conditioning in the cellar

Hi!
There's no hard and fast rule - if you like it, sup it!
If it isn't right, leave it a little longer and try again.

chthon · May 20, 2018

I usually put one one bottle in the fridge for 24 hrs, two weeks after bottling, to test for carbonation and then a taste test. So that would be 2 weeks fermenting + 2 weeks carbonation. And then I leave it a little longer. I normally have enough stock to be able to mature my fresh beers from a couple of weeks to a couple of months.

whinton · May 21, 2018

I think you will just have to experiment and I guess it will depend on what beer you are brewing.
For me I ferment for a week in a fridge at 20 degrees. Never need any longer (Mangrove Jacks Liberty Bell yeast usually).
I brew around 48 ltrs each brew day. One half is casked in a Pin, the other half bottled. I leave the cask 4 weeks before opening (and then only if I've arranged a few people to come over and help drink it!)
The bottles I leave for at least 6 weeks. Longer if possible.
Now that I've moved down-under keeping the cask and bottles at conditioning temp is a little difficult but I would aim for conditioning at around 12 degree if possible. Certainly no colder.
It works for me so hopefully it might help someone else too (-:

-Bezza- · May 21, 2018

Doing the 'wrong' thing is all part of the learning process. Taste it early and if you like it, drink it. But then also leave some for later and see how the taste changes.

Case in point is the American pale ale I made recently. Early on the beer was perfectly drinkable but was a bit bitter for my tastes. Others loved it. A month later and it's smoother with a lot more of the hop aroma coming through. But some people preferred it fresher. Horses for courses.

Conditioning time?

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