Primary and Bottle Conditioning Times

[gmc]

Hi all,

I would appreciate some input on the following. I currently brew in primary for 3 weeks and bottle condition for 3 weeks. It works well for me for the results I am after. It means I get a new batch every 3 weeks and have 3 weeks to finish drinking them before the next batch comes along. This is all well and good until you invite people over and then 1 batch gets a very big dent in it and I won't have enough to last until the next batch comes along.

I am thinking of changing to the following and it's my hope that it will not affect the quality of the beer.

2 weeks in primary and 4 weeks in the bottle. It's still 6 weeks in total, but it means I will get my fermenter back after 2 weeks insted of 3 and in the space of 6 weeks, I can get 3 batches insted of 2.

To my limited knowledge, 3 weeks in primary really only means that some conditioning is happening before it gets to the bottles, so I imagine it shouldn't make a difference if all of that conditioning is done in bottle. If I go to 2 weeks, I will be more diligent with the hydrometer readings so make sure it is done fermenting before bottling.

Please let me know if from your collective experiences, this will have absolutely no impact on the beer or if you think it will result in a beer thats not as good as my old regime.

 

[NormanHurst]

2 weeks in primary is plenty. Many here advise a 2+2+2 approach. 2 weeks in primary; 2 to carbonate in bottle; 2 more to condition

I would like to say I follow it but I am inpatient so normally crack one open after 2 weeks in bottle. I intellectualise this as research.

I'll do another after 3 weeks in bottle. Also just to learn how conditioning impacts flavour, of course.

The rest will go from week 4 in bottle onwards...

 

[MrRook]

It depends on the beer. I bottled my current batch (best bitter) after ten days and tried one after four days in the bottle at 75f. It was good to go.

 

[moto748]

Hi all,

...
I am thinking of changing to the following and it's my hope that it will not affect the quality of the beer.

2 weeks in primary and 4 weeks in the bottle. It's still 6 weeks in total, but it means I will get my fermenter back after 2 weeks instead of 3 and in the space of 6 weeks, I can get 3 batches instead of 2.

I've never brewed a beer for as long as three weeks, but of course it depends on the type of beer, and the temperature. I don't know what your 'fermenter' is, but it my case it's a plastic bucket. After 5 or 6 days or so, I transfer to demi-johns under fermentation locks until ready for bottling. If you did something similar, it would free up your fermenter quicker?

 

[An Ankoù]

It really depends on your beer, the yeast and the temperature. Let your hydrometer guide you as to when it's finished. I've had fermentation finished in a matter of days, others take weeks. The longer in the bottle, the better. I rarely even taste a bottle before the beer's been in there 6 weeks.

 

[gmc]

Thanks everyone. Conscensus seems to be that there will be no ill affects if switching to 2 weeks. My beers are seldom big, high % beers and are always at room temperature. I think I will aquire enough bottles to keep more batches at once and give it a go.