Fermentation Times

[Brewer #477045]

How can we find out how long the various recipes need to ferment? Is that only available to pro-members? Sorry if its a daft question!

 

[west1m]

There is no real set time for fermentation. It can vary due to temps yeast type, age or amount. You let it ride til it is done. That being until it stopps bubbling and the gravity has stopped dropping for a few days. Most add a few days after that.
I'm sure you will get better answers.

 

[J A]

There is no set time. If you have a good set up and a healthy pitch ales can be at final gravity in 3 to 5 days. Lagers fermented at cooler temps will take longer but with proper handling can be at final gravity in 7 days. Most beginners count on 2 weeks and maybe longer to make sure to reach final gravity but as you get more familiar with the process, packaging in 7 to 10 days is common for ales.

 

[Dave Y]

The yeast gets to decide how long the fermentation takes, and whether or not it fully attenuates.

If you do all the things correctly, and pitch the yeast, it should be along the lines of previous comments. Let's say pitch the yeast and nothing happens for a few days... That can happen, you still may succeed, but it will be elongated.

There are many things that can inhibit fermentation, elongate the time it takes to complete, negatively impact full attenuation, or produce off flavors / aromas.
The yeast could be outside its best by date or expired. Yeast will generally degrade over time, liquid more quickly than dry yeast.
The cleaning and sanitizing regimen may have not been thorough enough.

A lot of us here use dry yeast exclusively, still more do a double pitch of dry yeast, do a yeast starter culture, harvest and reuse yeast on subsequent brew. The latter 3 can give you a stronger pitch that should take off faster, ferment stronger and finish to full attenuation sooner.

Ales generally take off about 12-18 hours after pitching. If there's nothing or really weak activity after 36 hours, be suspicious.
Lagers can take up to 2 days to start showing signs of fermentation. If nothing or really weak activity after 2 days or it's weak and stays really weak for a day or 2, a 2nd pitch may be in order.

You can monitor fermentation progress with a hydrometer; either an old school manual model, or a fancy electronic one like a Tilt. I like to use the tilt to keep an eye on things as they progress - or don't.

old school:
https://www.amazon.com/Brewers-Elit...8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

New school:
https://tilthydrometer.com

 

[Donoroto]

Agree: no set time. And not daft: I asked the same before.

The answer is ‘when it is done, plus a bit”.

It is ‘done’ when the specific gravity stops dropping. Rule of thumb is if the SG is the same for 3 days, it is done.

But ‘a bit more’ is important: the first stage of fermentation may be done, as seen by the SG, but the second stage, where the yeast cleans up its (undesirable) byproducts, takes about as long as the first stage.

Too short and the beer has off-flavors. Longer, like three times as long, is not harmful, but 5 weeks is about the limit.

 

[Sandy Feet]

If you are just getting started, a good rule of thumb is 14 days, but the above posts are correct. You may want to invest in the Palmer book "How to Brew".

 

[Bigbre04]

Ale: 3-10days
Lager: as long as your can hold off from drinking it.
Voss: tomorrow

I have a whole long post of my fermenation data from a while back
https://www.brewersfriend.com/forum/threads/apex-yeast-data.18187/#post-220088

heavy pitches, nutrient, temp control, O2, ph, etc all help

#vosslife

 

[Dave Y]

Ale: 3-10days
Lager: as long as your can hold off from drinking it.
Voss: tomorrow

Since OP is a new poster:

If you're not familiar, "Voss" is a strain of 'Nordic' "Kveik". it is a family of yeast that ferments very, very hot - sort of like the opposite of lager yeast.

Some lager strains will ferment at 45F, but generally you want to be around 50-55F.
Ale strains __generally__ like to be in the "room temperature" range, with some notable exceptions.

Some Belgian, French and Kveik strains ferment comfortably above room temperatures.
The French Saison for example needs to be about 80F and up.
Kveik strains like Lutra, Voss, Hornindal, etc. can ferment to 95F and perhaps a bit higher.

These hotter fermenting strains can finish up a 7.0% ABV beer in a little bit over a day from the time you pitch.

 

[Bigbre04]

Voss pitched at the end of day 2! Will likely be done tomorrow but I will give it the weekend to do its thing.

Also this is a very slow fermentation for voss. This is a sour beer.

 

[Mastoras007]

View attachment 34462

Voss pitched at the end of day 2! Will likely be done tomorrow but I will give it the weekend to do its thing.

Also this is a very slow fermentation for voss. This is a sour beer.

Do you use some digital sensor like rapt pill or something like that?
Paper is always sure thing

 

[Bigbre04]

Do you use some digital sensor like rapt pill or something like that?
Paper is always sure thing

nope i use write in the rain paper, thermal laser jet, clipboard, and a ball point pen.

also a temp adjusted blue safety hydrometer set, plastic 250ml tube, and a ph meter.

none of the digital ones are good for commercial until you get very big. Even then you would generally double check with a hydrometer.

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

I read the title and got excited, I thought "High Times" magazine and started "Fermentation Times" magazine. Buzz kill!

 

[aippolito]

I use mostly Belgian yeasts, giving them a minimum of three weeks, and reassess from there.