4 weeks in the FV. Still OK?

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gobuchul

4 weeks in the FV. Still OK?

Post by gobuchul » Fri Jan 29, 2016 3:45 pm

I put a brew on just before I went away for 2 weeks with my work.

Due to overruns, this will now be 4 weeks by the time I get home next week.

It's in a fermentation fridge at 19C.

Will the brew still be OK?

guypettigrew
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Re: 4 weeks in the FV. Still OK?

Post by guypettigrew » Fri Jan 29, 2016 3:53 pm

Should be fine as long as no air's got to it. Was it airlocked?

Should also be nice and clear when you rack it off!

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fego
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Re: 4 weeks in the FV. Still OK?

Post by fego » Fri Jan 29, 2016 5:04 pm

My record is 13 weeks.

Getting it to carbonate in the bottle took a bit of time but otherwise was very drinkable.
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Re: 4 weeks in the FV. Still OK?

Post by Fuggled Mind » Fri Jan 29, 2016 5:30 pm

4 weeks is the norm for me. Plus I only bottle meaning it can hard to find the time. Beer always tastes fine. I use an FV with an airlock. As already said, the beer is usually pretty clear by then

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Re: 4 weeks in the FV. Still OK?

Post by Jonnyconga » Fri Jan 29, 2016 8:30 pm

+1 to it'll be fine. I often leave in fermenter that long - esp if double dry hoping

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Re: 4 weeks in the FV. Still OK?

Post by alix101 » Fri Jan 29, 2016 8:33 pm

It will be better than if you'd left it for 2 week's.
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liamtmt7

Re: 4 weeks in the FV. Still OK?

Post by liamtmt7 » Fri Jan 29, 2016 9:31 pm

Easiest way to tell is to give it a taste.

If its still in primary it could, repeat could, get infected sitting on the trub. I had an issue with one brew last year, was pure vingear when i went to bottle it. Might have been closer to 6 weeks right enough.

A taste will quickly tell!

BluePanda

Re: 4 weeks in the FV. Still OK?

Post by BluePanda » Sat Jan 30, 2016 9:33 pm

I recently bottled a brew after a month in the FV with no problems.

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Re: 4 weeks in the FV. Still OK?

Post by MTW » Sat Jan 30, 2016 10:06 pm

I heard a Jamil Show from 2009 recently with the brewer at Lagunitas. He was a fan of getting it off the yeast ASAP, despite the common wisdom around here. He said that the minute the pH starts to rise, it's time to move it. I've never monitored pH of fermented beer, but maybe you should if you're leaving it on the primary yeast for several weeks.
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Re: 4 weeks in the FV. Still OK?

Post by Buckie Brewer » Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:02 am

I work on a ship, 6 weeks on 6 weeks off, so all my brews are done in the last week at home, left in my fermenter fridge while I'm away and kegged/bottled sometime during the first week home. I don't use any air locks just a loose fitted lid and now on my 5th AG brew with no issues. Better hope I haven't put the kiss of death on my current brew as I still have 4 weeks to go before I see my pale ale again. [-o<
Last edited by Buckie Brewer on Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:09 am, edited 1 time in total.

bochgoch

Re: 4 weeks in the FV. Still OK?

Post by bochgoch » Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:07 am

Time=clarity as far as I can tell. Not sure about Lagunitas pH..

gobuchul

Re: 4 weeks in the FV. Still OK?

Post by gobuchul » Mon Feb 15, 2016 2:45 pm

Well due to a number of reasons, it was 6 weeks in the FV before I could keg it.

Looked and smelt fine, problem is that it was a Citra IPA and doesn't smell very hoppy at all. All the aroma is gone.

I will force carbonate and try in a few days.

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Re: 4 weeks in the FV. Still OK?

Post by orlando » Mon Feb 15, 2016 3:51 pm

The fact you are away and not messing with it can only do it good. :D Those who hover over it day after day are the ones running the risks. As for finished beer pH it should be between 4 and 4.2, if it is in that zone then that, the alcohol and hops will help to keep the beer OK, exposing it to the air is the problem. The other reason given for getting beer off yeast is autolysis from dead yeast cells. I wonder how bottle conditioned beer doesn't go off after 4 weeks or so. :roll:
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Re: 4 weeks in the FV. Still OK?

Post by MTW » Mon Feb 15, 2016 4:52 pm

orlando wrote:The fact you are away and not messing with it can only do it good. :D Those who hover over it day after day are the ones running the risks. As for finished beer pH it should be between 4 and 4.2, if it is in that zone then that, the alcohol and hops will help to keep the beer OK, exposing it to the air is the problem. The other reason given for getting beer off yeast is autolysis from dead yeast cells. I wonder how bottle conditioned beer doesn't go off after 4 weeks or so. :roll:
Is it not due to the fact that there is a far greater proportion of yeast to beer in a primary FV than there is in a bottle? It still occurs (perhaps even more so, under pressure), but we don't notice it?
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Re: 4 weeks in the FV. Still OK?

Post by Capped » Wed Feb 17, 2016 8:34 pm

orlando wrote:The fact you are away and not messing with it can only do it good. :D Those who hover over it day after day are the ones running the risks.
Yup, avoid temptation to lift the lid for a peek at all costs. Famous last words maybe, but I've never had an infected beer in a million brews. When it comes to bottling/casking, so long as there's nuthin' swimming around and crapping in it it'll be fine.

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