How long can it wait in the FV?

[clatters69]

To cut a long story short, I had my arm twisted to go out over the weekend and drink 2nd rate beer at top prices than drink decent stuff cheaply at home. Consequently, the keg I was planning on filling with my current brew is not yet empty. My current brew has finished fermenting and was started 9 days ago. Should I dump the remaining 10 pints in my keg and empty my FV into it, or will my brew stay happily in the FV for a few days until I drink my way through the keg?

[Lillywhite]

Another week in the FV won't be a problem.

[stevezx7r]

As a general rule of thumb - three weeks seems to be the longest you want to keep beer on dead yeast. Any longer and the process of autolosys will add some nasty tastes to your beer.

[clatters69]

Thanks gents. I'll get drinking then. I'm man enough for such an important job.

[Totem]

My latest was on the yeast for 4 weeks, i cant taste any nastyness but ive a few bottles going out to members who might be able to tase it.

[stevezx7r]

My latest was on the yeast for 4 weeks, i cant taste any nastyness but ive a few bottles going out to members who might be able to tase it.

It does seem to vary, I think it's mainly down to how "fit" the original yeast was. I personally wouldn't risk wrecking a beer by leaving it on the yeast cake for more than 3 weeks.

[RabMaxwell]

I have had beers sitting in the primary occasionally for up to 6 weeks without trouble.I think having a slight co2 pressure on top plus being kept at 5oc or below helps to slow autolosys down.

[Scotty]

Thats handy to know as I cannot be bothered to bottle my latest brew

[jrugman]

If beer is to be kept for a few weeks in a secondary FV after racking and fining and awaiting final transfer to a Corny, is it advantageous to sulphite the beer and if so at what rate? How long will it keep for? Or is this heresy?!

Cheers ,


John

[brewin_bear]

I've been reading up on this a lot as my brewing 'schedule' to keep kegs full etc etc is going to need the beer to stay in the FV for 4 weeks at a time.

From what I have read in forums and articles, keeping in the FV for a month (or in some cases many months) is not a problem. Good article here http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter10-3.html by John Palmer.

We'll see...

[jrugman]

Thanks Brewin-bear and all. Would still like to hear views, if any, as to the use of sulphite in storage of cleared beer prior to final transfer to a Corny.

Cheers,

John