Fermentation time question

[JEH]

Hey guys,
Im wondering how long I can let beer sit in the carboy safely. Ive mainly made the recipes from the NG that tell you to not let it sit there for more than 10 days but alot of the recipes I have read online recommend longer time in the carboy. I have a coffee stout in there now and am deciding how long I should leave it. Its been in since Monday and looks like its almost done fermenting.
Thanks

[ratchet]

start reading

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/when-go ... all-43014/

[akr71]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ what Ratchet said.

+ autolysis takes a lot longer than some sources would lead you to believe.

[mr x]

I also think it greatly depends on the strain of yeast and more importantly the temperature at which the carboy is stored.

[derek]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ what Ratchet said.

+ autolysis takes a lot longer than some sources would lead you to believe.

OK, but ratchet didn't actually say anything, which means I'm going to have to actually go and read the link he posted

Doesn't autolysis actually require it to be sitting on the dead yeast? If I rack a finished beer into a clean carboy, I would expect it to last a long time... (Not something I've done, and I now have enough kegs not to need to).

[mr x]

Yeah, it's the dead yest IIRC that are the problem. I expect it should last a long time too once racked off, as the yeast carried over should be minimal.

[akr71]

Doesn't autolysis actually require it to be sitting on the dead yeast? If I rack a finished beer into a clean carboy, I would expect it to last a long time... (Not something I've done, and I now have enough kegs not to need to).

Errrmm, yeah. I rarely ever put my beers in secondary anymore, unless its going to sit for a while before packaging (a lager or big beer). I was assuming JEH was talking about primary fermentation and the beer was sitting on the yeast.

[JEH]

Well, what im talking about it my beer having been in a primary for 3 days, and has now been in a carboy for 7. Its still sitting on some yeast. So from what ive read, should i be racking the beer again and letting it sit without yeast for conditioning?

[akr71]

Personally, I wouldn't worry about 7 days.

Back to Rachet - if the beer tells you its done (OG reading) its done.

RDWHAHB

[mr x]

Yeah, if the room is cool, I'd have no issue waiting 3 weeks.

[chalmers]

Yeah, if the room is cool, I'd have no issue waiting 3 weeks.

I brewed a beer with LiverDance before I left for Chicago, and I left it in primary. And now I'm in St. John's. I think this is week 3 of primary fermentation at about 15C/60F. A bit cold, but I gave it a shake last night and could hear the yeasties coming to life, so I'm not terribly worried. I have neighbours that will drink anything!

[LiverDance]

Yes you do

I was not in Chi Town nor am I in St. J, and mine is still in primary as well I have no cool excuses and I don't feel I need any 3 weeks in primary... no problem...it wants to be beer

[derek]

Well, I brewed 4 days before heading to Orlando, so I pushed everything from the primary to a pseudo-secondary before I left. So it's three weeks now, and still working in the secondary. I might as well just have left it in the primary

[mr x]

I think you can get a different flavour profile from going to secondary well before finishing though, and probably in a good way. Kinda like that British double-drop method...